Extent and peaks
The Sarawat are the Kingdom's highest range, the southern part of the western highlands, running from the Yemeni border to north of Taif through Al-Bahah, Asir, Najran, Jazan and Taif. [1]
Peaks include Jabal Al-Sawda (3,015 m), Jabal Farwa (3,004 m) and Jabal Athrib (2,447 m). Deep wadis descend to the Red Sea, among them Khulab, Jazan, Damad, Baish, Hali and Al-Lith. [1]
Passes and biodiversity
Mountain roads such as Al-Hada, Shaar, Al-Sama and the King Abdullah pass link the heights to the Tihamah plains. The range has the highest biodiversity of Saudi land environments, with juniper, acacia, wild olive and aromatic herbs, and the main national parks of Asir, Taif and Al-Bahah. [1]
Tourism and nature
Related topics
- RegionAsir RegionA southwestern Saudi region administered from Abha, combining Sarawat highlands, Tihamah and the coast, with agricultural terraces, historic villages and distinctive local cultural traditions.
- RegionBahah RegionA southwestern Saudi region administered from Al Bahah, combining Sarawat uplands and Tihamah, with historic villages, agricultural terraces and vegetation in its mountain landscapes.
- RegionJazan RegionA southwestern Saudi region administered from Jazan city, combining the Red Sea coast, Farasan Islands, plains and mountains with farming, fishing, commerce and industry.
- RegionNajran RegionA southern Saudi region administered from Najran, extending from settled wadis towards the Empty Quarter and containing Al Ukhdud, Hima and traditions of local architecture and crafts.
- RegionMakkah RegionA western Saudi region administered from Makkah, encompassing Jeddah, Taif and other governorates, where pilgrimage, maritime trade, coastal landscapes and uplands meet.
- HistoricRijal Almaa VillageRijal Almaa Village (also known as Rijal) is a heritage village 45 km west of the city of Abha in the mountainous Asir Region of southwestern Saudi Arabia, with a cultural heritage and history spanning nearly 900 years. It has been on the UNESCO Tentative List since 2015 and was chosen in 2021 as one of the world's best tourism villages.
- HistoricJabal Al-LawzJabal Al-Lawz is a mountain peak in north-western Saudi Arabia, located within the Madyan Mountains in the Tabuk region and rising 2,580 metres above sea level. It is known for the snow that settles on its summit in winter, and it contains rock carvings dating back more than ten thousand years.
- HistoricCave of HiraThe Cave of Hira is a rock cavity at the top of Jabal An-Noor in Makkah, northeast of the Grand Mosque, and the place where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to retreat in worship before the Revelation, where the first verse of the Holy Quran was revealed: "Read in the name of your Lord who created."
- EventBattle of TurabahThe Battle of Turabah was a confrontation that took place around the town of Turabah in the southwest of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a town belonging to the Makkah Region and holding a strategic position on the trade and pilgrimage caravan routes between Najd and Hejaz. The battle came at a stage in which relations between Najd and Hejaz were marked by tension between King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud and Sharif Hussein bin Ali.
- HistoricWadi BishaWadi Bisha is a wadi among the largest of the Arabian Peninsula, in Bisha Governorate in the Asir Region, and its length exceeds 450 kilometres. King Fahd Dam stands on its course with a storage capacity of 325 million cubic metres, and along its banks are date-palm cultivation, the 'Al-Sifri' dates, and rock carvings numbering more than 10,000.
- HistoricWadi LajabWadi Lajab is a fault gorge in the eastern part of Jabal al-Qahr in Al-Rayth governorate, Jazan Region. It extends about 11 kilometers and holds hanging gardens of tall palms, freshwater springs and a rock resembling a human head, making it one of the most prominent natural and tourist landmarks in northern Jazan Region and among the Kingdom's leading destinations.
- HistoricHarrat RahatHarrat Rahat is a vast volcanic field in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia whose lava flows extend from the north of Makkah to Madinah, and it contains lavas formed over widely separated periods, running from millions of years ago to the last volcanic eruption in 654 AH. Its recent volcanic activity is concentrated in its northern part, along the southern and eastern edges of Madinah.
- RegionTaif CityTaif City is a Saudi city in the west of the Kingdom, known as the “City of Roses and Bride of Saudi Summer Resorts” for its moderate summer climate and its natural views in Al-Shafa and Al-Hada. It contains more than 700 rose farms, farms of seasonal fruits, and cultural and historical landmarks including Souq Okaz and Shubra Palace.
- HistoricJabal Shada Al-A'laJabal Shada Al-A'la is a rocky mountain in the northwestern part of Al-Makhwah Governorate in Al-Bahah Region, rising 2,200 meters above sea level and standing as the highest mountain in the Tihama plain. A nature reserve bearing its name stands on it, holding one of the Kingdom's highest levels of plant diversity, with more than 500 plant species recorded there, alongside inscriptions, archaeological sites and old villages.
- RegionAbha CityAbha City is a Saudi city in the Asir region of south-western Saudi Arabia, combining a mountainous setting with the cultural and social heritage expressed in its traditional markets, heritage villages and historic houses. It was chosen as the Arab Tourism Capital for 2017, and it holds the Tuesday Market and Al-Muftaha Village alongside its mountain parks and seasonal festivals.
- HistoricMount ArafatMount Arafat is a site within the Arafat sanctuary east of Makkah on the road between Makkah and Taif, known for Jabal Ar-Rahmah, which stands on the eastern side of the plain with its white pillar, where pilgrims stand on the ninth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, as the sanctuary covers about 10.4 square kilometres.
- HistoricMount RadwaMount Radwa is a mountain in the northwest of the Kingdom, located in Yanbu governorate. It is recorded in tradition as one of the three mountains that lie at Madinah, alongside Mount Uhud and Mount Warqan, and it hosted the first meeting between King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud and King Farouk of Egypt at Radwa Bay in 1364 AH, corresponding to 1945.
- HistoricJabal FifaJabal Fifa is a mountain in Fifa Governorate, east of the Jazan Region in south-western Saudi Arabia. It consists of a chain of peaks of varying elevation rising more than two thousand metres above sea level, the highest of them Al-Absiyah Peak, and it holds cylindrical stone houses and agricultural terraces, is known for coffee and honey, and has seen successive development works and roads since 1398 AH.
- HistoricKhawlani CoffeeKhawlani Coffee is a variety of coffee cultivated in the mountain highlands of the southwestern part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and its cultivation is centred on Jazan Region, led by Ad-Dayer Governorate. The knowledge and skills associated with its cultivation are inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO.
- HistoricHejazi ArchitectureHejazi architecture is a Saudi architectural style associated with the coastal areas on the Red Sea, known for its wooden rawasheen and historic houses. It is included in the Saudi Architecture Map, which comprises 19 architectural styles, and efforts to protect and develop it continue.
- HistoricHijaz MountainsThe Hijaz Mountains are a mountain range in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that embraces a number of peaks and natural landmarks, and its range takes in Jabal an-Nur in Makkah. They are cut through by volcanic lava fields and granite peaks, and among their most prominent landmarks are Jabal Shada in the Al-Bahah region, Jabal al-Lawz in the Tabuk region and Jabal Fifa in the Jazan region.