Abha

Overview :

 

Abha, the home of the headquarters of the regional Governorate, is located in the Asir region in the south-west of the Kingdom.

Abha's position, some 7,200 feet (2,200 meters) above sea-level, gives it a relatively moderate climate. Temperatures remain within a narrower band than is the case in many other parts of the Kingdom. The Abha region also enjoys the highest level of rainfall of any part of Saudi Arabia.

The natural beauty of the region and its fertility have encouraged the Saudi Arabian Government to establish a number of national parks, enabling Saudi citizens to holiday in a location of outstanding scenery and natural interest to rival anywhere abroad. Abha consists of fertile land that is suitable for agriculture. Moreover, the city receives abundant rainfall and comprises of sufficient green pasture. Spices and incense sticks are two main products for which the city has been popular since the ancient days. During the Egyptian era, Abha was known as “land of spices and incense”.

 

Major Attractions :

Habala Hanging Village: Located 50 km from the city of Abha and can be reached via road with sightseeing along the way, and is part of the park into a deep canyon, ranging from 170-300m and the only way for the transition of their inhabitants are the ropes have been moved long to the village of King Faisal Foundation, which return them with all the facilities and services crisis.

 

Asir National Park: The first protected area for plants and animals was established in 1980 as the first national park in Saudi Arabia, covers an area of 455,000 hectares, which is a series of parks under the name "Asir National Park" to preserve the natural environment in the region, providing a unique holiday combines modern, advanced achievements in build parks and excellent environment in which there are difficult between high mountains and steep slopes and deep valleys and thick forests and the shores of the atoll with the sources of water and the roots of certain types of plants that do not grow in this region and not birds of prey and many animals and monkeys The jackal, wolf, fox and three hundred species of birds. 

 

Al-Sawdah Park: altitude of 3000 meters above sea level is the peak of Mount Sawdah the largest developed sites in the AsirNational Park with an area of 883 hectares, and is unique to this site for its highest falls in rain and carpeted heavy dense forest of trees. Visitors can also see some of the rock-carved inscriptions and drawings from the era of talking exceeded 3000 years ago, and given the opportunity get down deep in the cliffs to see the types of wildlife.

 

The Raidah Protected Area: This is one of the smallest wildlife areas in the Kingdom - and an absolute gem for that. Its steep walls and abundant food means that it is an oasis of wildlife for many of Saudi Arabia's endangered species Located on the steep slope below Jebel Sawdah, and covering only 14 sq km, with some public access possible for education groups.

 

Birds: The unique plant life here is home to nine of the ten indigenous bird species of Saudi Arabia, including the Arabian Red-Legged Partridge, Arabian Serin, Arabian Waxbill, Asir Magpie, Philby's Rock Partridge, South Arabian Wheatear, and Yemen Warbler.

 

Museums: Abha contains a number of personal museums containing the old tools parents and grandparents used such as cooking and eating utensils and equipment used in other industries that communities were needed in that period. AlkhalileahMuseum and Al-ghamazMuseum for history and heritage of Asir are one of these personal museums.

 

Things To Do:

 

Hiking and mountain bike riding: AbhaMountains provide the natural resources for some of the most beautiful camping in the world. The mountains provide outstanding sporting activities; paragliding, hang-gliding, rock climbing and mountaineering are all professionally supervised here.

Abha parks: Abha has various natural and man-made tourist destinations. To add to its natural beauty, more than 56 parks have been established in various parts of the city in Saudi Arabia. One of the most famous is AsirNational Park.

Visit Al Miftaha art village: Another interesting place at Abha in Saudi Arabia is the Al Miftaha art village, which is situated in KingFahdCulturalCenter. It displays artistic talents of Saudi craftsmen in the form of handicrafts, souvenirs, paintings, sculptors and many more.

Cable cars: Cable cars are laced around the valleys. They afford the most spectacular views over Abou Khayal when you take a ride from New Abha to the GreenMountain.

 

Events :

  Abha Festival: This famous Festival is held during the summer, to draw people to the city. Events are organized to attract visitors to discover the city and its surroundings, such as sporting events, shows, exhibitions and musical performances by famous Arabic poets and singers.

Famous Meals :

Abha is famous with its South region cuisine which include delicious meals like arikah, mabthoth and Al-tasabea.

What To Buy:

Abha has a well known marketplace, which is open daily. The market is always busy with activity and people moving about. The locals bargain for goods like: fruits, vegetables, and coffee beans among other items. Local specialty items like ornate silverBedouinjewelry or hand-woven baskets are also available.

Best Time to Visit:

Visit Abha in the summer the temperature is mild and rain falls almost every day. The average annual temperature of 20 to 24 degrees Celsius, while summer rains often and an average annual range from 120 to 350 mm

 

Travel Tips :

Of Course Alcohol is strictly PROHIBITED. Don't bring Alcohol to Saudi Arabia.