Sandstone walls
Red columns and cliffs.
Clemens Schmillen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Clemens Schmillen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rahman Salem — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Abothamer Homoud — CC BY 3.0 · Ahmed Ataiq — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ahmed Ataiq — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ahmed Ataiq — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ahmed Ataiq — CC BY-SA 4.0
A mountain valley in the south-west of Tabuk province, about 220 kilometres from Tabuk city, stretching some 125 kilometres from north-east to south-west until it drains into the Red Sea. It is named after the village of Al Disah at its western entrance. Red sandstone mountains up to 500 metres high enclose the valley, carved by water and wind into columns and sheer cliffs. Seasonal streams and freshwater springs flow all year, so palms, citrus, jujube and mint grow thickly here, along with wild papyrus, oleander and sedge. The valley holds Nabataean remains, including rock-cut tomb facades, Nabataean and early Kufic inscriptions and traces of ancient settlements. In 2023 UNESCO added it to its World Heritage tentative list as part of the «Bioclimatic Refuges of Western Arabia». The Public Investment Fund is developing the valley for tourism, so check access before you go. Tracks inside the valley are sandy and rocky, best tackled in a four-wheel drive or with a local guide.
Red columns and cliffs.
Green in the desert.
Rock-cut tomb facades.
South-west Tabuk region, about 220 km from Tabuk city
It lies about 220 km from Tabuk; tracks inside are sandy and rocky, so go by four-wheel drive or with a local guide, and check access because of the development project.