Saudi Arabia’s Wadi Lajab: A majestic valley promising visitors ‘heaven in the desert’

JEDDAH: No matter how breathtaking the descriptions of Wadi Lajab, the majestic beauty of the valley described as “heaven in the desert” never fails to surprise visitors.
Now the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) and Jazan municipality of Al-Raith are cooperating to ensure the valley, in the far south of Saudi Arabia, builds on its reputation as an attractive destination for people from different cultural backgrounds and for recreation-seekers.
Head of the Jazan branch of the SCTH, Rostom Al-Kubaisi, told Arab News the Lajab Valley had recently been approved by the SCTH and the Jazan Tourism Development Council as a tourist site where visitors could practice rock climbing.
“Those who come to the valley can spend unforgettable moments enjoying the nature of the area and its unique geographical formations,” he said. Restrooms, guidance signs and seating areas had been installed to allow visitors to enjoy the valley’s “charming nature.”
“A high-level cooperation between the SCTH and the Jazan municipality of Al-Raith has provided the area with nearly all public services that tourists usually need,” said Al-Kubaisi.
Some foreign visitors have described as Wadi Lajab “heaven in the desert.” It is situated between two high rocky mountains with steep sides covered by a green blanket of creepers and thick moss that can resemble a hanging garden.
The Al-Raith mountains, where Wadi Lajab is found, gained great importance among historians after the Saudi history researcher Hadi Ali claimed it was the area where people lived in the Arabian Peninsula in ancient times.
“The valley is characterized by its vegetation, which turns the sides of the surrounding mountains into a green carpet. The coolness of its year-round flowing water is ensured by the 800-meter high sides of the mountain, which protect it from the direct sunlight,” he said.