Abha, the capital of Aseer (Asir) Province and home to about 210,000 residents, is the highest city in Saudi Arabia, located more than 2200 meters above sea level. It is also the wettest area, which means the vegetation is very lush and there are rich agricultural fields, many of them terraced, offering a wide variety of produce. This height and the unpredictable climate also mean it often rains or the area is covered in fog, so when planning hikes around Abha, you have to take this into account. It’s best to allow more time than you think you need because rainy or foggy days are frequent regardless of the season. Winters can be quite cold and it regularly snows.
Abha sits right on the edge of a high plateau, so you have magnificent views from certain points in the city. Nearby Jabal Soudah, officially Saudi Arabia’s highest peak, offers one of the best hiking trails in the country, and there are other striking attractions around Abha.
The Al-Qaroon Trail is definitely one of the most beautiful hikes in Saudi Arabia, with a scenery that you don’t expect in this part of the world. It leads through forests, grass and bushlands, and cactus fields, from the highest point in Saudi Arabia to terraced agricultural fields on the slopes of the foothills – or the other way around. The views are stunning all along the hike, either you look down on the descending ridges, or up to the rim of the imposing high plateau.
Wadi Lajab is truly one of the most striking sites in Saudi Arabia. It is possibly the wettest place, but definitely one of the wettest. It is a narrow wadi, or canyon, with two branches, both with streams, lots of ponds, little waterfalls, tall trees and lush vegetation. You have to climb rocks and swim across pools if you want to fully explore, and fully enjoy, Wadi Lajab. Bring waterproof bags, or carry only very few valuable items that you can swim with. Have your swimming shorts on, and leave a change of dry clothes and a towel in the car.
Photo: © Google, طارق ال عارمIn 2018, Jabal Ferwa (Farwa) was revealed to be the kingdom’s “new” tallest mountain in a Saudi
newspaper article. The article talked about the Eric and Matthew Gilbertson brothers, two avid mountaineers and peakbaggers who have set themselves the admirable goal of climbing the high point of every country in the world. Together with members of the Saudi Climbing and Hiking Federation, the brothers carried out some
detailed elevation measurements on Ferwa in August 2018 and determined it to be 3001.8 m in elevation - a few metres higher than Jabal Soudah (2998.7 m), the hitherto highest assumed point in the kingdom.
