Edge of the World

Edge of the World, also known as Jebel Fihrayn, is a natural cliff site in the Tuwaiq escarpment, about 100 km from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Walkers and climbers come to scramble up to the rim and look out over a deep valley and a long, empty stretch of desert. The site is open from sunrise to sunset, and there is no minimum age. The main activity is the climb to the top. Sunrise and sunset are the best times to be up there, when the colours of the sky shift across the horizon. Roads are rough, so a four-wheel-drive vehicle is advised, and there are no services nearby. Phone signal can drop out, so go in a group or with a guide, carry everything you need and wear shoes made for hiking. The cliff stands at the end of the Tuwaiq range, which runs for about 800 km, and the escarpment follows an ancient caravan route. Look closely and you may find fossil snails and other sea creatures, a sign that this land was once under water. Samar and acacia trees grow in the valley below, and winter brings cooler air and rain.