Tabuk is perfectly situated for exploring the beautiful deserts and oases dotted around the northwestern region of Saudi Arabia. From dune bashing in 4x4s to spending the night in a Bedouin camp under the stars, there are plenty of adventures to be had here and all provided by good-quality tours staffed by locals with expert knowledge of the area. Here we round up the very best desert safaris in Tabuk.
1. Camp in Hisma Desert
Sleep out under the stars on an overnight trip to Hisma Desert. The SJH Tours Campsite is set up in Central Hisma and makes for a perfect base for desert hiking and exploring the majestic towering sandstone cliffs and sweeping orange sands that dominate the landscape. During your stay, spot camels (you can even pet them), birds of prey, oryx and ibex. Watch the sunset over the otherworldly landscape before lying down for a spot of stargazing – the lack of light pollution in the area makes for an unforgettable celestial display. The camp itself is well equipped, with fully set up beds (and snuggly duvets), chairs, tables, a cushioned area for relaxing and a grill for cooking (food is included and made for guests). Prices start from SAR 4,573 for two people.
2. Wadi Al Disah Tour
There are numerous operators running day (and overnight tours) to Wadi Al Disah. Among the most popular, though not the cheapest, is Saudi Arabia Tours, which takes groups of up to 10 people to the lush mountain valley in the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Natural Reserve. You’ll spend the first couple of hours on the tour travelling to the verdant valley; pickup is direct from your hotel front door, and the tour begins as soon as you step onto the bus with a mini history lesson en route. Once in the valley, you’ll have around three hours to explore the palm-tree laden Wadi Al Disah, take some snaps for the gram, and hike around the sandstone cliffs. Before heading back to Tabuk, sit and take tea, picnic and relax in the green surroundings.
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3. Have an adventure in the Red Sand Dunes
Adrenaline lovers form an orderly queue. The Red Dunes are not only picture perfect, they’re also ripe for exploring (and there are activities aplenty to be found here). Try your hand at sandboarding (think surfing, but with sand instead of water), jump in a 4x4 for some hair-raising dune bashing, or take the wheel in your own dune buggy. Riyadh Trips runs Red Dunes tours that include ‘sand games’, transport to and from the dunes, and an evening picnic-style meal complete with music and plenty of local stories. The six-hour trip is also pretty reasonably priced at SAR 450 (dune buggies cost extra).
4. Historical sites in the desert of Tabuk
TourHQ offers a full-day tour of historical sites of the Prophet Moses in the Tabuk region, stopping off at Moses Altar (Maqam Musa), the split rock, Magha’er Shuaib (the caves of Prophet Jethro), and the Altar of the Golden Calf. Some tours visit Magha’er Shuaib as a single destination, as there are thousand-year-old facades carved into the sandstone that draw visitors from miles around; you’ll have a good 1-2 hours on site to explore.
The full tour is around 10 hours, starting with an 8am hotel pickup and a 60-minute drive to the first historical site. Given the number of sites that are dotted around the area (and packed into the tour), the drives between stop-offs aren’t too long, and the tour gives a decent amount of time to explore each location. You’ll also get lunch (either a picnic or restaurant stop featuring local food), but bring water and snacks - especially if you’re a fussy eater as choice can be limited.
5. Best multi-day desert tour
There’s so much to see in the desert around Tabuk, that one day simply isn’t enough if you want to cover some serious ground. A multi-day tour gives you the best chance to tick off a number of big-ticket items at once (plus add in some things you wouldn’t get to experience during the day such as eating dinner under the stars, camping in the desert or dining with local families). The three-day Desert Paths tour is pricey (from SAR 19,380 for a group of four) but well worth it.
Highlights of the four-day adventure include the abandoned archaeological village of Alaqan, which played host to Bedouins and camel caravans for millennia; the chance to dive in the crystal clear waters off Haql, where neon-bright coral is home to a breathtaking and vibrant underwater world with inhabitants including lionfish and sea turtles.
The tour also packs in Wadi Al Disah, the shimmering waterfalls of Al Shaq Canyon (although, if it hasn’t rained before your visit, the waterfalls won’t make an appearance), and the Bajdah Wildlife Reserve (spot gazelle and ostriches here among other animals).
