Overview
Al-Okhdood is a walled pre-Islamic city in Najran, close enough to the surface that the street plan is still readable on the ground.
Why visit Al-Okhdood
The site sits on the caravan route that carried frankincense north from southern Arabia, and it was a stop of consequence on it. What survives is the outline: stone walls, foundations, and blocks carved with inscriptions and with animal figures.
Najran is remote - the far south-west, on the Yemeni border - and that is part of why the site is quiet. Very few visitors reach it, and there is no crowd management to work around.
The historic city of Al-Okhdood is located southwest of Najran, with a past that dates back to ancient times. It witnessed periods of history that extend to 1000 BC, and its history reveals human civilizations over different historical periods.
Tours that include Al-Okhdood
Travel Tips Before Visiting
- Listed as suitable for ages: All.
- Al-Okhdood: You don't need tickets to enter
- The tourism authority lists it as suited to Culture & History, Families, Friends.
Al-Okhdood is in Najran.
Photograph: Prof. Mortel, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Plan your visit to Al-Okhdood
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- Najran Shared destination context
- Hima Cultural Area Shared destination context
- Abha Tourism relevance match
- Al Ahsa Tourism relevance match