What an intriguing name to a place! High on my Saudi travel bucket-list ever since I heard about it, I finally made it there on my six-month Riyadh anniversary in December 2019.
A 90-minute drive through quaint little towns, listening to Arabic tunes, Indian Bollywood and some Filipino pop, we saw the landscape transform from muddy walls and silky roads to a sandy, bumpy off-road. The further we drove; the feels of having landed on Mars kicked in, though the occasional camel sighting kept us in check.
Our convoy finally made it to a common meeting point, where we set out for a mini trek to reach the viewing point. As you can barely see the cliff until you’re just about 50 meters away, the terrain slowly unveiled the suspense to a majestic climax. Watching our step and dodging the gravel, we cantered to what’s popularly known as ‘Edge of the World’.
The giant escarpment with the sun setting on the horizon and the wind gushing through the cliff was a sight to behold. I simply sat on the edge of the cliff with my feet dangling, gazing into the infinite landscape, and imagining it as an ocean bed some million years ago. I could’ve sat there a whole hour if it weren’t for the (brave) photo enthusiasts queuing up behind me.
As the folklore goes, the shepherds and their sheep couldn’t go any further down the slope so locals decided to call it the Edge of the World. True to its name, it really does feel like there couldn’t be anything beyond that vast expanse.
In case you’re taken back to your Geography lessons from school and are curious as to how this landscape came to be, here’s my simplified version of a wiki explanation ~ the escarpment was formed as a result of erosion that separated two areas having different elevations, thus, forming the steep slope and the sudden drop.
The raw beauty of the Tuwaiq escarpment is indeed breathtaking and pictures don’t justify its magnanimity. It cuts through the plateau of Najd in central Arabia and runs for over 800 kilometers.
Watching the sunset hues transform from bright yellow to orange to crimson, we hiked back and headed to our campsite. A cozy campfire, piping hot Arabian tea and a majlis styled seating awaited us. Switching between stargazing and sitting cozy in the tent, we binged freshly barbecued chicken and soft white rice.
We were then tempted into exploring a (hidden) bat cave near our campsite. Excited, we put on our safety helmets and followed the group into the cave. Damp and humid, and quite contrary to the 11 degrees outside, the cave was full of tiny bats sticking out from the uneven textured ceiling.
Apart from the thrill and excitement, the further we ventured into the cave, I found myself praying that we don’t get attacked by a dozen bats flying into our faces when someone in the group accidentally flashed their torchlight at crystal formations in a dark corner diverting our attention and fading that nightmarish thought away!
After 15-minutes of adrenaline rush and a mild sauna experience, we were out in the cold again, amazed at the temperature difference between the land surface and just 3 meters underground – totally living the Geography lessons here.
Shortly on our way back through the pitch-dark (never ending) dirt road, my hungover state of mind kept going back to the mind-boggling views from the day.
It sure was an ideal end to a super eventful 2019, packed with travels and life adventures. Here’s to many more day trips exploring Saudi Arabia’s raw beauty and culture…
Love it, your such an amazing writer ❤️
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You’re too kind dear Elen ❤️ Thank you!
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Your writing has definitely made me curious about Saudi Arabia. Also, thank you for explaining ‘escarpment’ . 😁
The pictures of the edge of the world are stunning. The real panoramic view must be a breathtaking and humbling experience at the same time.
Keep exploring!
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It totally was..neither the pictures nor my description could do justice to the views 🙂 hope you get a chance to visit and explore KSA !
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Thoroughly enjoyed! It is fun to see and experience the rare sites that you write about. Saudi was never more interesting !!!
Can’t wait for next installment!
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Thank you Shelly ! 😊
I’m glad the blogs are helping break preconceived notions about places and cultures. Stay tuned for more..
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Nature is indeed surprising and beautiful!!Thank you for these glimpses into a country that many people wouldn’t explore if not for blogs like yours!! Hoping to read many more gems now that your travel is on hold😊😊
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Thank you Appu ☺️
Stay tuned for more travel adventures.
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Wow Palavi! I love the photos they made me relive your adventure through them (not like I would like to relive the bat cave though) 😅😅 thanks for sharing I enjoyed it alot and I can’t wait for what’s next!
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Haha thank you Mai 😃
I agree the bat cave was quite intimidating initially but was worth all the adventure !
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Hi Palu
It is a bit long time for your blog
I love the sunset view ever ( my all time fav.)
Sand dunes and deserted places also keep us loving to watch as well as landscapes I think
Keep writing
All the best ,👌👌👍👍
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Thank you Amma ! Hoping to churn out more blogs now that (un)fortunately upcoming travels have been canned .
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Dont worry long path is there to travel hope you will go through as many as possible love to read and know more places with your blog
Love you 😘😘
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😘
Inshallah to that !
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wow! you guys are really making the most of your trips! The photos from the end of the world are amazing! Keep the adventures coming!
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Thank you Pauli 🙂
Hoping to explore more once the whole covid fiasco gets under control !
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Sounds sooo good!! I can’t wait to visit. Thank you for sharing
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Thank you for taking the time out to read 🙂 x
Will sharing more soon.
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