Taif is a mountain town in the Sarawat range east of Makkah, known for rose farms and for air that stays mild when the lowland is at its worst.
Roses are the town's signature and a real industry rather than a tourist story: the cycle starts each December when growers return to the fields, and about 55 days later the crop is distilled into rose water and perfume oil. The Taif Rose Festival is held annually at Al Rudaf Park.
The mountains around it carry the rest of the interest. Al Hada Mountain has a cable car and a road of switchbacks that has been in use for a thousand years. Al Shafa rises over 2,500 metres, about 30 km from town, and is cool and green at the top. Further out, the Al Wahbah crater is the largest and deepest volcanic crater in the country, 3,000 metres across.
Getting there and when to go
Taif is roughly 90 minutes from Makkah and reachable from Jeddah. Al Wahbah is a long day trip from the town, not a short outing.
What is here
- Al Hada Mountain
- Al Shafa Mountain
- Al Wahbah Crater
What the tourism authority says
Discover the beauty of Taif, where scenic landscapes meet rich history. From the views of Al Hada Mountain and its cable car experience to the fragrant Taif rose farms and heritage sites such as Al Shareef Museum, Taif offers a journey that blends relaxation with culture.
Sources
Photograph: Richard Mortel, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.