Saudi Arabia is renowned for its red sand dunes, a stunning terrain unique to the region that allows for a whole lot of adventures, from dune bashing to sand boarding. The Kingdom is also known, albeit less, for having a greener side and one of its must-see locations is the famous King’s Forest, or Rawdat Khuraim, a green oasis in the middle of the desert.
According to the blog BlueAbaya.com, Rawdat Khuraim is a beautiful expanse of wildlife about 100 kilometers north of Riyadh. It is also known as the King’s Forest mainly because King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz has a private farm there where he usually goes for a spring retreat.
When he was still Crown Prince, King Abdullah inaugurated the Rawdat Khuraim wildlife park back in 2005. Today, 13 years later, the forest is now home to a diversity of flora and fauna, serves as a sanctuary for various rare species such as gazelles, and is a haven for ornithologists. The location is divided into two sections: one area that is accessible to public and the other, the wildlife park, with restricted entry in order to preserve the nature and wildlife.
The best time to visit is spring, as in the summertime vegetation becomes sparse due to the scorching heat. Its peak season sees the park blossom with flowers, trees, bushes, flowers and other vegetation. It is said that there is an estimated 132 species of wild plants and 42 species of animals present in Rawdat Khuraim.
The sand dunes of Ad-Dahna desert – known as a corridor of sandy terrain forming a bow-like shape that connects an-Nafud desert in the north of the Kingdom to Rub' al-Khali desert in the south – can be seen from the park and a number of valleys are also close such as Wadi Khuwaish and Watheelan, which are easily accessible and are worth visiting if your time allows.
