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Where Filmed
Sandstone towers in Wadi Rum, Jordan – Arrakis in Dune

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Film · 2021, Part Two 2024

Where wasDunefilmed?

Arrakis was built from two deserts: the sandstone canyons of Wadi Rum in Jordan for the rock and the Liwa dunes of Abu Dhabi for the sand seas. Both are protected areas where you go in with a Bedouin or Emirati guide, which is exactly what the tours are. The rest is a studio in Budapest and a cemetery in Italy.

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5 locations5 countries17 tours
Tours from $108.43★ 4.9 · 380 reviews

Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

COLD OPEN

Denis Villeneuve built Arrakis from two deserts. The rock – the sietch approaches, the canyons, the worm-riding plains – is Wadi Rum in southern Jordan; the sand seas are the Liwa dunes in the Empty Quarter of Abu Dhabi. Caladan's cliffs are the Norwegian coast at Stadlandet, the Emperor's court on Kaitain in Part Two is the Brion tomb near Treviso, and everything with a wall was built at Origo Studios in Budapest. Both deserts are protected areas visited with local guides, which is what the tours are.

SC 00 · MAP OF THE FILMING LOCATIONS

Where Dune was filmed: 5 locations you can visit

  1. Jordan1Wadi Rum
  2. United Arab Emirates2Liwa Oasis and the Empty Quarter
  3. Norway3Stadlandet
  4. Italy4Brion Tomb
  5. Hungary5Origo Studios

ACT IJordan1 location

Sandstone towers in Wadi Rum, Jordan – Arrakis in Dune Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0

EXT. WADI RUM – WADI RUM

Wadi Rum

as Arrakis – the rock desert, the sietch, the worm plains

The approach to Sietch Tabr, the canyon ambush, Paul's first worm ride in Part Two, and most exterior shots with rock. Filmed in spring 2019 and again in autumn 2022 in the protected area south of the village.

VISITING

Entry fee at the visitor centre; beyond it, in practice with a Bedouin guide in a jeep, on a camel or on foot. Camps for overnight stays. 60 km from Aqaba, 320 km from Amman. The same valley played Mars in The Martian and Jedha in Rogue One.

NOTEThe two-hour jeep loop shows the postcard spots; a full day or an overnight gets you to the emptier southern valleys that look most like the film.

16 tours · from $108.43 →

ACT IIUnited Arab Emirates1 location

The dunes of the Empty Quarter near Liwa, Abu Dhabi, the sand seas of Arrakis Peter Dowley from Dubai, … · CC BY 2.0

EXT. LIWA OASIS AND THE EMPTY QUARTER – LIWA

Liwa Oasis and the Empty Quarter

as Arrakis – the sand seas, the spice harvester

The harvester sequence, the ornithopter flights over dunes, the Fremen crossings. Shot in the dunes south of Liwa in autumn 2019 and again for Part Two.

VISITING

Free desert, but two and a half to three hours by road from Abu Dhabi city; an intercity bus runs to Mezaira'a in Liwa, but the dunes themselves need a vehicle. The resorts at Liwa (Qasr Al Sarab, Tilal Liwa) run dune drives. A long day trip or an overnight.

NOTEThe 'desert safaris' sold in Abu Dhabi and Dubai go to dunes near the coast. Only the ones that name Liwa or the Empty Quarter go where Dune was shot.

ACT IIINorway1 location

The rocky coast of the Stad peninsula in Norway, Caladan in Dune Svein Magne Tunli · CC BY-SA 4.0

EXT. STADLANDET – STAD

Stadlandet

as Caladan – the Atreides homeworld's coast

The rainy cliffs and the sea where the Atreides leave their home in the first film, shot on the Stad peninsula in August 2019, with aerials of the coast added that autumn.

VISITING

Free; a remote headland on the west coast, six hours from Bergen by car and ferry.

ACT 4Italy1 location

The arched bridge and pools of the Brion tomb at Altivole, the Harkonnen world of Dune: Part Two Viaggiamocela · CC BY-SA 4.0

EXT. BRION TOMB – ALTIVOLE

Brion Tomb

as The Emperor's court on Kaitain (Part Two)

Carlo Scarpa's concrete memorial for the Brion family, built 1968–1978, is the setting of the imperial court scenes on Kaitain with Princess Irulan and the Emperor, shot in a two-day pre-shoot in July 2022.

VISITING

Run by the FAI heritage trust: free in public opening hours, mid-February to December, Wednesday to Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday; guided tours are charged and booked ahead. Beside the village cemetery of San Vito d'Altivole, about 50 km north-west of Venice near Asolo, by car or bus 204 from Castelfranco Veneto station on weekdays.

