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Hima Cultural Area

Najran, Saudi Arabia

Hima Cultural Area

A remote landscape north of Najran with thousands of ancient rock carvings and inscriptions around old desert wells, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021.

Favourite places

Local food

  • Mandi

    Najran, Saudi Arabia

    Lamb or chicken cooked slowly in a closed pit or oven over smoky heat and served on fragrant rice. Common across southern Saudi Arabia, with roots shared with neighbouring Yemen.

  • Areeka

    Najran, Saudi Arabia

    A southern speciality of whole-wheat dough kneaded with ghee and shaped into a mound with a hollow in the middle, filled with honey or date syrup. Eaten with the hands, usually at breakfast or for guests.

  • Saudi coffee (gahwa) and dates

    Najran, Saudi Arabia

    Lightly roasted coffee spiced with cardamom (sometimes saffron or cloves), poured in small cups from a dallah and always served with dates. Offering it is the first sign of welcome in any Saudi home, majlis or heritage site.Read more

Where to eat

Where to stay

Culture

The wells and carvings tell the story of the caravan routes that crossed Arabia for millennia. Herders still bring their animals to some of the wells.

History

Hima lies on an ancient caravan route north of Najran, where travellers and armies stopped at the wells of Bir Hima. Over thousands of years they left a huge number of rock carvings — hunting scenes, animals, plants and people — and inscriptions in several ancient scripts.

The Hima Cultural Area was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2021 as one of the largest rock-art complexes in the world. Some of the wells are still used by local herders today.

Tour plans

Hima day trip from Najran

Full day

  1. Step 1: Early start

    Leave Najran at dawn with your guide.

  2. Step 2: Rock-art sites

    Visit several carved rock faces with your guide.

  3. Step 3: Bir Hima wells

    See the ancient wells that drew the caravans.

  4. Step 4: Return to Najran

    Back in the city by late afternoon.

Map

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Travel information

Best time to visit

October to March. Go early in the day to avoid the heat.

How to get there

  • From Najran: a long drive north into the desert, a couple of hours each way.
  • Guided trip: go with a local guide and a 4x4; check current visiting arrangements before you go.

Getting around

  • 4x4 and guide: the rock-art sites are spread out over desert tracks.
  • On foot: short walks around the carved rocks.

Travel tips

  • Travel advice: Najran is close to the border with Yemen. Before you go, check your own government's current travel advice for the area.
  • Off-road: desert, canyon and mountain trips need a 4x4 and a local guide who knows the tracks. Do not drive into the sand alone.
  • Water and heat: carry plenty of water, sun protection and a charged phone; mobile coverage can be patchy.
  • Dress: modest clothing is expected in public — shoulders and knees covered for everyone; loose, light fabrics are the most comfortable. Women do not need to cover their hair as visitors, but a scarf is useful for religious sites.
  • Prayer times: many shops and some sites close briefly for each of the five daily prayers; plan around them.
  • Friday: the weekly holy day. Mornings are quiet and many places open only after the midday prayer.
  • Protect the art: never touch or mark the carvings.

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