For intrepid travelers, the challenging terrain and mystical beauty of Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter beckon

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The vast, empty, undulating sand dunes of the Rub Al-Khali desert, the so-called Empty Quarter in the east of Saudi Arabia. (Shutterstock)
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Franch biker Romain Dumontier competes during Stage 12 of the Dakar 2023 between Empty Quarter Marathon and Shaybah, in Saudi Arabia. (AFP)
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Updated 12 May 2023
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For intrepid travelers, the challenging terrain and mystical beauty of Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter beckon

  • The Empty Quarter occupies an area of 650,000 sq km spread across Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE and Yemen
  • Modern-day adventurers have crossed the Empty Quarter on camels in an effort to preserve Saudi traditions

RIYADH: Known for its mystical beauty and seemingly endless horizons, the Empty Quarter, or Rub Al-Khali as it is translated in Arabic, has long been one of the great subjects of curiosity for the world’s most daring explorers.

The largest segment of the world’s biggest sand desert, which encompasses much of the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula, is located in Saudi Arabia, stretching to the south and east into Oman, the UAE and Yemen.

Throughout history men and women have been lured by the beauty of the Empty Quarter’s undulating dunes, punctuated by patches of lush vegetation and palms. However, it was not until the early 20th century that the first recorded voyages across this beautiful yet dangerously vast landscape were first published.

The Empty Quarter occupies a special place in the Saudi consciousness. It was in this vast desert that King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia’s founder and first monarch, made camp before capturing Riyadh from the rival Al-Rashid family in 1902, thereby establishing supremacy over the Najd region of central Arabia.




A team led by Omani-based British explorer Mark Evans trekked across the world’s largest sand desert in 2016. (AFP)

In 1930, Omani Sheikh Saleh bin Khalut and English explorer Bertram Thomas made the first recorded crossing of the Rub Al-Khali. Then, about two years later, the great English explorer Harry St. John Philby crossed the Empty Quarter on camelback.

For 20 years he dreamed of the crossing. He described it to his wife Dora as “this beastly obsession which has so completely sidetracked me for the best years of my life.”

He recorded his journey with precision, noting not only the natural landscape and its geology but also the moments of physical and mental struggle that it took to cross this seemingly infinite terrain, which covers 650,000 sq km, an area roughly the size of France.

Philby popularized the name “Empty Quarter,” claiming this was the term used by the Bedouin who dwelled there, owing to its vast, largely empty terrain, devoid of human settlements besides the shelters of the roaming Bedouin tribes, who still inhabit the region today.

To this day, it is believed that entering this desert without a guide is akin to suicide.

The Rub Al-Khali is characterized by a scarcity of water resources, a maze of sand dunes where it is easy to lose one’s way, and extreme heat. As one local saying goes: “One who can exit it, must be born again, while those inside, remain missing.”

The ancients once believed the Empty Quarter held a lost city — Ubar — one that Philby set out to uncover. It is said to be buried in the sand, having been destroyed by a natural disaster or, as legend has it, by God, for its occupants’ wickedness.

T.E. Lawrence, the British army officer and writer renowned for his role in the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I, called Ubar the “Atlantis of the Sands” — a city, he wrote, “of immeasurable wealth, destroyed by God for arrogance, swallowed forever in the sands of the Rub Al-Khali desert.”




Saudi Riyadh-based Hattan Baraqan‘s Empty Quarter journey in 2019 organized by the Camel Club of Saudi Arabia. (Supplied)

Both Philby and Thomas came to believe the city was nothing more than a myth. Unconvinced, however, British adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes co-led an expedition to find the lost city in 1991. Although the team uncovered evidence of a settlement in the vast waste, experts remain divided to this day over whether this was indeed the lost city of legend.

Now, as the Kingdom continues to open to the outside world, more excursions are taking place, guiding both Saudis and foreign travelers through this still largely unknown and challenging terrain.

While the Saudi Tourism Authority does not currently offer excursions to the area, a spokesperson told Arab News: “From historical mountain ranges to pristine beaches, Saudi has some of the most diverse landscapes, but perhaps none more iconic than its deserts.

“As one of the world’s largest deserts, it’s advised that the Empty Quarter is best visited with certified tour guides.”

However, for many locals who grew up on the edges of this forbidding expanse, the Empty Quarter is a place of tranquility.

“I miss the calmness and silence of the desert,” Mubarak Al-Hussain, from Sharurah, a town in Saudi Arabia’s Najran Province close to the Yemeni border, told Arab News.




US biker Jacb Argubright during the Stage 11 of the Dakar 2023, between Shaybah and Empty Quarter Marathon, in Saudi Arabia. (AFP)

“Every weekend my friends and family go to the desert.”

