The slot canyon
Towering rock walls.
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A narrow rock canyon in the Al Reeth governorate of Jazan region, about 150 kilometres north-east of Jazan city, formed along a fault on the eastern side of Jabal al-Qahar. It runs about 11 kilometres from north to south and, after three kilometres, meets a second fault about two kilometres long. Sheer smooth rock walls tower over the canyon floor, which is dotted with small waterfalls and pools. Hanging gardens of palms and old trees cling to its sides as high as 30 metres or more, their roots reaching from halfway up the walls down to the water. The wadi lies inside the Imam Faisal bin Turki Royal Reserve, and in 2023 UNESCO added it to its World Heritage tentative list as part of a group of natural sites running from the Kingdom's north-west to its south-west. Cars can drive about two kilometres in from the entrance; after that the passage narrows and you continue on foot. Wear shoes that can handle water and rock, stay out of the canyon when rain or flash floods are forecast, and check the reserve's entry rules before you go.
Towering rock walls.
Palms clinging to the walls.
Along the canyon.
Al Reeth governorate, about 150 km north-east of Jazan
Only about two kilometres from the entrance; then the passage narrows and you walk. Stay out when rain or flash floods are forecast.