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Travel & Food

Saudi Arabia’s Natural Landscapes Call For Adventure

On Saudi National Day, we celebrate the Kingdom’s nature jewels.

Saudi Arabia is the largest nation in the Middle East and the only one to have coasts on both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. It is spread out across the Arabian Peninsula and boasts a variety of natural landscapes, including mountains, deserts, and beaches, offering unique experiences and unusual excursions for all types of travelers. The vast array of adventures offered in the Kingdom includes hiking, paragliding, scuba diving, and desert safaris. As a result, travel companies have started organizing a variety of thrilling escapades, with cave and crater hikes, desert and water excursions, and popular camping trips.

Explore these options for last days of summer vacation inspiration.

By Natalie Kebbe

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Desert Adventures

The Saudi Arabian desert is more than just a playground for adventure seekers and adrenaline-fueled excursions like dune bashing, quad biking, sandboarding and sand sledding. It also offers historically themed activities like camel riding and Arabian camping.

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Dune Bashing
This type of off-roading on a quad bike mixes mud and hill driving with a knowledgeable local tour guide who has firsthand knowledge of the area. Best places to off-road and hill drive are Moon mountain, Rub’ Al Khali - The Empty Quarter, and Al Araqana Desert.

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Camel Riding
Take your time exploring Saudi Arabia's vast desert by camel at Thumamah National Park or while on a Bedouin camping excursion.

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Arabian Camping
Spend the night among the sand dunes and under the starry sky for a genuine Arabian experience. The next day can include activities such as dune bashing, camel riding and sand skiing. Best camping sites are at Al Nufud Al Kabir - The Great Nufud Desert, Al Araqana Desert, and Jubbah Desert,

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Hiking Adventures

Hikers will enjoy the varied geography of Saudi Arabia. There are several opportunities to travel by foot to stunning clifftop vantage locations as well as a desert oasis.

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Moon Valley
It takes one hour to get to Moon Valley from Jeddah. Amazing rock formations dating back thousands of years can be found there. Stargazing, camping, hiking, and watching sunsets are the top things to do at Moon Valley.

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Elephant Rock
Elephant Rock, is a huge sandstone monolith that resembles an elephant with its trunk on the ground, and is regarded as one of AlUla's most recognizable features. This historical location, rising above golden dunes with mountains looming in the distance, is best visited at sunset to take advantage of the cool air and breath-taking views.

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Edge of the World
There are many ways for hikers to trek this ancient trade route to reach this ledge in the Tuwaiq cliffs for stunning views overlooking the valley below. Keep an eye out for fossils as you make your way to your vantage point because, in the distant past, this vast valley was also a portion of the ocean floor.

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Al Ahsa Oasis
The Al Ahsa Oasis, one of Saudi Arabia's greenest regions, provides visitors with the chance to stroll through a highly uncommon Gulf landscape: cooling springs, wells, waterways and farmland. Ruins dating back to the Neolithic period can be seen in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore the nearby Al Ahsa National Park and go caving in the Al Qarah Mountain's rock-hewn caves.

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Jabal Abyad
Even with an all-terrain vehicle, it can be difficult to get to Jabal Abyad and its sister peak Jabal Bayda, but the hike there is worthwhile.

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Al Wahbah Crater
Climb into the heart of Al Wahbah Crater, just a short day trip from Jeddah.

If brave travelers are ready to undertake the journey, a track leads down into the crater. Al Wahbah is a well-liked location for camping and picnics as well because of the breathtaking view from the crater rim.

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Water Adventures

The Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf, and the Arabian Sea surround the Arabian Peninsula, making water the ideal place to have an adventure.

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Red Sea Scuba Diving and Snorkeling
The Red Sea is home to many different fish species, hard and soft corals, as well as the remains and valuables of ancient shipwrecks. These wonders can be taken in by diving and snorkeling.

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Checkout the Lake of Liquid Light
An ephemeral desert lake can be found in Al Kharrarah National Park known as Lake Kharrarah, or Lake of Liquid Light. It is deep enough to swim in after intense rains, and a picnic can be had on the nearby red sandy hills. The Hifna Waterfall, which cascades down the red sand dunes, can also be seen if you travel alongside Lake Kharrarah. You can also visit after the water has gone, and observe the fauna and migrating birds it attracts as well as the lush green lake bed it leaves behind.

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Sightseeing on Boats and Cruises
There are many options to enjoy while exploring the waters. Choose from sailing around the archipelago surrounding Umluj, venturing out on a boat to the mangrove forests of the Farasan Island, or going on a cruise and exploring the spectacular Georgios G shipwreck – coined the Saudi Titanic – from underwater.