Orange sand dunes, rock formations, sunrise, Wadi Rum, Jordan
© Ratnakorn Piyasirisorost/Moment/Getty Images
Star-studded sands
Whether you're a tourist, a film crewmember, or a Bedouin local, you'll find plenty of wandering room at Wadi Rum. Here, mountains like the backs of huge beasts bound 280 miles of windswept sand, a setting that captivated moviegoers in the classic film 'Lawrence of Arabia' and inspired many to visit Jordan. Wadi Rum continues to rack up film appearances, with recent sci-fi films like 'Star Wars,' 'The Martian,' and 'Dune' setting up shop on the spectacular spot. The visual arts are nothing new here, though: Petroglyphs etched by the ancient Nabataeans can be found on rock faces all over the wadi.
Martian-like Badlands, Desert Mountains, Sunset
Spitzkoppe rock formations sunset, Erongo Region, Namibia
Henry Mountains Desert Badlands Sunset, Utah
Zabriskie Point badlands, pink purple clouds, Death Valley National Park, California
Dry Desert Sand Dune, Rock Formations, Atacama Desert, Chile
Desert Rock Formations, Valle de la Luna, Atacama Desert, Chile
Rainbow Mountains, Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park, China
Red volcanic crater, green lake, Danakil Depression, Ethiopia
