Best Riyadh Road Trip
The Hidden Canyon
Driving south out of Riyadh, you’re met with a flat expanse of rocky terrain. Of course, Riyadh is in the desert, but it’s sometimes easy to forget just how dry and desolate the region is. After driving for over an hour, we saw only a few small hills and rocky outcrops. I was beginning to question if we were in the right spot.
We pulled up to a tiny concrete parking pad near the highway, and I still could barely tell anything was there. Thankfully, The Hidden Canyon really lived up to its name. After only a minute of walking, a smooth white canyon emerged from the red sandstone. From here, you can choose to go down into the ravine or stay at the top and look down. It is not difficult to walk along the top, but going down is a lot more interesting. Be prepared for some steep climbs on sketchy smooth rocks, though. I would only recommend people with high mobility to come here to get the full experience.
We spent an hour climbing in and out of the canyon, taking amazing photos. It’s incredible how well hidden it is, even reaching 2-3 stories deep in some places. If you visit in the winter like we did, there’s a chance to see water in the deepest parts, which really looks beautiful. While it’s far from the largest canyon in the country, it’s one of the most unique geographic features near Riyadh. I definitely don’t regret taking the drive out here to see such a cool hidden gem.
Red Sand Dunes
If the drive to The Hidden Canyon was flat and boring, the drive to the Red Sand Dunes was anything but. We drove through large valleys and oases before reaching an area with large buttes. I’ve never seen the desert before, so this was a pretty surreal experience. Although, to someone from the West of the US, it’s probably not that exciting. What is exciting is the massive, bright red sand dunes that popped out of nowhere as we drove over a hill. The desert of central Saudi Arabia is almost all exposed sandstone and dusty plains, but there are large swaths of red sand that cover the valleys.
At the base of the dunes, there are several companies offering quad bikes and camel rides. At the time we visited, it was off-season, so we only had a few options. Apparently, some of the quads can be very underpowered and overheat, so we recommend looking for ones that are reliable and newer. You can book a tour guide to take you out to this area using Get Your Guide, but it didn’t work with our schedule. Still, we had no issues getting there and renting a quad. Without any training, safety explanations, or even a helmet, we were off to the dunes.
Riding ATVs at Red Sand Dunes
Neither of us had ridden an ATV before, so this was a thrilling experience. The dunes are huge and quite steep, so you really have to be careful. I love mountain biking, and a lot of those skills apply to quad bikes, so I was having a blast. Yemisi wasn’t fully getting it, but we managed to make it to the top of the dunes in a short time. I was blown away by the view from the top. The buttes look so incredible in the hazy distance. Yemisi grew up in the desert, so it wasn’t new to her, but we both agreed it was the most beautiful place we visited near Riyadh.
Riding the ATVs was a major highlight of our trip. If you’re going to take one road trip from Riyadh, this should be it. After exploring for a bit, I went off on my own to rip around full speed. I haven’t had that much fun in a long time! The hour flew by so fast, and we made our way back down the dunes to return the ATVs. It’s important to note that you don’t need to rent a quad bike to see the dunes. There are also camel tours, or you can just hike up for free! As long as you have some sunscreen and water, the dunes are pretty easily accessible. You can probably walk to the top in about 15 minutes if you are in good shape.
Ushaiqer Heritage Village
Our last stop on our road trip from Riyadh was the ancient village of Ushaiqer. This once-thriving town used to be home to several hundred families, but is now a tourist town inhabited by only a few shopkeepers. When we arrived, it was becoming dusk, and the village was completely deserted. Only one small shop was open with hardly anything to see. We started to explore, but honestly, the abandoned buildings were a little spooky, and we turned around to leave. On our way out, we noticed a little museum and popped in just before it closed. Lucky for us, this decision was one of the best moments of our trip.
The owner of the museum was very kind and showed us several rooms covered in artifacts from all over Saudi Arabia. This is the private collection of a man named As-Salem, who handed the museum operation over to the current owner several years ago. From antique coins, ancient tools, and plenty of midcentury vintage artworks and clothing, the collection is surprisingly large.
As we got to talking with the owner, he invited us for some tea, coffee, and dates, a very common Arabian gesture to visitors. It was a great time talking, and we were so glad we stopped in. He asked us if we had visited the village, and of course, we had barely seen anything. He offered us a private tour for a very low price, and we quickly went before the sun set.
Ushaiqer Heritage Village Tour
As it turns out, he was one of the primary caretakers of the village, with keys to the mosques and several buildings. We explored the many wells and mosques with lots of amazing information from our guide. He explained how each family historically would farm the surrounding land, and that many people on their way to the Hajj would pass through this village. If we had come earlier, we would have seen a lot more tourists, as apparently we just missed three buses of people, but I’m so glad we had the village to ourselves.
There is actually quite a lot to do in and around the village, with some interesting hikes and more shops that are open in the busier seasons. Still, the private tour and museum made the visit absolutely worth it. We will not forget the warm kindness of the museum owner and the others we met inside the village.
Final Thoughts
I’m really glad we decided to take a road trip from Riyadh. It was a long day of driving, but the extreme nature and beautiful ancient sights were worth it. Riyadh isn’t know for nature or geography, but if you know where to look, there’s a lot to experience.