Al-Hussain, now based in Riyadh, where he works as the head of training at Arabius, one of the Kingdom’s premiere language and culture agencies, remembers fondly his hometown and the allure of the Rub’ Al-Khali.

He described how people from his town would go into the desert during the winter to find wood following a rain shower — an extremely rare occurrence. The trip would be arduous and dangerous and the wood would be heavy, adding extra weight to the car, making it more likely that they would become stuck in the sand.

Despite the challenges of the Rub Al-Khali, Al-Hussain speaks with passion about the beauty of his hometown and the spiritual richness of the desert. Indeed, the Empty Quarter has cast its spell on many.

In 2019, before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, an excursion led by the Saudi Camel Club took a group of men and women from various countries, including Australia, Germany, Japan and Colombia, and from across Saudi Arabia, on a journey across the Empty Quarter on camel back.

The club, established in 2017 by King Salman following the launch of the Kingdom’s social reform and economic diversification agenda, Vision 2030, is committed to preserving camel-riding as part of Saudi Arabia’s distinctive heritage.




Saudi Riyadh-based Hattan Baraqan‘s Empty Quarter journey in 2019 organized by the Camel Club of Saudi Arabia. (Supplied)

Crossing the Empty Quarter was one of the club’s initiatives — one that emulated traditional Bedouin culture while taking part in an endurance excursion through one of the most beautiful and mysterious natural wonders of the Kingdom.

Riyadh-based Saudi national Hattan Baraqan was among them. “I am an adventurous person and had always wanted to visit the Empty Quarter,” he told Arab News.

The group began its voyage in the southernmost part of the country — an area Baraqan had never been to before. Along with 80 others, he embarked on a crossing of the Empty Quarter that lasted 26 days.

“We went through a lot,” he said. “It was really, really extreme — more than we expected. I think it was also more than the organizers expected.”

The caravan finished with 67 riders, with 13 dropping out due to injuries and exhaustion.

“At times it was too hot during the day and at other times there were too many sandstorms,” Baraqan said. “At night and during the morning it was very cold. We would ride for eight or nine hours on a camel each day.”

It was during this journey that Baraqan came to appreciate the character and resilience of the camel. “A camel is a master of him or herself,” he said. “They are also very smart.”




US biker Howes Kyler (L) and French biker Adrien Van Beveren compete during the Stage 11 of the Dakar 2023, between Shaybah and Empty Quarter Marathon, in Saudi Arabia. (AFP)

At one point, Baraqan says that the group was very low in resources, especially food and water. “We had no technology, no distractions, just ourselves and the desert and the camels,” he said. “It was really tough, but never in my life have I breathed such clean air.

“It was a trip that allowed us to reflect on how human beings lived long ago. We gained a lot of wisdom and began to appreciate small things. We were surprised one morning to wake up and see butterflies.”

The journey through Rub Al-Khali, as Baraqan recounts, was filled with enriching moments of discovery. Once the group met a shepherd who lived in isolation. Other times they uncovered areas filled with greenery, wells and animals.

“It was more beautiful than I could have imagined,” he said. “It is a very peaceful place. The Empty Quarter is not empty at all. It is full of faith.”

Decoder

The Empty Quarter

Translated in Arabic as Rub Al-Khali, the Empty Quarter in Saudi Arabia is the world’s biggest sand desert encompassing the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula. The ancients once believed it held a lost city called Ubar, buried in the sand, having been destroyed by a natural disaster. As the Kingdom continues to open to the outside world, more excursions are taking place, guiding both Saudis and foreign travelers through this still largely unknown and challenging terrain.


Saudi Joint Forces Commander meets with UN envoy for Yemen

Updated 13 November 2024
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Saudi Joint Forces Commander meets with UN envoy for Yemen

  • During their meeting, both parties underscored the Kingdom’s significant role in facilitating and supporting humanitarian efforts in Yemen

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Commander of the Joint Forces, Lt. Gen. Fahd bin Hamad Al-Salman, met on Tuesday with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg.

During their meeting, both parties underscored the Kingdom’s significant role in facilitating and supporting humanitarian efforts, along with its dedication to the development and reconstruction of Yemen, Saudi Press Agency reported.

They discussed Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to enhance humanitarian operations and promote peace and stability in Yemen.

Al-Salman reiterated the Kingdom’s commitment to political initiatives aimed at achieving a comprehensive and just resolution to the Yemeni crisis.


