ARABIAN SERIN Tour Summary 8 Days, Land Cruiser and Hiking Traveling is comfortable in the 4WD Toyota Land Cruisers with a maximum load of four participants each. Our destination is the northern part of the mountains where Sana'a is situated at an altitude of 2200m. Most of the interesting places and mountain villages can be easily reached from Sana'a. Small hikes of up to 2-3 hours allow us to experience the unequaled scenic beauty of this country and are within the ability of even untrained participants. If you do not wish to take part, you can stay in the car, of course.
Tour Duration: 8 Days Your Itinerary Day 1: Sana'a Upon early arrival you will experience sunrise above the Red Sea and the Arabian Desert and land in the capital city of Sana'a, 2200m above sea level on a high plateau. Upon early arrival, transfer to hotel and after taking a short rest, we go to Wadi Dahr (15km away from the capital Sana'a) - a green valley in the middle of rough mountains. Every Friday, wedding parties meet here and dance the traditional dagger, or djambiyah, dance called "bara". Afterwards we drive down into the valley and take a look at the former summer palace of Imam Yahya; it is built on the top of a solitary rock. In the afternoon there will be a visit to the Old City of Sana'a. The view of the Old City with its decorated houses, which tower up to six storeys, and the slim minarets is fascinating even to hard-baked globetrotters. This historical part of the city was declared a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO; since 1985 several houses have been restored already. Behind the historical city gate Bab Al Yemen, another world begins - the souk of Sana'a. Flying merchants are here and not far away camels with blindfolded are turning the old sesame mills. The range of commodities reaches from pottery to video recorders but the old Arabic market atmosphere has not changed. Mostly men with their curved daggers, the djambiyahs, are dominating the scene. The Souk Al Milh (the former salt market) has changed into a giant supermarket cut into numerous small sales boxes. Passing by the Grand Mosque we reach the spice market - one of the largest of the whole Arab World - which activates all our smell nerves pleasantly. Not far away is the silver market; your tour guide will help you to distinguish Yemeni jewelry from the imports from India. We will take supper either at a restaurant outside or at the hotel where an overnight will be spent. (B) (L) (D) Breakfast- Lunch and Dinner are included. Day 2: Sana'a - Marib 173km. Our motorized little "caravan" - two to four Land Cruisers depending on the size of the group will leave Sana'a after breakfast. After just 30 km we pass through the area of Nehm, which belongs to an especially proud tribe. Soon we will cross the first pass - deeply fissured rock, seemingly very far away from the capital. A serpentine road leads 800m down into the wide desert of the Ramlat as Sabatein - "Sand of the two Sabas" - between the historic places of Saba and Shabwa. Going through a black basalt desert with light sand dunes formed by the wind we come to Marib. We soon discover along the yellow horizon, the beginning of the immensely large Rub al Khali Desert, the "Empty Quarter" with 2000 sqkm of sand. After taking our lunch at a local restaurant we take a look at Marib, once the world and religious capital of the Sabean Kingdom. It is however a fact that Queen of Sheba - Bilquis - visited King Solomon in Jerusalem in around 950 BC, which is recorded in the Bible in 1 Kings 10 and in Chronicles 9 as well as in the 27th sura of the Koran. The riches of Marib came from the Incense Road and the gigantic irrigation systems. For over 2600 years, artificial irrigation has been going on. We marvel at the still intact stone walls of the Southern sluice and look over the wadi to the Northern sluice. The dam had a length of 600 m. The top velocity of the water flow measured at the Wadi Adhana equals the Rhine at Basel! The first break of the dam is recorded around the middle of the 4th century. After repairs done with the help of some 10,000 workers, other breaks occurred and Marib was finally been abandoned in 570 AD. In 1986 a new was opened, financed by Sheikh Zaid of Abu Dhabi who considers himself a descendant of the Sabeans. With the water collected by the 230m long dam, 10,000 hectares of the land are to be irrigated. The remains of the temples are astonishing with their pillars built of exactly hewn stone blocks, for example at the Awwam Temple, where nowadays boys are demonstrating their climbing skills. This temple was excavated by an American archaeological team under Wendel