FRIDAY HIKE / SMALL GROUP: Al Qwai'iyah Trail (18km)

Join us for a challenging day as we travel further afield to revisit one of my favorite discoveries from last season: the Al Qwai'iyah trail. Recently finished by Darb, this is a 7km trail, which we will extend to cover approximately 18km at a brisk pace.

This hike takes us to the meeting point of the Arabian Shield (igneous and metamorphic rocks) with the Arabian Shelf (sedimentary rocks). You will have the opportunity to discover and enjoy a varied landscape, scenic views, ancient stone-age structures, and Thamudic rock drawings and inscriptions that are thousands of years old. After leaving the Darb trail, we will weave our way through wadis to explore a remote plain and (hopefully) visit a friendly shepherd.

We will set out early from a meeting point in central Riyadh and travel together to reach our destination. As always, we will be active and explore, while keeping safety top-of-mind. We'll be doing a good amount of walking (over 4 hours) as we go beyond the regular tourist route.

There is no Friday (or any) mosque on the hiking trail, but the group will wait for anyone praying.

SIGNUP PROCESS

• Tuesday to Wednesday: sign up to join the waitlist
• Thursday morning: RSVPs close
• Thursday PM: group finalised and WhatsApp group live; final itinerary sent on WhatsApp to attendees

Please review the FAQs if it's your first time attending.

PREPARATION

• Please bring a lunch and LOTS of water (2 liters minimum, given the length of this hike).
• Walking in the desert requires preparation. Proper hiking clothes and hiking footwear (ideally hiking boots) are a must. So is appropriate protection from the sun (hat, sunglasses, sunblock). Temperatures in the desert can change quickly: wear comfortable, breathable clothing to withstand the heat and bring an extra layer in case your stay in the desert is unexpectedly extended to the evening, when the temperature drops in the evening.
• Finally, and most importantly, make sure you are in great physical shape: Every person is responsible for him or herself.

TRIP COORDINATION

• Read this information and the group's FAQs (below the October 2025 update) carefully as they answer a lot of the common questions before contacting me. I organize these trips in my free time, so please respect my time as the organizer.
• This is a free trip, organized by me on a volunteer basis and made possible by our wonderful volunteer drivers, who generously take other hikers along with them. Paying Meetup's fee does not give you priority off the waitlist.
• Hikes are coordinated through a dedicated WhatsApp group, which will be launched by Thursday. All information about the trip (meeting point, final schedule, hiking start location) will be shared through the dedicated WhatsApp group, not here. Please don't contact me before Friday 10am asking why you're not in the WhatsApp group.
• Joining the Waitlist on Meetup is not a guarantee of a spot. You need to answer all the questions during signup, provide a mobile number, and confirm your interest by WhatsApp when I reach out to you. If you don't provide a phone number or confirm your interest when I reach out, I will move you to "Not Going".
• No guests: everyone needs to register interest individually in Meetup.
• SUVs are not required for this trip: regular cars are allowed. I will only add you to the group once I am sure that you have a ride if you need one.

APPROXIMATE SCHEDULE (to be confirmed by WhatsApp)

• 8:00: Gather at a meeting point in central Riyadh (location shared on WhatsApp) and check in.
• 8:15: Departure to the hike location. We will not wait for latecomers.
• 10:00: We arrive at the hike starting point, introduce ourselves and start exploring.
• 12:30: Pause hike for lunch whenever we are hungry.
• 15:30: Everyone back to the cars (option to leave, hang out, or explore more )
• 17:00: Approximate return to central Riyadh

If you are as excited as I am about hiking and have a trip suggestion, please give me a shout.

Anna