Officials discuss Saudi-South Korean cooperation in nuclear power and defense

Updated 12 November 2024
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Officials discuss Saudi-South Korean cooperation in nuclear power and defense

  • First Korea-Gulf Cooperation Council cooperation seminar hosted around 80 participants to discuss trade relations, cooperation in the energy sector, and regional conflicts
  • Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Choi Byung-hyuk said that the seminar was an opportune space to discuss economic cooperation and to come to a shared understanding of regional conflicts

RIYADH: Officials and nuclear experts discussed cooperation in nuclear energy and defense between South Korea and Saudi Arabia during an event in Riyadh on Tuesday.

The first Korea-Gulf Cooperation Council cooperation seminar hosted around 80 participants to discuss trade relations, cooperation in the energy sector, and regional conflicts in the Middle East.

South Korea’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Choi Byung-hyuk, said the seminar was an opportune space to discuss economic cooperation and to come to a shared understanding of regional conflicts in the GCC, specifically Gaza and the Red Sea, as well as a space to diversify energy cooperation in the nuclear and renewables sectors.

Kang Han-ok, vice president for SMART development at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, presented a joint research project currently underway between South Korea and Saudi Arabia on small modular reactors.

“SMRs are being highlighted as carbon-zero energy sources that complement the intermittent nature of renewable energy in the global power supply sector,” Kang said.

He noted how the SMART100 SMR, jointly designed by Saudi and South Korean entities, was approved by Seoul’s nuclear regulator in September.

The reactor was jointly developed by KAERI, the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, and the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Corp.

Kang explained the reactor is now ready to be exported globally. “With its SDA acquaintance, SMART is now ready for global deployment in the demand of the power and thermal energy sectors,” he said.

Kang also spoke about ways to increase nuclear power plant cooperation between South Korea and GCC member states, citing the plan to establish a joint nuclear research and development center between the Saudi National Atomic Energy Project and KAERI.

The chairman of the Gulf Research Center, Abdulaziz Sager, emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s ability to rely on South Korea as a strong ally and defense supplier encouraged a relationship of trust and long-term partnership in the Kingdom’s security planning.

The seminar comes almost one year after the signing of a free trade agreement between South Korea and the GCC, signed on Dec. 28, 2023.

At the time, South Korea committed to eliminate 89.9 percent of tariffs on all products while the GCC committed to eliminate 76.4 percent, facilitating increased trade between the two parties.

The Korea-GCC FTA was 20 years in the making. Discussions for the agreement began in 2008, but it is yet to be verified or ratified. Lee Kwon-hyung, senior research fellow from the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy, put forward recommendations on how to pave the way for the agreement and how to best utilize it once finalized, including establishing an artificial intelligence data center to transition towards a green energy economy relying on solar, wind, and nuclear power for electricity generation.

“The AI data center needs a lot of electricity, so an energy transition and a digital transition are very imperative, and with the AI Data Center we can make industrial restructuring in both countries,” Lee said.

Prof. In Nam-sik, director general for strategic region studies at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, evaluated the impact of geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East and East Asia on Korean-GCC relations, as well as the transformation of the US-led liberal international order.

On the war on Gaza, In said: “The situation threatens to shift the two-state solution toward an apartheid scenario, further destabilizing the region.”

On Iran, In continued: “Iran’s expanding influence through its regional proxy contributes to ongoing instability, with concerns that the current dynamics may accelerate Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“The transition in Iran’s leadership raises uncertainties, with hopes for a gradual regime change that might reduce Iran’s revolutionary stance.”

Commenting on US influence, In said: “As the US pivots its strategic focus to Asia, Gulf nations are adopting flexible diplomacy, leveraging both US and Chinese influence.”

In stated that the Middle Eastern and European fronts are already linked, and North Korean military support to Russia signals an increasing risk of interconnected conflicts across regions.

To combat these regional and international threats, In urged South Korea and the GCC to work together on security cooperation across information sharing and technology, joint maritime security exercises, and shared support for multilateral forums, in addition to continued political dialogue in the above mentioned areas.


Saudi cabinet reviews Arab-Muslim summit, reaffirms support for Palestine and Lebanon

Updated 12 November 2024
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Saudi cabinet reviews Arab-Muslim summit, reaffirms support for Palestine and Lebanon

  • Central to the session was a review of the extraordinary Arab and Islamic summit held in Riyadh on Monday

RIYADH: The Saudi cabinet, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, convened in Riyadh on Tuesday to discuss outcomes from recent high-level summits and meetings.

Central to the session was a review of the extraordinary Arab and Islamic summit held in Riyadh on Monday and the crown prince’s engagements with leaders from various countries.

The cabinet praised the summit’s outcomes and welcomed its signing of the Tripartite Mechanism Document to Support Palestine, a joint initiative by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the League of Arab States, and the African Union Commission.

