Wahba Crater

Wahba Crater is a volcanic crater in the mountains of the Taif region of Saudi Arabia. Visitors come to stand on its rim and look down into a huge, round bowl, with a pale salt surface lying at the bottom. It is a rewarding stop for walkers, photographers and anyone curious about how the land was formed. The site is open from 08:00 to 18:00, and there is no minimum age, so families can come together. The road to the crater is paved, so you do not need a 4x4, and mobile coverage is reliable. Viewpoints built from black volcanic boulders look over the crater, and there is a visitor centre near the site, a digital exhibition hall and lounges where you can rest. Walkers can look down on the salt dome, which gleams in strong sun. The lake that sits on the floor dries into a salt flat in summer, and wild plants grow around its edges after rain. Geologists are drawn here by the variety of rock formations. The crater is ringed by the Al Luhayan, Umm Rilan and Zabna mountains. Villagers nearby tell an old story in which a mountain fell in love with another, and a jealous third mountain shot an arrow that left the hole we see today. It is a good tale to have in mind as you walk the rim.