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Mountain Destinations of Arabia

Khashm Zubaydah

The Edge of the World, located northwest of Riyadh, has become a popular destination among Riyadh residents due to its green wadi and impressive cliffs situated on the Tuwaiq escarpment, which stretches over 1,000 kilometres from the province of Najran in the south to Qassim in the north and is one of Saudi Arabia's most prominent natural features. However, go to the top of the cliff from the south. You'll discover a relative location that is less well-known, although it is closer to the city, and also has some distinctive characteristics such as the natural spur known as Khashm Zubaydah and the neighbouring natural pillar known as Faisal's finger.

While driving on the track, you'll notice the first sort of feature that isn't seen in Edge of the World but is located in the Khashm Zubaydah area, some stone buildings on the side of the road. Those artificial circular-shaped buildings are most likely Bronze Age (3rd millennium BCE) graves, comparable to those found in large numbers 100 kilometres to the southeast near Al-Kharj.

Indeed, while some of them have the traditional half-meter-high circular shape with the burial chamber in the centre, one structure only shows the circle without the burial chamber, another is tower-shaped (a feature more common in Oman), and a third was inserted into a larger structure whose function is unknown.

Jebel Sawdah (Mosebah Hills)

Jebel Sawdah is Saudi Arabia's highest point. Rather than a steep peak like the Jebel Al-Lawz in Tabuk Province, it's merely a modest hill on a plateau that's already over 2,900 metres high. Unfortunately, the summit of Sawdah is a private location, but the parking area at the bottom of the hill already provides spectacular views of the Sarawat Mountains' incredibly high cliffs.

The journey from Abha to Jebel Sawdah passes through Moshebah's mountainous terrain, shattering any preconceived notions about Saudi Arabia. Mountains and vegetation dominate the environment, which is the polar opposite of sand dune landscapes and mirrors what may be seen around the Mediterranean Sea. Sehab Park, at nearly 2,900 metres on the border of the Sarawat Mountains, is the highest point in the region. This park has breathtaking views from both sides. The Sarawat Mountains' vertiginous cliffs may be seen to the west, and the Moshebah Hills' magnificent terraces can be seen to the east.

Abha

Abha is the capital of Aseer Province and has Saudi Arabia's sixth most significant population. It is known for being Saudi Arabia's tallest big city, at over 2,200 metres, with some regions of the town reaching above 2,400 metres. With such a high altitude, it's no surprise that Abha has warmer weather than the rest of the country, with daytime temperatures ranging from 15 °C to 35 °C.

What's more surprising is that, although the rest of the country has just one rainy season between March and May, Aseer Province has two, owing to the Indian monsoon, which reaches the country's southwest in July and August in Saudi Arabia.

Al Shaq

Tabuk Province boasts one of Saudi Arabia's most amazing concentrations of natural wonders, with many more still to be uncovered. Between Jibal Hisma and Wadi Qaraqir is Al-Shaq, a less well-known yet intriguing location.

Al-Shaq is located 4 kilometres from the route connecting Dhiba and Tabuk, near the town of Shiqry. Nothing stands out as you travel west from the road except the exquisite sandstone formations found throughout the area.

After 3 kilometres, some huge stone circles appear on the ground, which is most likely another example of the Arabian Peninsula's numerous Bronze Age (3rd millennium BCE) graves.

However, once beyond the tombs, what was previously a small dry valley on the south side transforms into a fissure in the earth that continues to grow until it becomes a vast and astonishingly deep canyon. It is feasible to stand with both feet on both sides of the breach at the precise location where it appears.

The northern portion of the canyon, where Al-Amazing Shaq's size is shown, is accessible by a route. An overhang provides an excellent perspective for a memento photo, but don't approach too closely because boulders can fall 300 metres below.

Al-Shaq has a secret feature concealed in the small valley that leads to the canyon: a so-called mushroom rock, which is defined as a rock with a narrower base than its upper portion.

Jebel Al Lawz

The Jebel Al-Lawz, which translates to "almond mountain" in Arabic, is one of Saudi Arabia's most legendary mountains. Most people think of Saudi Arabia as a vast expanse of dunes, yet Jebel Al-Lawz is the tallest peak in Tabuk Province, rising to 2,549 metres above sea level. Indeed, it is lower than the 3000 metre Jebel Sawdah in Aseer Province and several other summits ranging from 2600 to 3000 metres in Bahah, Jizan, and Makkah Provinces. The Jebel Al-Lawz, on the other hand, has additional benefits.

