Saudi Arabian Deserts: Everything you need to know.
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Salma Hossein
- . March 19, 2024
- . Update: March 19, 2024 12:30 pm
Saudi Arabia is a land of magical deserts that are enticed by the enigmatic beauty of its vast valleys and dunes. Saudi Arabia’s deserts provide a special combination of adventure and peace; the parched sands are the backdrop to several significant historical monuments, dangerous encounters and excursions, and intense heat.
Even yet, there is plenty to do and see among the menacing, wind-swept dunes, making for a beautiful spectacle. The arid valleys and deserts of Saudi Arabia provide spectacular and remarkable landscapes. While some of the tourist attractions in these deserts are more thrilling and compelling due to their difficulty of access, most are easily accessible.
Facts about Saudi Arabian Deserts
The Arabian Desert reaches a maximum elevation of around 3760 meters above sea level. Arabia’s deserts have been changing for almost 540 million years, and it was only 1100 years ago that they achieved their current form.
The oil-rich Arabian deserts contribute significantly to Saudi Arabia’s oil output. Around 17 plant species in the Rub al Khali desert can thrive in both sandy and coarse desert soil. The Arabian Desert spans a staggering 2,330,000 square kilometers.
Climatic conditions
Saudi Arabia’s desert regions experience scorching summer temperatures and moderate winters. Maximum summer temperatures can be as high as 55 degrees Celsius, while in certain places during the winter, the lowest temperature can drop below freezing.
These deserts receive anything from 4 to 20 inches of rain annually on average. Usually, spring haze and dust storms accompany the rain. Due to their consistently pleasant temperatures throughout the day, spring and fall are the ideal seasons for travel to the Arabian desert.
Popular Deserts
1. Rub Al Khali
With the largest dunes rising to a height of 250 meters, Rub Al Khali is an infinite expanse of gently undulating dunes rising from the earth. It covers over 650,000 square kilometers in total.
The southern Arabian Desert is where the desert spreads, encompassing portions of Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Saudi Arabia (mostly the eastern region of Najran, Riyadh).
The enormous Rub Al Khali dunes are made up of several dunes that have dome, vertical, and crescent shapes. Be careful of Sabka, a gentle plain nestled between massive dunes.
2. Al Nufud Al Kabir
Al Nufud Al Kabir, as the name implies, is Saudi Arabia’s biggest and most well-known dune. Situated between 700 and 1000 meters above sea level. From Jubbah town to Sakaka city, the immaculate golden sand extends 90 km, and from Al-Zulfi to the castle boundary, it stretches 300 km. It is dispersed throughout 103,600 square kilometers in the Tabuk, Al-Juf, and Hail provinces.
3. Jubbah desert
Jubbah Desert has linear dunes and resembles a massive rock canyon. This is a well-known petroglyph site in Saudi Arabia that dates back to the Palaeolithic era. Despite its location against the abrasive sand dunes of the Al Nufud desert, the Hail city of Jubbah is a thriving agricultural center.
4. Ad Dahna desert
Dahana is situated 80 kilometers east of Riyadh on the Dammam highway. The Ad Dahna desert, often referred to as the Small Al Nufud desert, connects ‘The Empty Quarter’ with the vast Al Nufud desert by a sandy bridge.
At 300–600 meters above sea level, the Ad Dahana desert has 45,000 square kilometers of stunning red dunes, making up 7% of the Kingdom’s total dunes. Above 200 km north of Riyadh, these dunes assume the shape of a large star and reach heights of about 100 m. It’s really impressive!
5. Red sand dunes in Saudi Arabia
It takes around 80 kilometers to drive to reach the red sand dunes from Riyadh. Northeastern Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is home to a location known as the red dune. On weekends, a lot of people drive their SUVs across the dune sea or hire an ATV from one of the Bedouin booths along the roadway.
Desert Adventure Safari
The desert safari, one of the most popular activities in the Arabian Desert, offers adventure seekers a demanding setting. Adventurers may tackle the desert head-on by taking part in dune bashing or 4×4 rallies.
The fun is in how you move the car because driving in the sand may be challenging. Another fantastic way to take in the allure of the fascinating sand dunes is to go on a camel safari across the desert. To avoid the dangerous desert, it is highly recommended that you participate in these activities under the supervision of tour specialists.
