Riyadh, January (پاکستان پوائنٹ نیوز 21 كانون الثاني 2025ء) This annual season, highly popular among both domestic and international tourists, provides a splendid opportunity to explore the renowned Al Urumah Mountain Range, extending over 700 kilometers from Umm Al-Jamajim in the north to Al-Bayadh in the south. The range is renowned for its rich natural resources, botanical diversity, and ancient cultural heritage. It stands as a symbol of natural beauty, boasting a variety of terrains including valleys, mountains, and plains.
Running until April each year, Al Urumah Season coincides with cooler temperatures and the rainy season, which rejuvenates vegetation and creates an ideal setting for wilderness excursions and outdoor adventures. Visitors can enjoy a range of distinctive activities such as hiking, stargazing, camel riding, and cycling, all set against a serene backdrop that seamlessly blends desert tranquility with diverse landscapes.
The Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority has devoted considerable attention to Al Urumah Season, establishing over 300 eco-friendly camping units built to sustainability standards to protect and safeguard the environment. The season embodies the balance and sustainability of nature, reinforcing the region's standing as a premier ecotourism destination in the Kingdom. Furthermore, Al Urumah Season plays a crucial role in boosting the local economy by generating employment opportunities, promoting local industries, and enhancing community income through the reinforcement of cultural identity and the encouragement of environmentally friendly infrastructure investments.
Strategically, the authority is committed to supporting sustainable ecotourism and providing visitors with a rich educational experience by certifying specialized environmental tour guides for the trails of the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve and King Khalid Royal Reserve. These guides, consisting of authority personnel, tourism service providers, and community members, undergo training focused on the principles and objectives of ecotourism, tour plan development, and emergency response. They also gain comprehensive knowledge of the local environment's geography, history, and biology to offer visitors accurate and thorough information.
Moreover, these educational programs enhance environmental awareness among guides, empowering them to serve as vital links between visitors and nature, while ensuring a lasting educational tourism experience. Seventy trainees have been equipped through these initiatives, with 44 earning environmental tourism guide certifications, thereby enriching the local workforce and fostering a new generation of environmental guides.
To further promote environmental awareness, the authority has developed a responsible hiking guide that encourages visitors to enjoy ecotourism activities and natural settings while minimizing their impact. The guide emphasizes key practices such as using designated paths, adhering to speed limits, safely lighting fires in prescribed areas, protecting vegetation, and ensuring that all hiking sites remain pristine after visits.