First, it has an actual mountain shape, with a high top commanding the entire province, although many other taller peaks throughout the Sarawat range are the cliff's highest point. For example, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's highest point, the Jebel Sawdah, is a modest hill that sits on a plateau that is already 2,900 metres above sea level.

Second, the Jebel Al-Lawz is perhaps Saudi Arabia's sole area where snow occurs almost every year. As unexpected as it may seem, Saudi Arabia has regular snowfalls due to its numerous mountains over 2,500 metres. However, because Jebel Al-Lawz is Saudi Arabia's tallest peak in the north and is situated beyond the northern edge of the Red Sea and its warm waters, it is more exposed to cold temperatures. It experiences more snowfall than any other part of the nation.

Finally, the Jebel Al-Lawz is home to various archaeological monuments, including an ancient quarry and ancient rock art depicting now-extinct bovines.

Tayeb Lsm

Tayeb Al-Ism is one of Saudi Arabia's stunning natural wonders that astounds visitors. This spectacular natural feature of Tabuk Province may be found on the Gulf of Aqaba, about 15 kilometres north of Maqna.

The majestic shape of the 600-meter-high granite massif of the Tayeb Al-Ism, whose jagged edges fall into the Gulf of Aqaba, impresses people initially while arriving at the road that goes along the turquoise seas and white beaches of the Gulf of Aqaba.

While approaching a lovely small palm grove at the cliff's base, the mountainside facing the Gulf suddenly displays the astonishingly high sides of a narrow canyon whose entrance is only a few dozen metres from the sea. The granite mountain appears to have been ripped in half by an extraterrestrial force.

Visitors to Tayeb Al-Ism may observe another wonder from the bridge: a tiny stream of pure crystal water that flows through the gravel all year. As a result, the wadi is home to a plethora of palm trees and reeds that form a little oasis surrounded by the canyon's vertiginous walls.

Jibal Mussala Ibrahim

People, who assume Saudi Arabia is simply a flat desert with dunes, are astonished to learn that there are numerous mountainous massifs in the country's western region. Then they are astounded as they gaze at the magnificent kilometre-high cliffs of the Sarawat Mountains, which run from Taif to Abha in the southwest of Saudi Arabia. And if they dig a little further, they'll discover an even more startling relief:

The Jibal Mussala Ibrahim
A granite mountain in Al-Bahah Province
50 kilometres from Zee Al-Ayn
The renowned marble-hill hamlet

Unlike other mountainous locations in Saudi Arabia's west, the Jibal Mussala Ibrahim is shaped like an alpine mountain, with a height difference of 1,700 metres from base to summit and a peak of 2,222 metres.

The Jibal Mussala Ibrahim appears to challenge the erosion that has already levelled the surrounding terrain since its altitude is precisely the same as the Sarawat Cliffs, barely 20 kilometres to the east. From the road that goes along the bottom of the cliffs and passes to the eastern side of the mountain, the Jibal Mussala Ibrahim can be seen.

Edge of the World

The Edge of the World has quickly become one of the most popular tourist sites in and around Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital. This nickname was given because of the primary attraction: the breathtaking views from the top of the 300-meter-high cliffs overlooking the plain below. This bluff is part of the much larger Jibal Tuwaiq, which stretches over 1,000 kilometres from the province of Najran in the south to Qassim in the north and is one of Saudi Arabia's most notable natural features.

Several pathways have been built along the cliffs in recent years to provide access up and down the spectacular escarpment. Some of the stone-made paths may still be seen today, such as at Khashm Zubaydah, 50 kilometres southeast of the Edge of the World.

The development of the Red Sea rift, approximately 1,000 kilometres west of Tuwaiq, has caused tectonic movement of the Arabian plate towards the northeast, resulting in those cliffs. The clean incision made in the Riyadh area's sedimentary grounds exposes the layers of sediments collected there during the Jurassic period, when the eastern half of the Arabian Peninsula was a shallow tropical sea (150 million years ago).

That is why so many coral fossils may still be found in the strata and on the ground today.

