Riyadh Off The Beaten Path

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This amazing highway is going to the southwestern part of Riyadh or makkah road its so fantastic... I never thought how they made this road between the valley, It was very impressive the walls approximately 30 to 50m high it feels good when you drive with this kind of stunning view. Great experience especially the things that you’d never been done before in your life.

Cross The Riyadh-Makkah highway checkpost. As the road decends look for a track on your right (The same track which branches and takes to viewing platform).
Follow the track straight about 3-4 kms, you'll pass a round ruins marker on your right. After 500 meters the track curves to the left.
You are near the caravan route 2 , if you found a track/fence on your right..........the caravan route 2 is exactly on the opposite side(to your left).

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Caravan Route 1: Cross the check post on Riyadh Makkah highway. As the road starts to descend, look out for a metalled link road to your left, You have to take this road but make a U-turn from down the wadi at the intersection of old makkah road.
Take the link road until it ends (about 5km). Before the road ends a track continues follow the track for another 3-4 km keep an eye on your right.......yes you are there.
You can also follow the track to about 500m where it ends for a view of wadi.

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Twaiq escarpment runs from north to south along the west side of Riyadh. Riyadh-Makkah Highway crosses it at right angles at about 35 km from city center. The escarpment has been cut in a beautiful manner and the road leads down into the wadi heading for Mazamiyah.
There is a viewing platform at the top of escarpment which gives a beautiful view of the wadi below. Fossils of corals and snails can be found here.
Location: Cross the check post on Riyadh Makkah highway. As the road starts to descend, keep your speed low and look out for a plain area on your right with a visible track. Take the track and move for about 500meters, now you can see the viewing platform at the top edge of cut escarpment. Take the track which goes to the left side to the platform. Two wheel drive can easily make to this point.
There are old caravan routes on twaiq escarpment worth visiting. Don't forget!

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The way, the modern man tries to leave a land mark for his existence, so did the ancient people in different forms. One such form is the petroglyphs or rock engravings. This rock art provides information about the lives of the people who inhabited the area.
Archaeologists have divided the human cultural developments into different stages, e.g. Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) and Neolithic (New Stone Age). Paleolithic peoples were hunter-gatherers while Neolithic peoples were farmers.
The rock drawings on this site are from Neolithic period (6000 to 3000 BC). It is suspected that the area once contained flourishing grassy plains, which disappeared as the climate grew drier. These drawings are all around on the top of small hill, separated from the main escarpment and are carved into exposed stone. Typically depicting animals, the carvings are of two kinds: engraved images and pecked images made by chipping at the surface of the stone. We can distinguish humans and their weapons, ostriches, ibex etc. These were probably done by hunters in their spare time as they kept watch for prey.
Location: West of Riyadh (about 100 kms) on Riyadh Makkah Highway. After the small town of Jelha, look out for an exit to the right ?Musayqirah?. Take that exit, the road ends after 500meters; continue on the left track down the escarpment (about a km). Now you can see a small rocky hill at about 3 or 4 kms to the north which is the site to be visited.
Important: The track from highway to the site (about 4kms) needs 4x4 due to sand?.but if you feel you are expert at 2 wheel drive and can manage , tracks can lead you to the site..

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It is a seasonal water body which becomes a lake in rainy season. The water from the surroundings is trapped in Red sand dunes forming a big lake, more than 2 kms in length. During most of year the lake bed is dry with big acacia trees providing shade and forming wonderful picnic spots.
The place is worth visiting for many points, great Red sand Dunes without gravel or stones, approachable by 2wheel drive……challenging for 4x4s, Safe because it is near to Highway and makes an ideal family outdoor one-day trip from Riyadh.
The best season to visit is from October till March when the day temperatures allow day-time outings……….and off course ideal during rainy season.
Distance:- About 50 kms west of Riyadh.
Route:-
1-Take Riyadh-Makkah highway…..pass down through the cut escarpment.
2-Cross the old makkah road…go straight…..Now you are in Muzamiyah area.
3-Cross the 2nd over head bridge(exit-6). you’ll see a petrol/gas station on your left, you have to reach there after making a U-turn.
4-Make a U-turn from the 3rd overhead bridge.
5-Now you face Makkah-Riyadh direction, look for a link road at your right sign-posted (Arabic-Lake Gharara) just before the petrol/gas station.
6-Take this link road, going zigzag for about 6-7 kms through resthouses surrounded by sand dunes.
7-At bout 6-7 kms look for a desert track at your left…..take the track.
8- After about 500meters you’ll see what you were looking for…….if on 2wheel drive…..stick to the track.
9-The track gives out a branch to the right…going up to the sand dunes. The main track leads to the lake bed. If the lake is dry enter the first gate…and drive through the lake bed…………..and Explore. ENJOY!!!

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Hidden valley/ Wadi Nissah is located 80km west side of Riyadh city center, traveling time is about an hour. It is composed of magnificent huge rock formation above the dry mountains and the amazing sand dunes view around.

It is place where most of the expats who lived in Riyadh have visited this place especially during the winter months ( November- March ) they spent their time with their family and friends by having a picnic and climbing up at the rocky mountains, ladies are free to take off their abaya while they are around.

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On your way to South of Riyadh you will pass by the steepest yet amazing road in Saudi.

It was formerly covered with mountains not until the government decided to build wide roads for the people to have an easy access to other parts of the Kingdom.

The Bin Laden group ws one of the construction firm that was able to get the project.

They used dynamites and high tech machineries to make fine cuts on the mountains.

The view is really a treat as if your passing through a different time and place.