An apprehensive morning's start, armed with a lot of food and water considering it was a Friday and most stores would be off the first half, ended a really rewarded one. The trip to the "Edge of the World" or "Aakhiri Duniya" as it is referred to by folks near the place, was a little scary....we'd already tried it in our Accord 3 years ago, knew we needed a 4-wheel drive to beat the sandy patches, and were aware of presence of local mujahideen who were pointed by our jeep driver the last time, though he never did take us to the right place then! As simpler, easier-to-please persons those days, we had nice picnic fun that day and got back home happy and warmed up in the wintry sunshine.
A lot of better information, a trial trip on the main road the previous weekend and exchange with locals in the area later, we set out bravely yesterday on our trip, in finding the edge of the world. Amusingly as a friend noted, the first main road we set out on was the "Al Awwal" or "The first" (technically, Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Al Awwal Road) street of Riyadh, and were somewhat apprehensively wondering if we'd make it to the right location- The Edge of the World, this time round. It was a welcome humour to the mild trepidation of the morning- the first to the last!
As the wheels lowered off the main road, one could feel a carful of doubt at the uncertainty ahead. Beaten and thumped around on bumpy patches and sensing the rear wheels zipping uncontrollably in sandy patches, we covered the entire distance in half an hour though it seemed like it took forever to reach! Faster, more experienced drivers-of-the-sands had reached there, so we could find out final spot to rest the car and stretch out jilted bones! A nice breakfast of hot idlis, sambhar and tea prepping ourselves for walking the rough terrain, we set out with our cameras, water and sugary treats in case it gets too tiring on the way back.
At each stage of the climb or walk the next leg looked dangerously narrow and close to the edge until you got there and assured yourself that it's actually not so bad. We must have climbed up and legged a good 3-4 km rightwards after reaching the top. Each stop was astonishing and views absolutely so happiness-satiating, one would feel so close to nature and the impossibility of nature's creation! Clearly, years of rains, water and wind activity had cut out semi-circular ranges of mountains with water basins between them. Each ridge of all the mountain faces intricately carved out looking like as though artists hung and decorated them! Reminded me of stories of how Michael Angelo hung off the roof and painted the domes, walls and niches of the Sistine Chapel. Only, here it was sheer, deep faces of entire mountain ranges spanning as-far-as-eyes-could-see kind of distances intricately carved out over the centuries by nature!
Setting out from home at 7am, it was 10 am when we took off the main road into the sands towards the Edge of the World, and finally piqued, exhilarated and exhausted with almost-broken-bones, we climbed back onto the main road at 3pm, washed at the petrol pump and picnicked at a local farm, caught a short leg-stretched-out nap and headed back to main town Riyadh reaching at 6pm.
Directions: Arouba road, onto King Khaled Road 535 N, get off at the Jubayla junction and 30 kms from there, even before the Sadus town, where you see some pipelines being laid and a sandy incline built upto the ridge on your right, get off onto the sand, drive a good 7 kms to reach the rangers tent, take the car into their borders and then drive a rough patch for a good 22kms keeping largely to the right at all doubtful forks. Leaving early morning is advisable to be able to deal with any uncertainties, car troubles and managing to leave the rangers premises before 6pm when they close the entrance. And yes, a ton of water, a lot of food, and emptying out our system systematically before leaving and after reaching the main, paved highways of Riyadh. Needless to say, there are no washrooms in the entire 30 kms stretch of unpaved road on the approach to the Edge of the World, and you have the challenge of several hours of climbing up and down, and walking narrow patches of mountainsides involved.
Happy, soul-filling views!
A lot of better information, a trial trip on the main road the previous weekend and exchange with locals in the area later, we set out bravely yesterday on our trip, in finding the edge of the world. Amusingly as a friend noted, the first main road we set out on was the "Al Awwal" or "The first" (technically, Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Al Awwal Road) street of Riyadh, and were somewhat apprehensively wondering if we'd make it to the right location- The Edge of the World, this time round. It was a welcome humour to the mild trepidation of the morning- the first to the last!
As the wheels lowered off the main road, one could feel a carful of doubt at the uncertainty ahead. Beaten and thumped around on bumpy patches and sensing the rear wheels zipping uncontrollably in sandy patches, we covered the entire distance in half an hour though it seemed like it took forever to reach! Faster, more experienced drivers-of-the-sands had reached there, so we could find out final spot to rest the car and stretch out jilted bones! A nice breakfast of hot idlis, sambhar and tea prepping ourselves for walking the rough terrain, we set out with our cameras, water and sugary treats in case it gets too tiring on the way back.
At each stage of the climb or walk the next leg looked dangerously narrow and close to the edge until you got there and assured yourself that it's actually not so bad. We must have climbed up and legged a good 3-4 km rightwards after reaching the top. Each stop was astonishing and views absolutely so happiness-satiating, one would feel so close to nature and the impossibility of nature's creation! Clearly, years of rains, water and wind activity had cut out semi-circular ranges of mountains with water basins between them. Each ridge of all the mountain faces intricately carved out looking like as though artists hung and decorated them! Reminded me of stories of how Michael Angelo hung off the roof and painted the domes, walls and niches of the Sistine Chapel. Only, here it was sheer, deep faces of entire mountain ranges spanning as-far-as-eyes-could-see kind of distances intricately carved out over the centuries by nature!
Setting out from home at 7am, it was 10 am when we took off the main road into the sands towards the Edge of the World, and finally piqued, exhilarated and exhausted with almost-broken-bones, we climbed back onto the main road at 3pm, washed at the petrol pump and picnicked at a local farm, caught a short leg-stretched-out nap and headed back to main town Riyadh reaching at 6pm.
Directions: Arouba road, onto King Khaled Road 535 N, get off at the Jubayla junction and 30 kms from there, even before the Sadus town, where you see some pipelines being laid and a sandy incline built upto the ridge on your right, get off onto the sand, drive a good 7 kms to reach the rangers tent, take the car into their borders and then drive a rough patch for a good 22kms keeping largely to the right at all doubtful forks. Leaving early morning is advisable to be able to deal with any uncertainties, car troubles and managing to leave the rangers premises before 6pm when they close the entrance. And yes, a ton of water, a lot of food, and emptying out our system systematically before leaving and after reaching the main, paved highways of Riyadh. Needless to say, there are no washrooms in the entire 30 kms stretch of unpaved road on the approach to the Edge of the World, and you have the challenge of several hours of climbing up and down, and walking narrow patches of mountainsides involved.
Happy, soul-filling views!
