The large dunes that emerge between the mountains along this route display the tenacity of Riyadh’s desert – the sand defying the odds to form beautiful, rippled ridges amid the stony, barren slopes. Not only does this route offer diverse natural scenery, but the driving is also delightfully varied – a mixture of rough wadi, desert and mountain tracks with plenty of places to camp overnight.

  Red Sand Dunes

The route passes big red dunes – where you can factor in a quad biking session – and then passes through farmland before ascending a graded track on the mountainside. As you climb, there are many points where you can stop and hop out of the car for a particularly good view of the dunes. The huge, green crop circles found in the other direction are a common sight throughout Riyadh’s agricultural areas. While you’re admiring the view over the farmlands, you’re likely to see herds of grazing camels in the foothills.

STARGAZERS

Astronomy has a long and storied history in the Muslim world. For thousands of years, explorers, traders and pilgrims used the night sky to navigate through the region’s vast deserts and across the sea. Islamic scholars also played a vital role in the so-called ‘golden age’ of scientific discovery – many of the names we know stars by today are of Arabic origin. In Islam, the position of the sun is used to calculate prayer times and to find qibla (the direction of Makkah), while new moon sightings define many important dates in the Islamic calendar, such as Ramadan. For budding astronomers, Riyadh’s vast, open spaces offer outstanding potential to discover celestial wonders, with constellations like Orion, Draco, Cassiopeia, Ursa Major, and planets like Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars visible with the naked eye. Away from the city lights, there’s also a better chance of seeing more elusive wonders, such as the Milky Way.

  Mountain Dunes

As you progress further, the terrain changes from rocky gravel to sand. There are a few particularly fun dunes for thrilling dips and drops, but be careful. Drivers should be confident negotiating desert terrain as the way back up the dunes is much trickier. At certain points, particularly on the steep tracks, the mixture of sand and fine gravel can be treacherous. See the ‘Driving’ section for advice.

  Wadi al Awsat

The surface changes once more into a wadi track, dotted with shrubs, boulders and some narrow passageways that require some careful manoeuvring. You can continue along this way as far as it goes, but the rain-rutted surface means you might not always be able to cross to the other side of the wadi.

If you need a rest or you’re in the mood to camp, you can do so anywhere along this route. The dunes make a good choice, as you can fire up a barbecue and settle in for the night, cushioned by the soft sand. See the map for a selection of top spots.

DRIVING DIRECTION

The sandy tracks on this route lead through farmland and low-lying dunes at the foot of mountains. Points 5 and 6 should only be attempted by drivers with some experience tackling steeper tracks.

  1     From Riyadh, take the slip road for Al Awsat and do a U-turn at the underpass. You will see many quad bike rental shops on the right-hand side of the road.

  2     Stop here for dune driving or continue straight, then take a right in the direction of Al Awsat.

  3     Turn right for impressive mountain views.

  4     Turn right for a shorter drive through a wadi. Otherwise continue straight and take a right before 
the mosque.

  5     Take a left turn, passing camel farms in the dunes. Follow the track that ascends the mountain.

  6     Continue along this track or turn right for a more adventurous drive through the sand dunes.

  7     Continue straight for spectacular views and wadi driving, or turn left for a fun sand drive. Once you have finished exploring, head back the way you came.