Mountains · Asir & Abha
Jabal Sawda
جبل السوده
Photo: Al Sawda peak.jpg · marviikad · CC BY SA 2.0 (licence)
Before you go
7 facts, each with its source- Time needed Half a day Source: editor · category default
- Best season October–April Source: editor · category default
- Difficulty Hard — steep and exposed, and the drive is part of it Source: editor · category default
- Family friendly Older children — sheer drops are rarely fenced Source: editor · category default
- Drones Registration with GACA is required for any drone from 250 g, and registration alone is not permission to fly — an operational permit is also needed Source: official · national rule · General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) · checked 2026-09-05
- Dress Saudi Arabia expects modest dress in public: loose clothing covering shoulders and knees. Abaya is no longer required of visitors. Layers: it runs 10–15 °C cooler up here. Proper walking shoes. Source: editor · category default
- Elevation 2985 m Source: osm
Not confirmed for this place: 4x4 needed · Entry fee · Opening hours · Facilities · Wheelchair. Know one of these? Tell us →
Safety notes
- The escarpment roads are steep, switchbacked and used by heavy traffic; fog closes them without warning in the summer months, which are also the busiest.
- Baboons gather at laybys and viewpoints where people feed them. Keep windows up, keep food out of sight, and do not feed them — a fed troop becomes an aggressive one.
- Northern high ground gets genuinely cold at night in winter and the temperature falls faster than the light.
Editor notes, reviewed 2026-09-04
How far is it?
- 42 mfrom Abha International Airport (AHB) · 44 km
- 32 mfrom Abha · 28 km
- 2 h 46 mfrom Jazan · 221 km
Road distance and driving time from OpenStreetMap routing, without traffic. Mountain tracks are often slower than the router thinks.
When to go
October–April- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
ComfortableToo hot
High ground behaves differently from the plains below it: the Asir escarpment stays usable through the summer, while the northern ranges get genuinely cold and occasionally snow in winter. Asir inverts the national season. The escarpment above Abha sits high enough that summer is mild, and the summer mist and rain that roll up it are the reason people come — the domestic peak season here is the months that are impossible everywhere else.
Source: editor · category default · 2026-09-04. Category default set by the editor — a verified per-place season replaces it.
mountain in Saudi Arabia
Short description from Wikidata (CC0) · Q1261892
About & Sources Jabal Sawda
Jabal Sawda is a mountain in Asir & Abha, Saudi Arabia — Wikidata describes it as "mountain in Saudi Arabia". OpenStreetMap places it at about 2985 m above sea level. Entry fee, opening hours and vehicle requirements have not yet been verified for this page — the fact box says so plainly rather than guessing, so check locally before you go. For this kind of place the comfortable season is typically October–April. Nearby: Arabian Desert, Sarawat Mountains and The 1 km of hiking trail.
At a glance
- Mountains · Asir & Abha
- mountain in Saudi Arabia
- About 2985 m elevation (OSM)
- Season: October–April (editor default)
- Has a Wikipedia article
- 2 open-data sources · verified not yet
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, each with its author and licence.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Jabal Sawda?
Typically October–April for mountains. High ground behaves differently from the plains below it: the Asir escarpment stays usable through the summer, while the northern ranges get genuinely cold and occasionally snow in winter. Asir inverts the national season. The escarpment above Abha sits high enough that summer is mild, and the summer mist and rain that roll up it are the reason people come — the domestic peak season here is the months that are impossible everywhere else.
How long do I need at Jabal Sawda?
Half a day (guidance for this category).
How high is Jabal Sawda?
About 2985 m above sea level (source: osm).
Where is Jabal Sawda?
In Asir & Abha (SA-14), Saudi Arabia, at 18.2656, 42.3676 — near Arabian Desert, Sarawat Mountains and The 1 km of hiking trail.
Who can take you there
All operators →Licensed local operators who run trips of this kind in this region. Contact them directly — we take no commission on an enquiry.
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Nearby places
More in Asir & Abha →
Arabian Desert
desert located in Western Asia
Sarawat Mountains
mountain range in Yemen and Saudi Arabia
Asir Mountains
mountain range
Asir National Park
Protected area in Saudi Arabia
Information is compiled from open data and editor checks; conditions, fees and access change — verify locally before you travel.