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Jabal Ibrahim
559km
10km
Driving MODERATE GRAVEL TRACKS
Best for CAMPING AND EXPLORING
Recommended for A DAY CLIMBING IN THE FOOTHILLS
Jabal Ibrahim, also known as Jabal Batharah, sits 180km south of Taif. The most southern of the routes in this region, the trip down from Taif following the Sarawat Mountains is a beautiful scenic drive. The route around them takes you on an exploration through sandy wadi beds, mountain tracks, impressive ruins and fields of pomegranate trees.
Easily accessible off Highway 205, this drive circumnavigates the peaks of Jabal Ibrahim. A mix of gravel paths, established roads and sandy wadi beds, this drive offers a multifaceted off-roading experience.
The start of the route is a slight descent into the wadi plains. Once you have explored Wadi Kid, the rest of the drive takes you up and around the edge of Jabal Ibrahim. It’s not until near the end of the route that you get a full view of the mountain in all its glory.
Getting to higher ground is the best way to really appreciate the stunning views across the Kingdom. The extreme weather conditions that have sculpted these remarkable lands have also made it dangerous in places. Be cautious when scaling weathered rocks and mountains, especially areas where it is clear rock falls are common.
Jabal Ibrahim (Jabal Batharah)
With gently sloping green hills, the three angular peaks of Jabal Ibrahim are a popular playground for tourists looking for an adventurous day trip or weekend away. Commonly known as Jabal Ibrahim, it was named after Ibrahim Ibn Adham, one of the sons of an Abbasid (modern day Iraq) leader. Having visited Makkah, he travelled to the mountain on a spiritual journey and prayed at its summit. Its other name, Jabal Batharah, means ‘high’ in classical Arabic, and it’s also referred to as the ‘White Mountain’ due to the white granite of its three summits.
Wadi Kid Cliff
The drive through Wadi Kid is dominated by a huge chunk of rock that projects straight out of the flat sandy wadi floor. Vertical fault lines cut through the cliff and chunks of stone litter the floor beneath it. It is climbable as there is a gentle gradient that leads to the cliff face but be careful if you scale it; the drop from its summit is steep. The sandy plain that sits beneath it, however, is an ideal camping spot.
Fruit Farms
Rows of neatly sewn pomegranate trees sit in the flat plains at the base of Jabal Ibrahim. Pomegranate farming is popular in the wetter, cooler mountainous areas of Taif and Al Bahah. Harvesting typically takes place between July and October, six months after the trees begin to produce the delicate red flowers that eventually grow into the crimson, bejewelled fruits.
DRIVING DIRECTION
Circumnavigating the epic peak of Jabal Ibrahim is an exciting mix of sand and rock driving.
1 Coming from Taif, turn left off Highway 205, close to a telecommunication tower.
2 The paved road ends abruptly. Follow the gravel track that loops back on itself towards Al Hajarah.
3 To get a great view of the village and surrounding mountains, you can take the path on the right. Return to the main route – the track twists and turns down into the wadi plain.
4 Now on a section of paved road, continue straight. The paved road disappears again as you head into
the foothills.
5 Follow the track down into the wadi, keeping straight through the sand tracks to visit the impressive cliff at Wadi Kid. Once you have climbed (and possibly camped) here, head back and take the right fork.
6 Here, a path to the right takes you out for your first view of the peaks of Jabal Ibrahim (Jabal Batharah). Return to the main route which passes through fruit farms and ruins.
7 The right fork here takes you to the best view of the three peaks.
8 To head back to Highway 205, take a right at the T-junction.
