A driving day in the desert, starting and finishing in Tabuk. The Hisma is open sand broken by tall free-standing rock, and the day is spent moving between the formations by 4x4, with stops to walk out on foot, climb a dune and see the rock close up.
There is no fixed sequence of sights here. The driver picks a line through the sand and the stops follow the light, which is why the day is worth doing with a camera. It works well next to Wadi Disah on a second day, or before AlUla if you are continuing that way.
Day by day
Morning
You are collected from your hotel and the tarmac runs out sooner than you expect. Tyres are let down at the edge of the sand, then the driving starts properly. The morning takes in the first group of rock formations, with stops to walk between them and to look at the rock close up at the base.
Afternoon
Lunch and a long rest in shade at the foot of a rock wall, which is the coolest place available in the middle of the day. The afternoon crosses more open sand towards a viewpoint chosen for the evening light, with time out of the vehicle to photograph it. You are driven back to Tabuk after sunset.
What is included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Tabuk
- 4x4 vehicle with an experienced desert driver
- English-speaking guide for the full day
- Packed lunch, snacks and drinking water
- Walking and photography stops throughout
- Fuel, permits and recovery equipment
- Sunset stop before the return drive
What is not
- Camera equipment
- Meals outside those listed
- Tips for the guide and driver
- Travel insurance
- Personal spending
The places on this trip
Send us your dates
We come back with the itinerary written out and one clear cost.