Wadi al-Disah

Wadi al-Disah, the valley of palm trees, cuts through the sandstone of the Hisma in the Tabuk region, with walls rising several hundred metres in fluted columns and pinnacles and a floor of springs, running water in places, reeds and date palms, which in a landscape that is otherwise bare rock and sand makes the contrast extreme. A track runs along the wadi floor and is driven by four-wheel drive, with the softer sections and water crossings the difficulty. Camping in the wadi is common. Walking routes go up side valleys, and the sandstone formations, including the fluted pillars near the western end, are the images most often photographed.

History

The wadi, named after the village of Al-Disah at its western entrance, holds Nabataean rock-cut tomb facades, Nabataean and early Kufic inscriptions and the remains of old settlements, and since 2023 it has been on UNESCO's tentative list as part of the Bioclimatic Refuges of Western Arabia (Wikipedia, Wadi Al Disah).

What's there

• The fluted walls - the columned sandstone cliffs of the canyon.
• Palms and springs - the water and vegetation on the wadi floor.
• The wadi track - the driving route along the valley bottom.
• Side canyons - the walking routes off the main wadi.

When to go

October to April; summer in the Hisma is severe. Avoid the wadi during and after rain because of flash flooding. Spring can bring flowers. Weekends bring campers from Tabuk.

Things to know

Four-wheel drive is needed for the wadi floor and vehicles get stuck in soft sand. Flash flooding is a genuine danger. There are no facilities, water or fuel. Litter left by campers has become a serious problem.

Nearby

Tabuk lies northeast; the Hisma plateau surrounds the wadi.

Key facts