Tour 4: Western Yemen
This round trip explores three strips of land running north-south, in
the west of the country: in the interior, the fertile hills south of
Sana'a to Taiz, with temperate climate; the neighbouring 50km-wide hot
and humid Tihama region (the "Africa of Yemen"); and the Red Sea coast,
with its lovely solitary beaches, ideal for swimming and diving.
This
route also offers visits to important sites of cultural history – such
as the mountain towns in the north (Shibam/Kaukaban, Thula, Mahwit and
Al-Tawilah), in the Tihama (Zabid) and in the cities of Sana'a and
Taiz, but the focus of the 12 days is on experiencing the natural
landscape, on walking tours, bathing, swimming and, for those who wish,
also diving.
1. Day | Arrival Sana'a
Walk around the old town and the souq. Overnight stay in a hotel in the old quarter.
2. Day | Sana’a – Kaukaban – Shibam – Thula – Kaukaban
We drive north-west from Sana'a into the mountains and visit three
Himyarite 7th/8th-century towns – Shibam/Kaukaban und Thula. Kaukaban
lies on a rocky ridge high above Shibam, and offers a wide view over
the fertile land. Thula, which flourished in the 15th century, is a
fortified town high in the mountains built against a rock formation
(remains of a Himyarite fort). Rocks jut out from the alleys in the old
town and between the 25 mosques, two of which are amongst the oldest in
the whole country.
On our way through the steep alleyways to the
artisans' souq in the main square, we pass well-preserved town gates, a
recently restored water reservoir and impressive stone façades. Many of
the houses were originally Jewish, and bear the Star of David as well
as round windows above the doors, giving the houses individual "faces".
We continue on our way to Kaukaban, where we spend the night in a
former palace, now a funduq (lodging-house).
3. Day | Kaukaban - At Tawilah – Mahwit – Wadi Surdud
We begin the day by descending a steep but walkable path to Shibam,
which has one of the oldest mosques and a town gate with fragments of
Sabaean sculpture. The mountain road leading south of the Wadi Surdud
through the Haraz mountains passes through fertile terraces at an
altitude of over 2,000 metres. We arrive in the small town of
Al-Tawilah (2,600 m), built on and against a strange brown rock mass
and crowned by a fort dating back to Ottoman times.
The town is built
of the brown stone, and has a small arcaded souq. In the cliff are
traces of caves, indicating early settlement. From here it is only a
short drive to Mahwit, where prehistoric mummies were discovered in
nearby caves. Similarly to that of Al-Tawilah, the old town is built
against a cliff – ideal for a stroll through steep lanes, staircases
and arcades.
We set off into the Wadi Surdud, a fairly densely
populated, fertile valley – one of the longest in Yemen – leading from
the Manakha region to the Red Sea, with pink-blossoming paw-paw trees
on its slopes. We meet farmers at the wells, and pass through small
villages with fruit and grain plantations, donkeys and many children.
Overnight camp in the Wadi Surdud.
4. Day | Mahwit - Al-Hudaydah – Al-Salif – isle Kameran
A morning start. We drive west from Mahwit over a long mountain road
down to the Tihama, a plain with an incomparable landscape between
mountains and coast. The climate here is hot and humid all year, with
temperatures sometimes over 40°C during the summer months – reminiscent
of Africa also in the building style with round huts. The border
between the two continents runs here, through the Red Sea. We turn
north before Hudaydah, drive along the coast, with its bays and dunes
overgrown with holly. Our destination is Al-Salif, where we leave the
car and continue with our baggage by boat (45 minutes) to the island of
Kameran.
(For the two days in Kameran, including crossing, an
excursion by boat into the mangrove forests, and full board with
excellent cuisine, there is an additional charge of 150 euros per
person.)
5. Day | Isle of Kameran
Kameran has charming and also strange aspects, which we will explore on
an excursion by boat and a drive round the island. The two-hour boat
trip takes us into bays where exotic birds nest in the tops of the
densely-growing mangroves. There is time to bathe at leisure in the
calm, clear water.
