We have just got back from an AMAZING day out in the desert - a different kind of desert to Shark Tooth Valley ... more rocks, gorse bushes and Acacia Trees..... and a few camels!
There is a place about 80-90kms out of Riyadh called The Escarpment and also known as The Edge Of The World. I'd seen pictures, read about it in a guide book, seen it mentioned on Blogs and spoken to people who'd been - lots of mixed reports. Believe me IT IS WORTH THE VISIT!
I'm not a travel writer but this place was awesome ( I think it helped that we went with 9 other really cool, interesting people some who had been before but all who were excited about the views!)
If your interested in taking a visit you will need:
GPS or Sat Nav
4 x 4 vehicle and at least 1 other 4 x 4 with you ( in case you get stuck in the soft sand (spade also a good idea as is sand ladders) and need pulling out or have a puncture etc...NEVER go into the desert alone!!)
Lots of water ( and diet coke/juice)
Amazing picnic to have under the trees
SUNSCREEN
The co-ordinates to programme into your GPS are listed in this post....
So you head out of Riyadh on the 535 The Salbouk Road heading North and take a left turn off this road at these co-ordinates
N24° 57' 21.2" E046° 13' 41.6"
Looks like these pic below!!
The fun driving starts now - there is a track to follow, don't drive too slowly in the soft sand and take it easy on the steep ruts in the wadi...
Enjoy the view
You will come to a concrete bollard gate like think
(these co-ordinates for your GPS are N24° 55' 05.5" E046° 10' 30.9")
(see pics) then you drive on a little and come through an actual gate. This gate closes for the night ABOUT sunset time ( we made sure we were at the gate by 5pm in order to leave otherwise you are stuck for the night....
 |
| This is the gate that is locked by sunset... |
The drive through the desert is rocky and pretty bumpy ( though DH managed it with broken ribs!) but really FAB we saw camels just lolopping along the scenery is like your oun mini set of Pyramids and you can see where the water floods through the valley...
The drive from leaving the main road to the foot of the The Escarpment is approx 39 kms though the rocky, bumpy desert track!
Final co-ordinates for The Edge of The World are N24° 56' 41.4" E045° 59' 32.1"
and here is what it looks like....
 |
That is DH standing on The Edge of The World... |
The best was still to come LUNCH!
 |
| These guys know how to travel in style in the desert - tables and chairs and rugs and cushions under the trees... |
 |
| My new line in head gear - better than a hat! |
No comments:
Post a Comment