Tanomah

Tanomah, a town of some forty thousand people, lies on the Asir escarpment road about 120 kilometres north of Abha at around two thousand metres, in a stretch of highlands where juniper woodland covers the ridges and the ground drops abruptly westward toward the Tihama. It catches the summer monsoon moisture that reaches southwestern Arabia, so it is greener and wetter than almost anywhere else in the country, with waterfalls running in the wet season, terraced farms on the slopes, and mist filling the valleys most mornings. Viewpoints along the escarpment road look out over the drop. Wild baboons and a range of birds restricted to the southwest live in the woodland. It is a quieter alternative to the crowded Abha area.

What you'll find

• Juniper woodland - the forest along the escarpment ridges.
• Seasonal waterfalls - the falls running in the wet months.
• Escarpment viewpoints - the lookouts over the drop westward.
• Terraced farms - the cultivated slopes below the villages.

When to go

April to October, with the wettest and greenest months from around June to September when the monsoon moisture arrives; that is also when the waterfalls run. Winter is cold and dry. Mist is frequent year round.

Before you go

Waterfalls are seasonal and dry for much of the year. Mist removes views often. There is little visitor infrastructure and few marked trails. The escarpment road is winding and slow.

Nearby

Abha lies south; Al-Bahah is north along the escarpment.

Key facts