We have been looking forward to an off-road desert trip for some time. At an abandoned council estate, we find a gap in the fence that separates the desert area from the main road. We let some air out of the tires to increase the contact area in the sand and engage the gear reduction and four-wheel drive. As there is no dirt road, we drive straight on towards our first destination, winding around fields of sharp stones.
The first rock carving we come across is a large camel, which impresses and pleases us. Here, the gate in the fence that has been erected to protect the drawings is open. So we can look at and enjoy this drawing in peace.
It’s not so easy to find the right direction to the next destination without a track. We have to keep correcting the direction, as we have to follow a straight line on the navigation device that leads us to the next point. We took some of the various rock drawings and destinations from the iOverlander app and also found some on Google Maps. The vast desert landscape is barely visible. Only the sun provides a rough direction. But discovering and driving through the sand is simply a joy.
This desert area on the edge of a sandstone plateau was frequently crossed by caravans and armies two to three thousand or more years ago. This stretch of desert was obviously a popular resting place. The area was probably also wetter in the past and therefore suitable for a stopover. Over one hundred sites with rock carvings and rock inscriptions in ancient languages have been found. And it’s true, if you turn around, you can already see the next drawings and inscriptions. Today, the Hima Desert with its petroglyphs and inscriptions is a world cultural heritage site. The many Bedouin settlements also show that this stretch of desert is habitable.
Seen from the vehicle, the mountains block the way to our next destination, which another traveler described as the “most beautiful pictures”. Fortunately, we have internet reception here in the desert and can use Google Maps to find our way through the labyrinth of rocks. This is also a new experience for us. Incidentally, it is not uncommon in Saudi Arabia to be able to receive internet in the deserts. That’s how well developed the network is here.
To get here, we have to climb over a sand dune. However, the sand is only a little soft on the surface, so we get to the top without any problems. We find the petroglyphs on Dmnah Mountain at the top of a rock. We climb up through the loose, blown sand and over boulders to realize that the effort for this petroglyph was worth it.
We spend the night on a sand dune with a wonderful view.
To get to the picture of the “ostrich giving birth”, we have to drive to another corner of the desert. But it’s worth it, also from a scenic point of view. The picture is on a rock in a small mountain valley. Well, an ostrich is giving birth, not actually to an ostrich, but to a huge egg. We can see a hint of this in the picture.
Today we also find an idyllic spot for the night. We can’t get enough of the landscape. Not a soul for miles around (or so we think).
We didn’t know last night that there was a small Bedouin camp just behind the rock. We want to know if it is possible to drive out of the desert in a westerly direction. He says no. But I am allowed to photograph his little camp, which gets this last day in the desert off to a good start.
