Al Tawqi Camel Market

This route can also be paired with a stop at Al Tawqi’s noisy, lively camel market. Best visited in the late afternoon to witness traders engage in furious haggling, it’s wonderful for photos, cooing over baby camels and even trying some fresh camel milk.

  Rawdat al Khafs

Just north of Riyadh and past the Thumamah Desert, you’ll find this pretty nature reserve where the foothills of the mountains are carpeted in beautiful yellow wildflowers, known as abal or arta. The flower-filled meadows make a pretty setting for a picnic or barbecue, though be sure to clean up after your visit. Efforts are being made to preserve the natural environment with signs reminding visitors not to litter, and areas fenced off to protect seedlings.

The route continues around the meadows along the perimeter of the mountain, which has some eye-catching geological formations and enormous square-shaped boulders that seem to have tumbled down the mountains – ideal for a scramble.

WILD DESERT GOURD

Covering the ground along this route are large swathes of wild desert gourd, also known as bitter gourd (Citrullus colocynthis), which produce an orange-sized, green fruit. However, be warned: the fruit is toxic and likely to induce vomiting. Despite this, clean-energy scientists have high hopes that the fruit’s seeds, which contain nearly 50% oil, may prove useful as an oil source for biodiesel.

EXPLORE THE WADIS

If you’re eager to hike or find a secluded corner to set up camp, there is the option to enter one of three wadis. Sha’ib Nufaykh has a graded track that leads through wide, dry plains. The view out the window, over the trees, is of curved cliff faces and smooth hilltops – a scenic drive as you find your prime camping spot. Much of the surface is fairly rocky, but there are some smooth sandy patches of ground beneath trees for that all-important morning shade.

  Thumamah Desert

For those interested in adrenaline-filled excursions, Thumamah Desert is a perfect stop for you. Experience the sunlight bouncing along the sand and the wind at your back while riding a quad bike across the dunes. However, if you prefer your adrenaline rush to be a bit more comfortable, head into the desert with a properly equipped off-road vehicle.

MODERN-DAY NOMADIC CULTURE

The camel is an integral part of Arabian culture and heritage, and nowhere more so than in Saudi Arabia, where dromedary domestication took place some 3,000 years ago. To the Saudi people, the camel has not only been a constant resource for income and sustenance, but it is also considered a creature of immense beauty, and even features in Nabati, an ancient form of Bedouin poetry.

Camels are farmed commercially, but many Saudi people, particularly the elderly and retired, continue to hold on to traditional ways of life and keep their own camels. However, the herding of camels today is mostly done by migrant shepherds and farm workers, particularly those hailing from Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia, nations with extensive knowledge and experience in camel husbandry.

Driving through the rural areas of Riyadh, you are likely to encounter many thousands of camels and their herders, who are stationed at mobile farms in the desert, wadis and mountains. Farming practices nowadays mean that camel herders lead a nomadic life, roaming about each day to allow the animals to graze.

As well as being farmed for their meat, camels are also prized for their milk, for which Saudi Arabia is the largest market in the world, consuming on average 33 litres per person every year.

  Mushroom Hills

The terrain here is slightly more challenging to navigate with a rougher track that narrows at certain points. Even so, it’s a great place to hike and linger awhile, checking out interesting rock formations and sandstone chasms that transform into pools during the rainy periods.

  Lakes

An excellent choice for a nature-filled day is visiting the lakes located along this route. Not far from Riyadh, this location is a premier pick for local residents looking to enjoy an afternoon picnic. An ideal time to visit is in the winter, when rain fills up the lakes and the nearby meadows bloom.

ROLLING DUNES

There’s nothing quite like off-roading in the desert, admiring the sheer majesty of the changing dunes, each rippled and curved in a completely different way. This route is easily navigable and is suited to families, groups of friends and even drivers still getting the hang of sand driving. With so many camel farms in the vicinity, you’re likely to see free-roaming camels traversing the dunes. It’s a sight that never gets old.

FURTHER EXPLORATION

For those eager to do some deeper exploration, drive a bit off the route and check out Um Qilaidah. There’s a bubbling mountain stream situated near the base of Al Urumah plateau, as well as interesting rock carvings resembling the Great Sphinx of Giza in Egypt. If visiting after some rain, you’ll be amazed at the numerous pools and waterfalls that help bring this place to life. Since you’ll already be in the area, make sure to also stop at Wadi al Attak. It’s one of the most famous wadis in the Najd area, where you’ll encounter beautiful streams and meadows.

DRIVING DIRECTION

This route is easy to navigate, following well-marked tracks at the base of the cliffs and fenced areas protecting the flower meadows. Head into the wadis for a more adventurous drive and hiking.

  1     Take a right approximately 5.5km after the Thumamah Interchange. Continue on the track.

  2     Explore the Rawdat al Khafs area before continuing on the route.

  3     Continue straight for a wadi drive, rock formations and Mushroom Hills. After exploring, return to the 
main route.

  4     Explore the tracks in this area and walk out to the Lakes.

  5     Follow the track alongside the fence with Rawdat al Khafs flower fields to the left and cliff views to the right.

  6     Continue straight or follow the track near the fence on your left to cut the trip short and head back to the main road.

  7     The rest of the route leads through a wadi, or you can head back to the main road via the track on your left.