NOTEOne of the great 20th-century buildings in Italy, and quiet on Wednesday and Thursday; closed Monday and Tuesday.

ACT 5Hungary1 location

The Danube and the Parliament in Budapest at dusk – Origo Studios, where Dune's interiors were built, lie on the city's eastern edge and have no free photo Florian Fèvre · CC BY-SA 4.0

INT. ORIGO STUDIOS – BUDAPEST

Origo Studios

as The Arrakeen palace, the sietch interiors, the ships

All the interior sets and the courtyard of the Arrakeen residence, on the studio's backlot.

VISITING

A working studio, not open to visitors.

SC 06 · BOOK THE SCENE

Wadi Rum and Liwa desert tours, with ratings

In Wadi Rum the jeep tours from the visitor centre are the standard: two to four hours across the valley, with overnight camps for the stars. From Abu Dhabi, Liwa is a full-day trip – 250 km each way – so the tours that go there are few and expensive; the cheaper 'desert safaris' from the city stay in the dunes near the coast and are not Dune.

Free cancellation on most toursReal review counts from the booking partnerSame price as booking direct

Wadi Rum jeep tours and desert camps 16 tours compared →

Jeep tours from the visitor centre of two to eight hours, overnight camps with the tour included, and day trips from Aqaba or Petra. The guides are all local Bedouin – the protected area allows nothing else – and most know the film spots by name.

Most booked

Wadi Rum Full Day Jeep Tour + Overnight & Dinner in Bedouin Camp

★ 4.9 · 380 reviewsvia Viator
from$108.43Check availability

Wadi Rum: Morning or Sunset Jeep Tour

★ 5.0 · 301 reviews4 hoursvia GetYourGuide
from$43.43Check availability

Wadi Rum Cave Camping with Jeep Tour

★ 5.0 · 225 reviewsvia Viator
from$126Check availability
Show all 16 offers

Wadi Rum: Explorer Jeep Tour PASS + Local Food + Optional Stay

★ 4.9 · 121 reviewsvia Viator
from$37.50Check

Full Day Jeep Tour in Wadi Rum (incl. Bedouin picnic lunch)

★ 5.0 · 96 reviewsvia Viator
from$56Check

2Hour Jeep Tour Morning or Sunset Wadi Rum Desert Highlights

★ 4.9 · 90 reviews2 hoursvia GetYourGuide
from$26.10Check

Wadi Rum: Choose 2 to 9 Hour Jeep Pass, Guide & Meal Options

★ 4.6 · 86 reviews2 hoursvia GetYourGuide
from$22Check

Half-Day Jeep Tour: "Wadi Rum Images"

★ 4.8 · 44 reviewsvia Viator
from$55Check

Full Day Jeep Tour and Overnight in Wadi Rum

★ 5.0 · 38 reviewsvia Viator
from$125Check

Wadi Rum Jeep Tour & optional night stay

★ 5.0 · 36 reviewsvia Viator
from$58.23Check

Wadi Rum: 4-Hour Morning or Sunset Jeep Tour

★ 5.0 · 27 reviews2h 30mvia GetYourGuide
from$32Check

Wadi Rum 4-Hour Sunset Tour - Wadi Rum Desert Highlights

★ 4.7 · 14 reviewsvia Viator
from$36.55Check

Wadi Rum: 2-Hour Jeep Tour with Bedouin Tea

★ 5.0 · 11 reviews2 hoursvia GetYourGuide
from$29.48Check

2H Jeep Tour Morning or Sunset Wadi Rum Desert Highlights

★ 5.0 · 7 reviews2 hoursvia GetYourGuide
from$25.20Check

Wadi Rum: 4-Hour Jeep Tour with 1-Night Desert Camp & Meals

★ 5.0 · 4 reviews4 hoursvia GetYourGuide
from$44Check

Wadi Rum: Famous place UNESCO Jeep Tour Camel Ride Option

★ 5.0 · 2 reviews2 hoursvia GetYourGuide
from$51.34Check

Liwa and Empty Quarter tours from Abu Dhabi

Full-day private tours to the Liwa dunes, ten hours or more, and overnights at the desert resorts. Few and not cheap; the volume of 'desert safari' listings from the city is for the coastal dunes.

Most booked

Full Day Liwa Desert Sunset Safari Tour / picnic dinner at Oasis

★ 4.8 · 36 reviews
from$153.25Check availability

Booked through GetYourGuide, Viator or Tiqets (affiliate links, advertising). Most tours can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours ahead. Prices in US dollars as of 23 September 2026; the checkout shows your currency.

