Since the opening up of the country for tourism in 2018 as per plans of Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Bin Salman to transform the country; a lot of efforts have been made to promote tourism in the country especially adventure tourism. Saudi Arabia as a custodian of 2 of the holiest mosques in Islam located in Mecca and Medina already attracted millions as part of religious tourism. Jeddah in the Red Sea is already famous as a major tourist destination. But general tourism visas, are being issued since 2018 only, to promote tourism development as an important driver of growth for the future of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia plans to boost tourism in the country as one of the key pillars at the heart of Vision 2030’s plan to help diversify the economy and reduce reliance on oil. The Ministry of Tourism, the Saudi Tourism Authority, and the Tourism Development Fund were established in line with international best practices and with clear remits to support the growth of this significant sector and help it to flourish and attract up to 100 million general tourists into the country by 2030.
Besides promoting places of historical importance and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, across the country; Saudi Tourism Authority plans to promote Saudi Arabia as a major destination for adventure tourism centered around unheralded and unknown/unexplored places for desert safari, mountain hikes, or water sports. The kingdom boasts quite a few places that tourists can visit as part of their itinerary, from desert and water adventures to camping and hiking through caves and craters. The idea of promoting Saudi Arabia as a week-long vacation destination is intended to boost tourism across the country.
Desert Adventures
Much of the Arabian Peninsula and specifically Saudi Arabia is desert. In fact, Saudi Arabia is home to the largest sand desert on earth. Adrenaline junkies can go on excursions like dune bashing and sandboarding to more serene, history-inspired activities such as camel riding and Arabian night camping in the desert
Dune Bashing
Adventure travelers can hop into a 4×4 for a thrilling experience of dune bashing through the sand dunes. This form of off-roading combines mud and hill driving, and it’s popular throughout Saudi Arabia. Balance and speed are key to steering and handling a vehicle going up and down the dunes, so it’s best for visitors to get an experienced local tour provider onboard with an intimate knowledge of the terrain. Quad biking is another adventure that thrill-seekers can opt for while exploring the sand dunes.
Camel Safari
Those who wish to explore Saudi Arabia’s expansive desert can go on an Arabian camel safari, to explore at a leisurely pace. For more than 3,000 years, camels have been a part of life on the peninsula, transporting goods and people and providing milk and meat and thus are called the lifeline of the desert and even ships of the desert. A ride on a camel to Thumamah National Park or a camel safari to a Bedouin camping site is worth it. The Falcon International Camp at Khubayb Al Reem offers an authentic Bedouin camping spot where tourists can enjoy stargazing.
Arabian Camping
Winters in Saudi are popularly known as the “kashtah” or camping season. For a true Arabian experience, tourists can sleep among the sand dunes and beneath the stars. Book your campsite in advance, and you’ll be set up with a tent in the desert. Fuel up on fresh Arabic coffee in the morning before heading out to enjoy activities, such as dune bashing, camel safari, and sand skiing. Kharrarah National Park, Riyadh, and Wadi al Disah, Tabuk are especially worth visiting for camping.
Hiking Adventures
Saudi Arabia’s diverse topography is a delight for hiking enthusiasts. Striking lookout points atop high cliffs and oases in the desert are some of the adventures hikers can embark upon on foot.
Edge of the World
Also called the Edge of the World, hikers can choose from a range of routes to reach the top of Tuwaiq cliffs for dramatic views of the horizon and valley below. Once part of an ancient trade route, this extensive valley was also part of the ocean’s floor in pre-historic times, so various types of fossils are still found.
Al Ahsa Oasis
One of the greenest areas in Saudi Arabia, the Al Ahsa Oasis offers hikers the opportunity to walk through something very unusual in the Gulf: refreshing springs, wells, canals, and farmland. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the oasis features traces of settlements dating back to the Neolithic period. Hikers can also explore Al Ahsa National Park and venture through the rock-hewn caves of Al Qarah Mountain.
Jabal Abyad
The hike to Jabal Abyad or the white mountain is worth it. The trek through somewhat challenging to reach even in an all-terrain vehicle takes you to the top of a 2 km tall mountain that has a volcano. It gets its name from the white ash that covers it. Exploring Jabal Abyad and its nearby sister peak, Jabal Bayda is worth it.
Al Wahbah Crater
The Al Wahbah Crater is a favorite spot to wander and explore the majesty outdoors of Saudi Arabia. Located at a distance of about 250 kilometers from Taif, the crater lies on the western edge of the Harrat Kishb basalt plateau in the Hijazi region of Saudi. Thought to be created by an ancient meteor strike, the crater, which also contains a white salt flat, is worth exploring as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Khobar
Khobar or Al Khobar is a city nestled on the coast of the Persian Gulf, in the eastern provincial state of South Arabia. It is equivalent in adventure opportunities like Jeddah on the west coast. Khobar besides offering hiking in mountains and dune bashing also offers hot air ballooning, paragliding, scuba diving, horse riding, quad biking, jet skiing, camel safari, desert safari to Alasfar Lake among other things.
Water Adventures
The Arabian Peninsula is surrounded by the Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf, and the Arabian Sea, making an adventure on the water an ideal option to explore in Saudi Arabia.
Red Sea Scuba Diving and Snorkelling
The Red Sea is home to hundreds of fish species and other varieties with nearly 20 percent of them found only in the Red Sea. Scuba diving enthusiasts can dive into the sea to watch numerous coral varieties and a wide variety of marine life. Also worth exploring are the ruins of numerous shipwrecks that litter the bottom of the red sea. The spectacular Georgios G shipwreck, coined the Saudi Titanic, teeming with marine life from underwater is another great chance not to be missed. Jeddah is especially favored as a scuba-diving hotspot.
Al Kharrarah Desert Lake
Just outside Riyadh, Al Kharrarah National Park is home to a desert lake. After heavy rains, a temporary lake is known as Lake Kharrarah, also called the Lake of Liquid Light, forms and can be deep enough to swim. Swimming enthusiasts can take a dip into the lake as well as enjoy the surrounding red sandhills. The lake when full becomes a great picnic spot for families from Riyadh on the weekends. Also worth visiting is the Hifna Waterfall alongside the lake. The red sand dunes surrounding the lake are also worth exploring. As the lake evaporates the lake bed attracts numerous varieties of wildlife and migratory birds.
Exploring on Boats and Cruises
Saudi Arabia is also a great destination to explore on boats and cruising. Interested tourists can sail around the archipelago of Umluj, or venture out on a boat to the mangrove forests of the Farasan. A luxury cruise to protected islands that are part of the NEOM conservation project and not otherwise open to the public is worth it.
Overall, there are numerous unexplored places across Saudi Arabia that are worth exploring, as part of adventure tourism and can help attract tourists as a destination for a vacation.
