King Khalid Royal Reserve

King Khalid Royal Reserve is a royal nature reserve located northeast of Riyadh on an area of 1,162 square kilometres, and its development is overseen by the Imam Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Royal Reserve Development Authority.[4] The reserve combines geological and historical formations with natural assets that support ecotourism.[4]

The reserve is one of the royal reserves organised under the Council of Royal Reserves, which was established by royal order on 17 Ramadan 1439 AH, corresponding to 2 June 2018, under the chairmanship of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.[1]

The establishment of the Council of Royal Reserves reflects the attention of the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, to the Kingdom's environment, its development, and the preservation of its biological diversity.[1]

The objectives of the royal reserves are to preserve biological diversity, curb excessive hunting and grazing, prevent tree felling, and maintain and increase vegetation cover.[1] These objectives are tied to achieving Saudi Vision 2030, the National Transformation Programmes, and leadership in expanding the proportion of protected areas.[1]

The board of directors of the King Khalid Royal Reserve Development Authority is chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz, Minister of State and member of the Council of Ministers.[2]

In July 2024, a royal order was issued reconstituting the board of directors of the Imam Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Royal Reserve and King Khalid Royal Reserve Development Authority.[6] Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd chaired the board's first meeting of its second term, and the board includes among its members the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, the Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, and a number of members.[6]

The Al-Urmah mountain range extends for about 700 kilometres, and Khashm Al-Thumamah is its highest point at 810 metres above sea level, one of the best-known khashms in the reserve.[4] The range is formed of sedimentary rocks, some of them brilliant white, which erosion breaks down into white sands that blanket its valleys and ravines, such as Wadi Al-Thumamah with its talh trees and shrubs.[4]

The Al-Urmah mountains run from Umm Al-Jamajim in the north to Al-Bayad in the south, and they rank among the most prominent geological features of the reserve, holding massive carved rocks, natural caves, rock pillars, and natural stone bridges that record a geological history of environmental and climatic change.[7] Rock formations thousands of years old, shaped by erosion and climatic conditions, are scattered across the reserve.[7]

The Al-Thumamah fault is a tourist destination where ecotourism activities are held; it consists of deep rock fissures with cavities and rock formations whose interiors hold white sands and species of perennial wild trees and shrubs.[4] Trails designated by the authority for mountain climbing run through the Al-Thumamah fault, following international standards and requirements that ensure environmental sustainability and visitor safety.[4]

The authority launched the Al-Urmah Winter Season, naming its season after one of the most prominent natural landforms in King Khalid Royal Reserve, and registered the name Al-Urmah as a trademark with the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property.[4] In winter the reserve becomes a destination for ecotourism, walking, cycling, and astronomical observation.[7]

The authority also issued the Responsible Recreation Guide to educate visitors on keeping to designated trails and avoiding harm to vegetation cover, alongside training environmental tourist guides who provide an educational experience on the rock formations and geological features.[7]

King Khalid Royal Reserve is a historical heritage site holding a number of archaeological locations, including rock art sites, stone structures, and some historic palaces.[3]

The reserve's development authority, in cooperation with the Heritage Commission, began a month-long programme of surveying and documenting cultural sites within the reserve, covering more than 200 locations.[3] The project aims to document, protect, and develop national heritage and to raise awareness of it.[3]

The reserve's development authority launched a campaign to increase vegetation cover by planting species of local flora, in cooperation with the National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification, using irrigation methods that include water harvesting and dry farming.[2]

Wild animals were also released in partnership with the National Center for Wildlife Development as part of a wildlife revival programme, alongside programmes to rehabilitate the soil surface to increase water harvesting.[2]

In December 2025, 61 wild animals were released in King Khalid Royal Reserve in cooperation with the National Center for Wildlife Development, as part of programmes to reintroduce endangered species into their natural habitats, within the framework of the Saudi Green Initiative and the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.[8]

This work is coordinated between the Chief Executive Officer of the Imam Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Royal Reserve Development Authority, Dr. Talal bin Abdullah Al-Huraigi, and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Center for Wildlife Development, Dr. Mohammed Ali Qurban, and the two bodies follow up on the release of wildlife and monitor biological diversity in the reserve.[8]

The authority has stressed the ban on grazing within the Imam Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Royal Reserve and King Khalid Royal Reserve, except for those officially permitted from the local community.[5] Penalties set out in the Environmental Law and its implementing regulations are applied to violators of grazing rules, in order to protect vegetation cover and biological diversity.[5]

Q: Where is King Khalid Royal Reserve located and what is its area? A: It lies northeast of Riyadh on an area of 1,162 square kilometres.[4]

Q: Who oversees the development of the reserve? A: It is overseen by the Imam Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Royal Reserve Development Authority, whose board of directors is chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz.[2][4]

Q: What are the most prominent natural features of the reserve? A: Among its most prominent features are the Al-Urmah mountain range, extending about 700 kilometres, and Khashm Al-Thumamah, which rises 810 metres above sea level, along with the Al-Thumamah fault and its rock formations.[4]

Q: What efforts are made to conserve wildlife in the reserve? A: Programmes are carried out to reintroduce endangered species and revive wildlife, during which 61 wild animals were released in December 2025, alongside tree-planting campaigns, soil-surface rehabilitation, and a ban on grazing.[2][5][8]

Q: Are there archaeological sites within the reserve? A: Yes; the reserve holds rock art sites, stone structures, and some historic palaces, and the survey of cultural sites covered more than 200 locations in cooperation with the Heritage Commission.[3]

King Khalid Royal Reserve combines a location northeast of Riyadh, an area of 1,162 square kilometres, geological and archaeological landmarks, and programmes for wildlife reintroduction and vegetation protection.[4][7]

Related topics on the platform include King Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve, and Riyadh City.