We drive in the pick-up over deserted tracks,
through impoverished villages and past fine mosques to the capital town
of Kameran, where we visit the remains of an Ottoman fort with a secret
passage to the town. There are charming fishing villages and souqs
where exotic Red Sea fish are sold.
6. Day | Isle of Kameran - Al-Hudaydah
After a last morning swim, we cross by boat to Al-Salif and drive
through the sparse holly vegetation south along the coast to
Al-Hudaydah on the Red Sea, the second-largest town in Yemen. As in
many other towns, recent years have seen a building boom, due to the
rapid growth in population and migration into the towns. There is a
splendid old palace to visit. Whizzing around in the busy traffic are
moped-taxis, with the passenger riding pillion. We drive to the
harbour, where the colourful Red Sea dhows lie at anchor and the
fishermen sell their catch in the fish souq. This includes many kinds
of shark, mostly without fins, since these are immediately cut off,
deep-frozen and dispatched to the Far East.
We spend the night in the busy, noisy town – the most multi-ethnic and multicultural in the whole of Yemen.
7. Day | Al-Hudaydah – Al-Mokha – Taiz
We set off south wards in the morning along the road some 10 km from
the coast, and drive via Beit Al-Faqih and Zabid (where we visit
ancient mosques and the site of one of the oldest and most important
universities in Arabia) to Al-Mokha, the former coffee harbour from
which mocha takes its name. The town is now a sad place, for the former
splendour of the trading-houses can only be guessed at from ruins. The
town has sunk almost completely into the sand, and only a few fishermen
still work here. The well-preserved mosque stands apart in the sand.
We drive a short way back and turn east towards the mountains to Taiz, where we spend the night.
8. Day | Taiz
In Taiz, the third-largest town in Yemen, we visit the Al-Ashrafiah
mosque, which stands on ancient, recently discovered foundations and
has a sophisticated ablution fountain for ritual washing.
We look
around the curious museum, which has an incredible collection taken
from a wealthy colonial house of the 1930s. Excursion half-way up the
Jabel Saber, with a view over the town. We visit the souq and spend the
night in a hotel in the centre of town.
9. Day | Taiz – Aden
We leave in the morning for a three-hour drive to Aden and round the ancient quarters of Krater (with its historic water reservoir), Mualla and Al-Tawilah. Brief stop at Steamers Point, where the passengers from the big steamships used to check in during the British colonial period. Overnight stay in Aden.
10. Day | Aden – Dhamar – Sana’a
We take the east route for some six hours through the "green Yemen" and via Dhamar back to Sana'a. Dhamar was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1982, but we can walk through the well-preserved old part of the town. From this central junction, roads and tracks lead out into various regions of the country. Overnight stay in a hotel in the old quarter of Sana'a.
11. Tag | Sana’a – Manakha - Al-Hajjarah - Al-Hotaib – Sana’a
Day trip to the mountain region of Haraz, to the south of the Wadi
Surdud. After 30 km, we pass the Jabal Nabi Shuayb, at 3,660 metres the
highest mountain in Yemen. A well-surfaced road winds to the town of
Manakha, which lies in a cultivated terraced landscape at an altitude
of 2,250 metres in a particularly impressive region of the Haraz
mountains.
An hour's walk takes us from Manakha to the fortified
village of Hajjarah, accessible only by a single gate and spectacularly
framed by the mountains. Below Hajjarah lies Al-Hotaib, a place of
pilgrimage for the Ishmaelite Bohra sect, which has its largest
following in India. On the 16th day of the first month of the Islamic
year, many pilgrims gather here. Return to Sana'a in the evening;
overnight stay in the hotel.
12. Day | Sana’a – Old Town – departure
A last walk through the old quarter. In the oldest souq in Arabia, you
can buy presents typical of the region – frankincense and myrrh, a
wonderful selection of spices and beauty products, all kinds of
raisins, old silver and coral jewellery, or a djambia (traditional
curved knife).
Transfer to the airport.