Al Shafa Mountain Viewpoints Tour

Al Shafa sits about 25 km south of Taif on a high plateau, roughly 2,200 to 2,500 metres above the sea. Makkah, ninety minutes away, is one of the hottest cities on earth for much of the year. Al Shafa has cool air, terraced farms, juniper trees and mist. The contrast is the whole reason people come.

The viewpoints

The road runs along an escarpment with a series of laybys and platforms looking west, where the mountain simply stops and drops thousands of feet into the Tihama plain below. On a clear day the view runs for miles. On a foggy one you see cloud pouring up over the edge, which is arguably better.

There is no walking required. You drive from one to the next, get out, look, get back in.

The farms and the fruit stalls

Terraced farms cling to the slopes growing pomegranates, grapes, figs, peaches and mountain strawberries. Roadside stalls sell whatever is in season, along with prickly pear in late summer and jars of local honey.

The honey deserves a mention. Asir and Taif highland honey is a serious product, sold by weight, and prices vary enormously with the type. Sidr honey costs many times what wildflower honey does. Taste before you buy and do not be rushed.

What else there is

• Camel and horse rides at several of the viewpoints, priced per ride and negotiable.
• Small cafes and tea stalls, most with the best seat in the house.
• Al Shafa Dam and the surrounding walking paths, if you want a stretch of the legs.
• Families spread rugs and picnic. It is what locals do, and it is the right idea.

The weather is the variable

Al Shafa is cool year-round and cold in winter, when night temperatures can drop close to freezing and there is occasional frost. Summer afternoons are pleasant when Makkah is unbearable.

Fog is the wildcard. Cloud comes up the escarpment fast and can reduce visibility to a few metres, closing the views entirely for an hour or a day. Mornings are usually clearer than afternoons. If the view matters to you, go early and accept that the mountain decides.

Cost and vehicle

A private half-day from Makkah runs from around SAR 350, which is a fixed price for the vehicle rather than a per-person charge. From Taif itself it is a much shorter trip.

The mountain roads are narrow and winding in places, so this is a trip for a driver who knows them rather than a self-drive experiment.

What to bring

• A jacket. Every single time. People underestimate this and regret it.
• Cash for the fruit stalls and the honey.
• A rug or a mat if you fancy the picnic.
• Motion sickness tablets if the winding road is a problem for you.

Pairing it

Al Shafa combines naturally with the Al Hada cable car on the way up, or with the Taif Ziyarat for pilgrims making a day of the highlands. In spring, add the rose farms.