The cabinet reiterated the Kingdom’s support for the Palestinian and Lebanese people as they face the severe humanitarian effects of the ongoing Israeli military action. It called on countries around the world to join an international coalition advocating for the two-state solution — a plan initiated this year by the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee, led by Saudi Arabia, in partnership with the European Union and Norway.

During the session, the crown prince briefed the cabinet on his recent discussions with President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and a phone conversation with US President-elect Donald Trump.

The minister of media announced that the cabinet expressed its appreciation for the Kingdom’s Arab Week at UNESCO initiative, hosted at UN headquarters in Paris, for enhancing cultural dialogue and promoting understanding among diverse communities.

On domestic matters, council members commended the reception of the Saudi medical team that accomplished the world’s first complete robotic heart transplant. 

It also celebrated the success of the Beban 24 Forum’s 10th edition in Riyadh, which produced agreements and initiatives exceeding SR35.4 billion ($9.42 billion) aimed at bolstering entrepreneurship and enhancing the contribution of small and medium enterprises to the national gross domestic product.


Indian film icons Bobby Deol, Suriya hail Riyadh visit

Updated 12 November 2024
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Indian film icons Bobby Deol, Suriya hail Riyadh visit

  • The duo are in the Kingdom’s capital to promote epic saga ‘Kanguva,’ in theaters on Nov. 14

RIYADH: Bollywood icon Bobby Deol and Tamil cinema veteran Suriya spent time with fans and members of the press to promote their new film “Kanguva” in Riyadh.

They are among the latest international stars to visit the Kingdom’s capital and interact with local fans of their work.

“Kanguva” is an epic fantasy action film directed by Siva, starring Suriya, Deol, and Disha Patani, which hits the Kingdom’s theaters on Nov. 14.

Over the past few weeks, Suriya and Deol have been promoting “Kanguva” across India and abroad. (Supplied)

Speaking to fans at an event in Riyadh this week, Deol expressed his appreciation for fans in Saudi Arabia. “Today I am here with all of you, and so many of you. I am happy to be here among you all. I love you, Suriya loves you, we all love you for so much of your love and compassion,” he said.

Speaking about his first visit to Riyadh, Deol added: “I feel so happy that our people live here and are liked by the host country. I am glad to see you all. It’s your energy, it’s your love that gives us strength, and whatever we are today, it’s because of your love.

“So, thank you so much for having us here today.”

HIGHLIGHT

Bobby Deol and Suriya are among the latest international stars to visit the Kingdom’s capital to promote their film.

Suriya is in Riyadh for the first time for the film’s promotion.

The style icon told Arab News: “I am happy to be among our people living here and to see a lot of transformation going on in the Kingdom, including in the cinema sector, thanks to Vision 2030 — the ambitious plan to transform Saudi Arabia, diversify its economy and open to the world.

Deol said he is geared up for the release of “Kanguva,” his first multilingual work in both Tamil and Hindi. (AN photo by Rashid Hassan)

“It aims to create an ambitious nation, a thriving economy, and a vibrant society that allows citizens and residents to achieve their dreams, hopes and aspirations, I am happy to see the transformation,” the actor added.

Suriya and Deol also spoke about sharing the screen in “Kanguva,” admiring each other’s roles and working together.

Deol said he is geared up for the release of “Kanguva,” his first multilingual work in both Tamil and Hindi. He shared his admiration for Suriya, highlighting the powerful presence the actor brings on the screen.

Over the past few weeks, Suriya and Deol have been promoting “Kanguva” across India and abroad.

With Suriya in a double role and Deol as a dangerous villain, the film was made with a budget of over $35million and is one of the most anticipated Indian films of the year.

The film also features Patani as a character connected to both a historical and contemporary timeline. Primarily known for her glamorous roles, action-packed sequences and songs, this role portrays her in a fresh look.

 


Speaker of Shoura Council leads Saudi delegation at GCC Shoura meeting in Abu Dhabi

Updated 12 November 2024
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Speaker of Shoura Council leads Saudi delegation at GCC Shoura meeting in Abu Dhabi

  • Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Al-Budaiwi emphasized the prominent regional and international standing of the GCC across political, economic, commercial, and information technology levels, the council said in a report

RIYADH: Saudi Shoura Council Speaker Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al-Sheikh headed the Kingdom’s delegation at the 18th periodic meeting of the Speakers of the Shoura Councils, Houses of Representatives, and National Assemblies of the Gulf Cooperation Council states in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Al-Budaiwi emphasized the prominent regional and international standing of the GCC across political, economic, commercial, and information technology levels, the council said in a report.

The Kingdom’s delegation included Secretary-General of the Shoura Council Mohammed Dakhil Al-Mutiri and members of the Shoura Council Fadel bin Saad Al-Buainain and Dr. Arwa bint Obaid Al-Rashid, among others.