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Welcome / مرحباً

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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recently opened its doors to Western visitors and began developing its tourism industry in every field. One of these is hiking, and several new trails have been established, few of which are described in our guidebook . The potential is enormous, as the country is huge and the landscapes are surprisingly diverse. Most people think of Saudi Arabia as merely a land of endless deserts of sand and rock. While there certainly is plenty of that, the kingdom boasts a wealth of diverse terrains and climates beyond these stereotypical images, ranging from stunning desert landscapes to thick Juniper tree forests and wadis that you can swim in. The country's historic landscape is also varied. Saudi Arabia is, of course, the birthplace of Islam, but earlier cultures, as well as the Ottomans in later times, also left their mark. This is a new beginning for the KSA, for the international hiking community, and for this project that aims to present some of the best avai
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Saudi hospitality

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The Saudis are welcoming and friendly in general, and then sometimes you meet people who go out their way to show their true tradition of hospitality. Mohamed Abu Khaled from the Bin Attiya tribe in Wadi al-Deesah is such a man. He was heading home with family members and friends after a day out when I met him. He invited me for dinner and said I can stay overnight at his nearby farm. I was hesitant briefly, for logistical reasons, as I planned to visit the wadi early the next day, but then accepted the invitation. It turned out to be one of my most beautiful evenings in Saudi Arabia, with the familiar sense of a Bedouin dinner in the majlis , the communal area. Thank you Mohamed, and thanks to all the nice people I met during my Saudi trip! As for those who are considering a visit; just go, you will have a wonderful time and meet great people. 
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Accommodation in Saudi Arabia

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Saudi Arabia is believed to be a very expensive country, but that's not really the case. In western terms it is quite moderate, affordable, and that's true for accommodation as well. You won't find the real cheap, real budget options, although in some citites, including Riyadh and Jeddah, there are a couple of hostels. In 2024, a dormitory bed in Riyadh was SAR 80 per night, about GBP 17. At the same time, I had a studio for less in Abha. There is plenty of mid-range accommodation, and they are good, sometimes extremely good, value. The most expensive place is Al-Ula, as it caters for the wealthier clientele, and this studio, pictured above and below, was SAR 250, or GBP 52 per night. Not cheap, and perhaps too luxurious for a budget traveller, but occasionally one can splurge a little bit. Most other places were significantly cheaper, as you will see next. 
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Hikes you can do without renting a car

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  Unfortunately in many cases you need your own transport to reach the hiking spots, and renting a car is cheaper than going on an organised tour. However, if you can't or don't want to rent a car, there are still several hikes you can do without it. Following is the list of these hikes by city.  Riyadh All the hiking locations are quite far away from the city: the nearest is the Camel Trail , but it is still around 50 kilometres. A ride-hailing service, such as Kaiian or Careem, would cost around SAR 80-100 one way to Qusur Al Muqbil, from where you can get to the trailhead on foot. Getting back would be more difficult, though. You may or may not get lucky to find another car to take you back. You could try hitchhiking, but then again, you need luck. So it is not the most convenient or cheapest to do this hike without your own transport, but perhaps it is possible.  Abha One of the best hikes in Saudi Arabia is the Al-Qarun Trail in the Soudah mountains, and this is a hike th
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Renting a car in Saudi Arabia

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  The most convenient and cheapest way, and often the only way, to visit places outside of the cities is to rent a car. However, it is not always that easy. Many car rental companies demand that you have a Saudi driver's license, others want you to have a credit card. But you can rent a car without a Saudi license or credit card, you just have to find the right place. Here, I present such car rental offices in 5 cities.  Riyadh: Abu Diyab Rent A Car  Located opposite the King Fahad National Library on Olaya Street, the Abu Diyab office is one of several rent a car companies next to each other. But only they rent a car without asking for a Saudi license and/or a credit card. The cost of a small car with insurance starts at around SAR 140. See location on Google Maps .  Abha: Abu Diyab Rent A Car  You find several car rental companies at the airport. Since I rented from Abu Diyab before, I went to them. The first person I talked to asked for a Saudi license, and I had to insist that
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