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The Martian

Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum · Jordan  ·  Surface of Mars

The Martian filmed at Wadi Rum. The cliffs of this desert valley, tinted red, stand in for the surface of Mars. On screen it's surface of Mars.

Wadi Rum, Wadi Rum
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Where to go

29.5765, 35.419928
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Probable Named in published production coverage; the coordinate is the place itself, checked against a gazetteer. This is an area, not a spot. The coordinate is its middle, so use it to navigate to the place and not to line up a shot.

Good to know

Title
The Martian (2015)
On screen
surface of Mars
In real life
Wadi Rum, Wadi Rum
Can you visit?
Open to the public, ticketed
Time to allow
—
Confidence
Probable

Planning the trip? The Jordan travel atlas covers money, language and getting aroundand everything filmed in Wadi Rum is on one page

Wadi Rum today

Wadi Rum, Jordan
Photograph: The Royal Film Commission Jordan · Time Out
Wadi Rum, Jordan
Photograph: The Royal Film Commission Jordan · Time Out
"The Martian," Wadi Rum, Jordan: Despite the support and involvement of NASA, it wasn’t practical for Ridley Scott to shoot pro-science Robinson Crusoe story "The Martian" on Mars, so he turned to the next best thing: Wadi Rum in Jordan, where he’d also shot scenes set on an alien planet in "Prometheus" (2012). Wadi Rum is also known as "the Valley of the Moon" but "the Valley of Mars" might be more apt. "Red Planet" (2000) and "The Last Days on Mars" (2013) were both filmed there, too. As were key scenes in "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962).
USA Today Travel

Photography of the place as it is now — production stills from the publications that covered the shoot, and freely-licensed photographs. Each links to its source.

Also filmed here

More Martian locations

Balna Events CentreKorda StudiosJet Propulsion LaboratoryMüpa Performing Arts Centre
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Venture keeps every scene location on one map, sorted by how far you'd have to walk. Open it in Wadi Rum and it tells you what was shot around you, how to get there, and whether you can actually go in.

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Questions

Where exactly did The Martian film at Wadi Rum?
At 29.5765, 35.419928 in Wadi Rum. Named in published production coverage; the coordinate is the place itself, checked against a gazetteer. This is an area, not a spot. The coordinate is its middle, so use it to navigate to the place and not to line up a shot.
Can you visit Wadi Rum?
Open to the public, ticketed.
What else was filmed near Wadi Rum?
Open Venture where you're standing and it lists every filming location within walking distance, with directions to each one.