Taif

Ta'if is a city located less than 1,000 kilometres east of Makkah, but at an elevation of 1800 metres, in a valley on the Hejaz mountains' eastern side. The millennia-old city sits at the crossroads of two of the Arabian Peninsula's most critical historical roads: the frankincense road, which began more than 3,000 years ago in Yemen, and the pilgrimage road to Makkah, whose Ka'aba was already a place of worship before the advent of Islam and now hosts the world's largest pilgrimage.

White Volcanoes

In Saudi Arabia, there is a location unlike any other in the world. While it is not widely recognised, Saudi Arabia includes volcanoes, including many active volcanoes. Volcanic activity is linked to hot spots on the Arabian Plate, which is elevated on the Red Sea rift's eastern side.

Harrat refers to the basaltic lava fields found in the country's western regions. They cover approximately 180000 square kilometres and stretch from Turkey to Yemen in the south.

Harrat Khaybar, one of the most significant volcanic fields, is called after the city on its western side. Its historic and modern lava flows stretch about 14,000 square kilometres between the provinces of Medina and Ha'il, northwest of the city of Medina.

It has a 100-kilometre-long north-south oriented line of volcanic vents, including scoria cones, lava domes, maars, basalt lava flows, and the Jebel Qidr, the Harrat's sole stratovolcano (made up of several layers (strata) of solidified lava).

Jebel Al Qahar

Jebel Qahar is a mountain 80 kilometres northeast of Jizan City that rises to a height of little more than 2000 metres above sea level. Aside from the beauty of green mountains, Jebel Al-Qahar is home to Jizan Province's Wadi Lajab.

The Wadi Lajab valley is a canyon around 5 kilometres long and 3 to 30 kilometres wide, but with steep walls that reach 300 metres in some places, the small and profound valley gives some spectacular views.

But Wadi Lajab's incredible characteristic is that it produces fresh water more frequently than any other wadi in Saudi Arabia. The creek that runs down the canyon's bottom generates medium-sized waterfalls, and the various ponds are deep enough to house fish and bathers.

Jebel Fayfa

Fayfa is Jizan Province's crown gem, perched high in the Arabian sky. Fayfa offers a stunning panorama across the lush highlands of this massif, located barely 60 kilometres from the Red Sea, with peaks exceeding 2 600 metres above sea level.

The terraces, created over the ages to allow agriculture to grow in this humid and rich but steep area, are another lovely aspect of the Fayfa mountains.

The hand-made carriages used by residents to move products and even people, despite the apparent hazards, are considered by locals as the only option to overcome the natural difficulties that are not entirely compensated for by the minor roadways along the bluffs.

The Fayfa mountains are known as the "neighbour of the moon," "heavens of the earth," or "Magical Fayfa" because of their beautiful scenery and agreeable weather.

Sarawat and Tihama

In a nation where rainfall is rare and temperatures are consistently over 40°C for most of the year, the Province of Aseer (with neighbouring Al-Baha) has a unique position.

When travelling west from Aseer's high plateau, the magnificent cliffs between the plateau and the Tihama coastal plain present an unavoidable natural impediment that runs from north to south. The altitude difference between the cliffs' tops and the plains at the feet can be as significant as 2000 metres. As a result, the landscapes in the highest reaches of the plateau are far from the clichés of the Arabian desert, instead consisting of green hills that residents have altered over millennia by creating terraces for cultivation, resulting in a harmonized relief effect.

Many roads go down and up the cliffs, with parking places on both sides, allowing tourists to stop and appreciate the breathtaking views safely.

Al Ula

Al Ula is where you can experience what it's like to be a genuine adventurer mapping the unknown. The sense of discovery is quickly destroyed in many historic places by a forest of selfie sticks. But you might still be able to live out your fantasy of being an adventurous archaeologist for a day at AlUla, which is home to Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, deep in the desert in the country's northwestern area.

Despite having all of the ingredients for a bucket-list-worthy global destination — ancient tombs that are the legacy of 7,000 years of human civilization, stunning natural rock formations and canyons, a plethora of adventure sports options, and cutting-edge art installations — AlUla remains largely off the global tourism radar, giving you plenty of space and time for reflection with the vast desert's silence and the monumentality of its natural assets.

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