Hiking around Bisha

 Bisha (Bishah) is a city of around 200,000 residents at an elevation of 610 meters above sea level. It sits at the mouth of Wadi Bisha and its tributaries, such as Wadi Tarj (Turj), where the lush valleys coming from the Sarawat Mountains reach the plain of the Najd Plateau. Although Bisha is not a major tourist destination, there are several attractions in the area, such as the “White Mountain,” featured next. The archaeological areas near Al-Ablaa and Tabalah (Tubbalah) display many Thamudic inscriptions.  You also find several historic buildings and villages. King Fahd Dam, among the world's largest concrete dams, is closed to visitors. 

Bisha is a convenient stop for those travelling by road between Riyadh and the cities of the Sarawat Mountains, or between Najran and Jeddah. It is around 250 kilometers from Abha, 320 kilometers from Taif, and 700 kiloeters from Riyadh. The city has an airport served by domestic airlines. Accommodation is available in Bisha. 

White Mountain – A sparkling crystal hill


Photo: © Spectacular Mountains

White Mountain, known in Arabic as Al-Sayra Al-Bayda or just Al-Sayra, is basically a giant pile of bright white quartz. It sits in a zone of volcanic granite domes and towers and probably represents part of a sill or dyke that was mineralized with quartz at a later stage. White Mountain certainly stands out among all the black terrain surrounding it, and it’s a striking sight at night when the west face is lit up by flood lights that have been installed by the authorities. 

Go to: Riyadh | Abha | Najran | Bisha | Taif | Medina | Al-Ula | Tabuk 

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