09
Al Karrarah Lake
132km
12km
Driving EASY DESERT TRACKS
Best for PRACTISING DESERT DRIVING
Recommended for HAVING FUN WITH FRIENDS
A popular weekend destination for Riyadh residents escaping the city, Al Kharrarah’s rust-red sand dunes are a thrill seeker’s playground. They’re famous for the full spectrum of adrenaline-fuelled desert activities like sand boarding, dune bashing and quad biking. Equally enjoyable is a quiet picnic with friends beside one of the region’s largest natural lakes.
Al Karrarah Lake
When the rain clouds roll in, Al Kharrarah Lake, also known as the ‘Lake of Liquid Light’, fills with water, forming a beautiful, expansive lake at the foot of rolling dunes. If it’s a particularly heavy downpour, the lake can even become deep enough to swim in, attracting large numbers of visitors and many bird species.
The lake’s popularity doesn’t diminish in the dry season. Even after the water has evaporated, the empty bed retains its tranquility, with many acacia trees and flowering plants creating a startling, verdant contrast to the sun-baked red dunes and the perfect setting for a late-afternoon picnic or barbecue. Drive along and choose a flat, shaded area beneath the trees, or for the best views, make the effort to scale one of the steep dunes for a panorama over the Tuwayq escarpment in the distance and the chance to spot one of the large steppe eagles, which circle the sky above the valley as they have done for thousands of years.
Come the weekend, the main road to Al Karrarah Lake is lined with rental outfits supplying quad bikes and other desert-driving vehicles, as well as food and drink. There are experiences for everyone, and families looking for something more serene can opt for sand boarding or a camel ride.
Al Karrarah Dunes
Al Kharrarah is an easy route to tackle and it’s not always necessary to deflate your tyres as a gravel track leads all the way to the lake-bed. Those wishing to continue further on the sandy track or head into the surrounding dunes should only do so in a 4WD, though this doesn’t seem to deter many from attempting it in a 2WD – often with comical results. With that in mind, there’s always someone around to assist, so if you’re still fine-tuning your dune driving skills, Al Kharrarah is a good place to experience the desert safely – you will always find a helping hand.
SAUDI BIRDLIFE
The Kingdom is one of 11 countries that are signatories of the Migratory Soaring Birds project, which aims to protect the 500 million migratory birds that flock to the country, particularly during the winter months. Working closely with organisations like BirdLife International, the National Center for Wildlife has also intensified conservation efforts, enforcing a permanent ban on hunting migratory birds, reintroducing species such as the ostrich to nature reserves and conducting activities to protect birds affected by pollution, illegal trade, electrocution from power lines and accidental poisoning.
As for the Kingdom’s most famous bird of prey, the ‘Hadad’ programme, launched by the Saudi Falcons Club, the Special Forces for Environmental Security and the National Center for Wildlife, is preparing to return highly prized peregrine and saker falcons to the wild. The programme is encouraging falconers and falcon owners to donate their falcons and will prepare the birds for reintroduction to their natural habitats – including those outside of the Kingdom – to create a sustainable future for the species.
Desert Track
For a more secluded experience, carry on driving beyond the fenced lake area, crossing the expansive lakebed plains for some free-form exploration. For an enjoyable off-roading detour that traverses the desert, follow a well-packed sand track that winds behind and uphill into the dunes. There are some particularly scenic sections to be found along this route so take your time, leaving the track to tackle whichever red-rippled dune appeals. Following this desert track, you have a choice of stopping near Al Muzahmiya or continuing on to the red sand dunes, perhaps for more high-octane thrills on a quad bike.
DRIVING DIRECTION
Al Karrarah Lake can be accessed from the paved road, though venturing any further beyond the lake requires a 4WD vehicle and desert driving experience.
1 Al Kharrarah Lake is accessed directly from the roadside – look out for signs, food vendors and quad bike rentals.
Continue along the lakefront track, with the lake to your left or right. In dry weather, it’s possible to drive the tracks through the lakebed.
2 Go straight along the track following the fence, then take a left to drive through the dunes along the track which follows another fence.
3 Continue straight or stop and explore the dunes.
4 Take a left to go back to Riyadh or to continue on to Wadi al Awsat (Route 10).