LOCATION MANAGER'S NOTES

Tips before you go

  1. Wadi Rum is the accessible one: Aqaba is an hour away, Petra two, and the jeep tours run every day.
  2. Liwa needs a full day and a private tour or a resort night; check that the listing names Liwa, not just 'desert'.
  3. Spring and autumn for both deserts. In July the Empty Quarter reaches 50 °C and the tours thin out.
  4. The Brion tomb adjoins a real village cemetery: quiet clothes, quiet voice. Entry is free in opening hours, Wednesday to Sunday.
  5. Wadi Rum's Bedouin camps range from mattresses under the stars to glass bubbles; the film look is the plain version.
  6. The Brion tomb is not Giedi Prime but the Emperor's court on Kaitain; the Harkonnen arena and homeworld were studio work in Budapest.

CONTINUITY ERRORS

What the internet gets wrong

Dune was filmed in the SaharaActually

No. Jordan (Wadi Rum) and the United Arab Emirates (Liwa) for the desert, Norway for Caladan, Hungary for the sets, Italy for Kaitain.

The desert safaris from Dubai go to the Dune locationsActually

They go to dunes an hour from the city. Liwa is two and a half to three hours by road from Abu Dhabi and further from Dubai; only tours naming Liwa or the Empty Quarter reach it.

Arrakeen was built in the desertActually

The city and palace were sets at Origo Studios in Budapest, with digital extensions. Nothing was built in Wadi Rum or Liwa.

You can drive yourself around Wadi RumActually

Beyond the visitor centre the tracks are unmarked sand and the protected area is set up for licensed local guides; private cars need a permit and a very capable driver. The jeep tours are the standard for good reason.

PRODUCTION LOG

Production notes

  • 2019: Filming starts at Origo Studios in Budapest on 18 March; 23 days in Wadi Rum and 11 days in Liwa follow; Norway in August is the final segment of principal photography.
  • 2021: Dune premieres at Venice on 3 September and releases from mid-September (US 22 October), almost a year after its original November 2020 date.
  • 2022: Part Two films from July to December in Budapest, Wadi Rum, Liwa and Altivole.
  • 2024: Part Two releases in March.

Q&A

Frequent questions

Where was Dune filmed?

Wadi Rum in Jordan and the Liwa desert in Abu Dhabi for Arrakis; Stadlandet in Norway for Caladan; Origo Studios in Budapest for all interiors and the Arrakeen sets. Part Two added the Brion tomb at Altivole in Italy for the Emperor's court on Kaitain.

Can you visit the Dune filming locations?

Wadi Rum and Liwa are both open desert visited with guides; the Brion tomb is a heritage-trust memorial beside a village cemetery, free Wednesday to Sunday; the Norwegian coast is public. The Budapest studio is closed to visitors.

Which desert is Arrakis?

Two: Wadi Rum's sandstone valleys for anything with rock and the Liwa dunes for the sand seas. They are cut together in almost every desert sequence.

How do you get to Wadi Rum?

From Aqaba by road in about an hour, from Petra in two, from Amman in four. The visitor centre is where the jeep tours start; there is a daily bus from Aqaba and from Petra.

Is Wadi Rum safe?

Yes; it is Jordan's main desert tourism area, with a protected-area administration and licensed guides. Standard travel advice for Jordan applies.

Where was Caladan filmed?

On the Stad peninsula on Norway's west coast, at Stadlandet, in August 2019 – the rainy cliffs and sea in the first film.

Where was Dune: Part Two filmed?

The same deserts – Wadi Rum and Liwa – plus the Brion tomb in Italy for the Emperor's court on Kaitain and Origo Studios in Budapest.

Where were the worm-riding scenes filmed?

The plains of Wadi Rum with the worm added digitally; the rig for the actors was in the Budapest studio.

END CREDITS

Locations5
Countries5
Checked23 September 2026
Wadi Rum protected area: entry, guides, campsinternational.visitjordan.com/page/17/W…
Liwa: access, resorts, distancesvisitabudhabi.ae/en/plan-your-trip/arti…
Brion memorial (FAI): opening days, tours, busfondoambiente.it/memoriale-brion-eng/
Production dates, locationsen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_(2021_film)
Part Two locationsen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune:_Part_Two
Brion tomb: Kaitain scenesen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brion_tomb
from $108.43★ 4.9 · 380 reviews · Wadi Rum Full Day Jeep Tour + Overnig…
Check availability