Fifa Mountains

The Fifa massif rises steeply out of the Jazan lowlands, reaching around two thousand metres, and it is unlike anywhere else in Saudi Arabia: the slopes are terraced from bottom to top and houses are built onto them, so that from a distance the whole mountain appears covered in stepped fields and stone buildings clinging to gradients that look unbuildable. Coffee, qat, fruit and cereals are grown on the terraces. A spiral road, built with a series of stacked loops, climbs to the summit area and is itself a feature. The mountain catches monsoon moisture and is green and misty for much of the year.

What you actually see

• The terraced slopes - the stepped fields running from bottom to top.
• Hillside houses - the buildings set into the steep terrain.
• The spiral road - the stacked loop road climbing the massif.
• Coffee and fruit terraces - the cultivation on the steps.

When to go

October to April for clearer weather; the monsoon months from June to September bring heavy mist and rain that green the mountain but remove the views. Mornings are clearest before cloud builds.

Honest expectations

The roads are extremely steep and narrow with hairpins and sheer drops. Mist covers the mountain for long periods. Facilities in the villages are minimal and there is no accommodation on the massif.

Nearby

Jazan lies west on the coast; Wadi Lajab is north.