Al Habala

Al Habala is a settlement built on a shelf partway down the Asir escarpment, occupied by a community who reached it by rope ladders lowered over the cliff, which is what the name refers to: habl means rope. The houses are stone, stacked on the ledge with terraces beside them, and the community lived there until the 1970s, when the government resettled them above. A cable car was built to bring visitors down to the site, and the village has been partly restored with a heritage presentation. The escarpment view from the ledge and from the top station is the other reason to come. Operation of the cable car has been intermittent over the years.

What you actually see

• The ledge village - the stone houses on the shelf in the cliff.
• The escarpment - the drop below and above the settlement.
• The cable car - the descent from the rim to the ledge.
• Terraces - the cultivated steps beside the houses.

When to go

April to October in the Saudi season, when the weather is mildest and the facilities operating. Mist often fills the escarpment and hides everything. Check that the cable car is running before making the drive.

Honest expectations

The cable car has closed for long periods and access without it is not possible. The village is a restored presentation rather than a living settlement. Mist frequently removes the view. Facilities at the top station vary.

Nearby

Abha lies northwest; the Asir escarpment runs north and south.