Where to Climb in Saudi Arabia
Where to Climb Outdoors
I’m only going to write about the places I have seen or been to first hand, but there could be A LOT out there. Outdoor climbing in Saudi is still being developed. There are a few bolted crags here and there, a couple of world class crags, and a few places with established trad routes, but a lot of rock is still undeveloped and undiscovered. There is massive potential for development. Until recently the vast majority of the development has been done by groups of expats who took it upon themselves to go out and find places to climb. That being said, the Saudi Climbing Federation has begun developing several locations around the country, with two crags finished, and more coming soon.
Where to Climb Indoors
There are a few private indoor facilities throughout the Kingdom, but none of them would appreciate me writing about them online. The best I can do is say that, as with everything else, connections are key in Saudi Arabia. Your best bet for climbing indoors is to find someone who knows where, and beg them to take you. That being said, I’m vaguely aware of at least couple of walls in Jeddah, a couple in Riyadh, and I’ve heard rumors of something in the Dammam area. I’ve also heard rumors that there could be public walls going up in the next couple of years. Time will tell for that, but climbing and outdoor pursuits in general are rapidly gaining popularity, so maybe something will happen sooner rather than later.