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…
Kulture Kaleidoscope 