Saudi hikers in quest for adventure ... and leopards

Saudi hiking enthusiasts recently conducted an expedition to the Ibrahim Mountain, which is part of Sarawat Mountains, in the southwest of the Kingdom. Located in the Bani Malik area, the mountain is 167 km south of Taif.
Ibrahim Mountain is one of the highest in the Kingdom with a height of 5,000 meters above sea level and is distinguished for its eye-catching natural scenes. It is one of the touristic centers in the south.
Hiking is an outdoor activity that consists of walking in natural environments and often in mountainous or other scenic terrain, said Ahmed Al-Malki, the team’s tour guide.
“The main objective of our trip was to find out Arabian leopards in the area after reports that people had heard their voice and seen their footmarks,” he said.
Camping in such attractive places to enjoy the climate and take photos was another objective, Al-Malki said.
He highlighted hiking’s health benefits, saying it has been confirmed by studies. Some health benefits of hiking include losing excess weight, decreasing hypertension, and improving mental health, he pointed out.
He said hiking required good preparations including arrangement of camping materials and precautionary measures against wild animals. “We have to set out our journey very early to reach the targeted place and leave before night,” he said.
The participants were excited and expressed their happiness for getting an opportunity to discover one of the best tourist centers in the southern Kingdom.
“We are planning to conduct hiking expeditions to a number of Gulf countries including Oman,” Al-Malki said. Internally, we want to visit Harrat Khaiber, north of Madinah that has the largest volcano in the Kingdom, he added.