Aja and Salma Mountains

The Aja and Salma mountains are two mountain ranges in the Hail Region and among its most famous natural landmarks, whose story has been passed down across the ages among the region's inhabitants [1].

Both ranges have seen a rise in visits by families and individuals, and are among the most important routes for tourist trips in Hail [1]. They are distinguished by varied terrain of rugged, towering mountains, wadis and plains, which has made them part of the region's natural and environmental fabric and a leading destination for lovers of mountain trips, camping and climbing, with walking trails, camping areas and panoramic views over Hail city [2].

The Aja range extends to the north-east for a distance of about 100 kilometres, embraces a number of small villages and springs, and its highest peak rises to more than 1,350 metres above sea level. Its nature is solid rock, with sandy plains spreading through its wadis [1].

The area in which the bases of the Aja and Salma ranges lie includes other mountains, among them Karman al-Asmar and Raman al-Ahmar, together with wadis, plains and deserts in the outer southern parts of the Aja mountains, and from the Raman mountains flow the wadis of Al-Mashat, Hamyan and Abu Namir [1].

The limits of the Salma mountains begin in the north-eastern part of Hail city and extend to its south-western part; their length reaches more than 60 square kilometres, and their highest peak stands at about 1,200 metres above sea level [1].

The Aja and Salma mountains are clad in talh trees, which has made them a suitable place for outings for the residents of the region and for those coming from other regions, for photography, countryside picnics, walking short or long distances, camping, learning about the plants that grow there and stargazing [1].

The rain that falls on the Hail Region turns the range into oases adorned with greenery that shelter many kinds of herbs with flowers of varied colours amid the murmur of water coming down from the peaks of those mountains [3].

The 'Sahat Sababah' oasis lies in the Aja range west of Hail city at an elevation of 1,245, and it contains palms, talh trees, rimth and arfaj, seasonal rainwater and level ground that turns green, with water reservoirs called 'qudur Sababah'; it offers a distinctive view of Hail city from its western side and attracts hiking enthusiasts [5].

Among the most prominent tourist landmarks of the Aja mountain is 'Al-'Uqdah', covered with farms and wadis and used as pasture for livestock and camels, and it is among the easily accessible places, while the northern depth of the Aja mountains shelters the village of Turan, which holds the remains of the palace of Hatim al-Ta'i, one of the most important tourist attractions in the region [1].

In the south-west of the Hail Region, at a distance of 120 kilometres, precisely in the village of Aba al-Hiran within the Aja range, the natural processes of erosion and weathering carved a figure resembling a human head, nicknamed 'Abu al-Hul' (the Sphinx), making it a touristic archaeological landmark visited by visitors from inside the Kingdom and abroad [4].

The Salma mountains include sites for visiting, among them the remains of the city of Faid, Darb Zubaydah, springs and farms, and towering volcanic craters such as the Dara crater in their eastern part [1].

The Hail Region is distinguished as well by heritage sites linked to its natural environment, among them the rock-art site of 'Al-Shuwaymis', which is among the most important archaeological sites in the Kingdom and one of the largest open-air museums of rock art in the Arabian Peninsula and dates to the Neolithic period, and the 'Umm Sanman' mountain, which contains more than five thousand rock drawings and inscriptions that take humans back to the seventh millennium BC [4].

The Hail Region Municipality launched a project to illuminate the mountain facade of Hail city within quality-of-life projects and the treatment of visual distortion, drawing on the historical standing of the Aja mountains: 1,350 lighting units connected to a high-speed data network on a mountain facade extending over more than 5,000 linear metres and visible from a distance of more than 25 kilometres [6].

The municipality gives great attention to urban humanisation projects to improve quality of life and development in its economic, environmental, recreational and aesthetic fields, which is one of the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 [6].

The Aja summit viewpoint opened its doors to visitors for the first time as part of the Hail Season 2022 events; it lies high on Jabal Al-Maghwah within the Aja range, 1,000 metres from Al-Maghwah Park, reveals large parts of Hail city and accommodates more than 50 people at once, with a ticket price of SAR 50 for one hour [7].

The Ministry of Culture organised the 'Aja and Salma' festival in Al-Maghwah Park in Hail city from 29 September to 7 October 2022, to revive the arts and traditions of the region between the two famous mountains; it included cultural activities covering drawing, theatre, music, culinary arts and literature, creative spaces for children, and a holographic display telling the historical legend of Aja and Salma [8].

Q: Where are the Aja and Salma mountains located? A: They lie in the Hail Region and form one of the most famous natural landmarks of the region and one of its most important tourist trip routes [1].

Q: What is the height of the highest peak in the Aja range? A: Its highest peak rises to more than 1,350 metres above sea level [1].

Q: What are the most prominent tourist and heritage landmarks of the two mountains? A: Among the most prominent landmarks of the Aja mountain are 'Al-'Uqdah' and the palace of Hatim al-Ta'i in the village of Turan, among the striking landmarks is Abu al-Hul in the village of Aba al-Hiran, and the Salma mountains include the remains of the city of Faid and Darb Zubaydah [1][4].

Q: When did the Aja summit viewpoint open to visitors? A: It opened for the first time as part of the Hail Season 2022 events, lies high on Jabal Al-Maghwah and accommodates more than 50 people at once [7].

Q: What do the rains form in the two mountains? A: The falling rain creates green oases that shelter many kinds of herbs and flowers amid the murmur of water coming from the peaks [3].

The Aja and Salma mountains combine natural elements of mountains, wadis and vegetation cover, archaeological sites such as the palace of Hatim al-Ta'i and Darb Zubaydah, and modern development projects that enhance quality of life in the Hail Region [1][6].