Saudi Arabia’s al-Namas: A combination of nature, beauty and history

Al-Namas is a governorate in Saudi Arabia’s Asir Province, about 120 kilometers north of the city of Abha. It is located on the Sarawat mountain range and is characterized by its waterfalls, valleys, mountains with dense green vegetation and forests.

Though the weather is not too hot nor cold during summer, dense fog covers the area, sometimes for months, especially during spring and winter.

The city is considered one of the most striking in terms of scenery and weather in the southern region, as Saudis like to call it “the city of fog”. It is a destination known for its long history of immigrant ancient Arab tribes, like al-Qahtaniyah, who settled in different regions of the Arabian Peninsula.

It is also part of the history of the struggle against the Turks before the First World War. Many martyrs from Namas died in battles with the Ottomans. The people of Namas were behind some of the many military achievements of the Ottoman Empire against the British colonial rule at the time. This aspect has been credited in several history books that cover the role of Arabs in the Ottoman and British conflict.

Namas is one of the oldest cities in the kingdom, inhibited by humans from almost 2,300 years ago following the destruction of the Maarib Dam in Yemen.