Tags
Jabal Shada, photography, photos, Saudi Arabia, Thee Ain, travel
Deux activités étaient au programme de la journée dans les montagnes du sud de l’Arabie saoudite: une visite au village de Thee Ain et une ballade dans le Jabel Shada. Mais tout d’abord, il fallait emprunter la route du roi Fahd, une merveille de génie civil construite en 1982. La route descend sur les flancs d’un canyon dans un entrelac de 25 tunnels et viaducs; tout à fait spectaculaire!
Thee Ain est un village de montagne abandonné depuis les années 80; il est devenu récemment une destination touristique après sa restauration. On y retrouve un groupe de 58 maisons, toutes assez rectangulaires, construites en pierres superposées, sans mortier. Le village a aussi la particularité d’être construit sur une colline de marbre. Après la visite du village, nous avons bifurqué vers un endroit ombragé près de la source où nous avons mangé sous les arbres.
Nous avons repris la route en autocar pour nous diriger vers le point de rencontre d’où nous sommes partis en 4X4 vers un « resort » au sommet de Jabal Shada. Après une vingtaine de minutes de montée très abrupte, nous avons pris un chemin de traverse. Avec une seule voie taillée à même les gros rochers de granite, c’était une succession de lacets qui ressemblaient plus à un tire-bouchon. Arrivés au « resort », nous étions un peu étourdis… Nous sommes alors partis marcher pour explorer les cavernes environnantes où vivaient des gens il n’y a pas si longtemps. (Un de nos guides, un homme de 77 ans, était né dans une des cavernes!) Nous pensions au départ que cette petite balade en montagne serait simplement une façon de nous dégourdir les jambes. Il s’agissait en fait d’un parcours d’obstacles entre les immenses rochers de granite rose aux formes les plus bizarres. Il ne fallait pas beaucoup d’imagination pour voir ici et là un visage, une chouette, un tête de mort, des champignons, etc. Au retour de la ballade, nous avons eu droit à un magnifique coucher de soleil sur les montagnes environnantes. Une belle façon de terminer une journée assez mémorable!
Two activities were on the program for the day in the mountains of southern Saudi Arabia: a visit to the village of Thee Ain and a walk in Jabel Shada. But first, we had to take the King Fahd Road, a marvel of civil engineering built in 1982. The road descends the sides of a canyon in a network of 25 tunnels and viaducts; quite spectacular!
Thee Ain is a mountain village abandoned since the 1980s; it has recently become a tourist destination after its restoration. There is a group of 58 houses, all fairly rectangular, built of stacked stones, without mortar. The village also has the particularity of being built on a marble hill. After visiting the village, we headed towards a shady place near the spring where we ate under the trees.
We took the road again by coach to head towards the meeting point from where we left in 4X4 towards a “resort” at the top of Jabal Shada. After about twenty minutes of a very steep climb, we took a side path. With only one route carved out of the large granite rocks, it was a succession of switchbacks that looked more like a corkscrew. Arriving at the “resort”, we were a little dizzy… We then went walking to explore the surrounding caves where people lived not so long ago. (One of our guides, a 77-year-old man, was born in one of the caves!) We initially thought that this short mountain walk would simply be a way to stretch our legs. It was in fact an obstacle course between the immense pink granite rocks with the most bizarre shapes. It didn’t take much imagination to see here and there a face, an owl, a skull, mushrooms, etc. When we returned from the walk, we were treated to a magnificent sunset over the surrounding mountains. A great way to end a pretty memorable day!
Pique-nique dans l’oasis de Thee Ain / Picnic in the Thee Ain’s oasis
Jabal Shada – Cave Resort Walk
Le sentier avait des passages assez difficiles / The trail had quite difficult sections
[Auteur/Author: Pierre & Suzanne]
Eliza Waters said:
Cool sites! Thee Ain has remarkable stonework and Jabal Shada has very cool rock formations. It looks like water eroded the stone eons ago.
Suzanne et Pierre said:
Thanks Eliza. This place actually blew our mind. We didn’t expect to see such scenery in Saudi Arabia. It was absolutely fabulous.
Bama said:
Thee Ain looks spectacular! I really love how the village with its unique architecture is set against a backdrop of towering hills and mountains. Jabal Shada looks equally stunning. I can imagine how a few years from now these places will become even more popular among tourists.
Suzanne et Pierre said:
Thanks Bama. Both places were stunning and you are totally right that this region might become overrun with tourists in the coming years. We are glad that we saw it before the mass tourism.
Jacqui d'Eon said:
I love the third photo in the cave walk grouping. I know it’s nature but it has a crafted look to it.
Suzanne et Pierre said:
Thanks Jacqui. Those rocks were amazing.
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter said:
Stunning! Though I might not have enjoyed the parts with ropes.
Suzanne et Pierre said:
Thanks Anabel. It was stunning. A few people on the group really didn’t like the rope but it wasn’t too bad.