Jabal Bura

Jabal Bura rises out of the Tihama plain east of Al Hudaydah and its western slopes carry one of the last substantial tracts of dense woodland on the Arabian Peninsula, a relict forest of tall trees in the wadis fed by the moisture the mountain pulls out of the air off the Red Sea. Surveys list more than fifty endemic and some thirty migratory bird species along with a distinctive flora, and terraced villages climb the eastern face. The mountain has been on UNESCO's Tentative List since 2002 as a mixed natural and cultural site.

What's there

• The relict forest - one of the last dense woodlands on the Arabian Peninsula.
• The wadi trees - the tall growth in the moist valleys of the western slope.
• The endemic birds - more than fifty endemic species recorded on the mountain.
• The terraced villages - the settlements worked into the mountain slopes.

When to go

October to March is the cool season. The Tihama is extremely hot and humid in summer. Rain falls mostly in summer on the slopes.

Practical notes

Cutting and grazing have reduced the forest and pressure continues. There is no infrastructure and access needs a guide and four-wheel drive. Access to mainland Yemen requires arrangements made well in advance.

Nearby

Al Hudaydah is west, and the highlands rise east.

Key facts