Phillips in 1951/52 but has been covered up with sand again. Since 1990 German archaeologists are excavating the temple Arsh Bilquis with its 5 columns. Today in Calgary, Alberta, a team of archaeologists digging at the now-protected site for two years announced the ruins of the temple spotted by Wendell Phillips are only a fraction of what's buried. Radar analysis has revealed a massive, intricate building below. "Probably more than a mile in length, its width about the same," says Bill Glanzman of the University of Calgary. "It's very,very large site." It will take several years to move the thousands of tons of Sand away from the rest of the structure. Wendell Phillip's sister is helping raise the funds. To honor his memory and may be reveal the secrets of the Arabian Desert that gave purpose to her brother's life. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Marib city. (B) (L) (D) Day 3: Marib - Al Hajjarah 270 km In the morning we go back to Sana'a and take the opportunity to visit the ruins of Baraqesh in the vicinity of Marib off the main road. The road leading to Baraquesh has only been completed in 1992. Here we find one of the few almost intact historical city of Yemen - a very imposing view. Surrounded by an almost complete city wall with many inscriptions the inside is less well preserved but has many remainders of temples and towers. We go back to Sana'a for lunch. A good road is leading from there through the wild mountains westwards to Manakha. On the way you can see the tallest mountain of the entire Middle East, Djebel an-Nabi Shu'ayb (12368 feet/3770 metres). Manakha lies at an altitude of 2250 m in the middle of a terraced agricultural area of the Harraz mountains. The mountains here are especially dramatic. Behind the Ismaelite pilgrim place of Al-Hutaib, Jebel Shibam rises up 3000 m, the highest peak of the Harraz mountains. In the afternoon we take a hike of about 2-3 hours to the village of Hajjarah - a splendid and impressive village and the finest examples of mountain architecture in Yemen which perches along a steep rock. The outside facades of the houses which are built closely together, are its natural city wall. A path made of stone steps is leading through the middle-aged gate; the only entrance to this exceptional place. Supper and overnight stay in a "Funduk" of Al-Hajjarah or at one of the three other Funduks in Manakha. (B) (L) (D) Day 4: Manakha - Mahweit - Tawilah - Kawkaban 100 km In the morning we are hiking for 3 hours to Kahel - first slightly uphill, then on an even path and down to Manakha. Al-Hutaib near manakha is the destination of a big pilgrimage which leads many Ismaelites from India here on the 16th day of the first month of the Islamic year. We then drive another 30 km further west and take a rough mountain road for the same distance to the north. There we arrive at Mahweet with its walled old city made of bright sandstone situated on a mountain that was once considered unconquerable. In many of the blue coloured doors there are big wooden locks - more numerous and beautiful than anywhere else in Yemen. After continuing for another 10 km, the mountain city of Tawilah with its original souk is towering up alongside five mountain peaks which from the distance look like a monolithic unit. Tawilah is situated at an altitude of 2600 m. On top of two of the rocks the remains of fortifications of the first Turkish occupation (1537-1636) can be seen. The facades of the houses with decorated bands of bright stone are remarkable. In the lanes the visitor will find merchants, women scurrying, children, cats and chickens. Here under the arcades we still find a harmonious display of lanes and small shops, more than anywhere else in Yemen - and that means something because everywhere the country is still traditional. On the occasion of the large exhibition on Yemen 1978 in the Ethnological Museum of Munich, part of this souk has been built up according to the original one. The next place, Kawkaban (2720 m) was built on a high plateau, which ends suddenly and steeply at all sides and is covered in clouds during the afternoons. The large city gate is of particular interest. Supper/Overnight stay at a Funduk in Kawkaban. (B) (L) (D) Day 5: Kawkaban - Shibam - Thulla - Shaharah 210 km At about 7.30 am we take an hour's walk down the mountain from Kawkaban to Shibam (2720 to 2450 m). Through the city gate the path leads to the big mosque built in an early Persian style. The roof of the prayer hall is not carried by arcades, but horizontal beams are lying on the vertical pillars. About 8 km further on the way, Thulla is perching at the foot of a steep mountain. It is a rare example of an almost perfectly conserved city of the highlands with towering houses made of stone. Walls, towers and the bumby cobbled lanes - all are made of the same sandstone and built without mortar. The TOURIST HOUSE has only been completed in 1995, by some smart inhabitants of Thulla. A 30 km ride on a rough country road takes us to the Sana'a - Hajjah road, the "Chinese Road". This particular part of the way boasts some of the most beautiful scenic sights of the entire Yemen: steep gorges and green valleys, rugged mountain tops with castle-like villages. The area is also famous for its countless agricultural terraces. Heading towards Shaharah we can visit the old mud town of Amran. From Huth we are going on a gravel road about 50 km west over barren mountains. Around 10 km before Shaharah, we have to take one of the local Toyotas to climb up the 10 km of gravel road which is screwing up to the place situated at 2450 m. The famous stone bridge of the 16th century spans over a gorge of 300 m depth. The village located at an excellent strategic position has a long history of wars. Overnight stay at a simple "Funduk". (B) (L) (D) Day 6: Shaharah - Sadah 160 km In the morning we take a hike of about 2 hours down to Rabaha - passing terraced fields and old fortified sites. Through Huth (lunch) we drive the rest of the 120 km into the northern direction till we reach the old city of Sadah. In pre-Islamic times the important trade route called "Incense Road" had been passing here; then pilgrims' caravans used the road as far as Mecca. The stony desert-like landscape was formed by volcanic forces; age-old vulcanize have already served the caravans as prominent road signs hundreds of years ago. The last half hour before reaching Sadah the road passes by small villages consisting of clay houses and green irrigated fields. this is the most important area for cultivating grapes. Sadah developed in the 9th century AD around the Al Hadi Mosque; traces of an even older city have been found 5 km west at the foot of Mount Tulumus. Sadah has been (and still is to this day) governed by the religious nobility of the Shiites; the Sayyed view themselves as close blood relatives of the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him). The old homogeneous part of the town is built by way of the typical mud-layer architecture and up to this day is surrounded by a city wall of the 16th century. Through the old gate Bal al Yemen we take a step back into the living Middle Ages. There are still some Jewish silver smiths living here. They can be easily recognized by the typical hair-style: the long temple curls. They offer some precious old jewelry for sale. Until 1950 some 60,000 Jews left Yemen by their own will. In the northern part there still some 200 Jewish families left, most of them in Sadah. The Yemenis are tolerant towards this minority of a different faith. Some are reading aloud from the Thora, the Holy Book of their Jewish faith while sitting in their shops. To the left hand side of Bab al Yemen there is the old and large Al Hadi Mosque from the 12th century (altered in the 17th century). It is named after the founder of the Zaidi faith, Al Hadi Yahia (died 911) who lies buried here. From here we reach the souk with its small lanes and the old city with its narrow streets and its 500 year-old houses built of mud. Many wooden doors are provided with thick metal bolts. The door frames are decorated with gypsum patterns. Supper and overnight at a hotel in Sadah city. (B) (L) (D) Day 7: Sadah - Sana'a 245 km In the morning we take a little stroll through the town - on top of the 11 m wide historic city wall. From here we have some nice views of the old city. Then we return back to Sana'a. After lunch you can go shopping in the souk - the acquisition of spices and silver jewelry are almost a "must". Dinner & overnight at the hotel in Sana'a. (B) (L) (D) Day 8: Transfer to Airport for departure. Wishing you a wonderful time with many nice memories: The Team of ViewZone Tours. (B)
Note: Tour and Tour Information are subject to change. Airfare is not included in the tour price. Notes : PRICE VALID FROM NOVEMBER 2001 UPTO MAY 2002 and it is in USD currency. Price ncludes: - Hotel accommodation based on 4-star hotels in the main cities and best available elsewhere. - Transport of 4x4 Land Cruisers - 4 passengers per vehicle. - Meals on full board basis in the best available restaurants. - Services of bilingual local tour guide Arabic & English, French,German or Italian speaking tour guide. Entrance fees to all attractions visited and Airport transfers.
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