Al-Tenhat and Wadi Ash Shawki

Following our trip from the Summan desert (see below), we arrived at Rowdat Al-Tenhat which is a large park-like area covered with lush green plants. It is a popular picnic spot for campers and was very crowded at the time we were there .. almost like an amusement park.

We stopped to take some pictures while my cousin AbuTalal collected some flowers of which he will later make herbal tea. We then continued to Wadi Ash Shawki and spent the night on its bank. Dinner was served around the camp fire at around 9:30 p.m. We woke up before sunset and prepared our breakfast .. Arabic coffee and dates. Herbal tea was prepared by AbuTalal from the flowers he collected earlier.

At around 8:30 we drove along the wadi. Ash Shawki is one of the main wadis that flows in the Tenhat at the base of the Dhana dunes. The trip was unforgettable as we pass by hundreds of sheep and camels grazing through the fertile valley. Occasionally we make stops to examine the landscape or check out some exotic plant. AbuTalal was keen to locate naturally grown mushroom or faga, known to grow sporadically after the rainy season but cousin Hamad and I were eager to locate good hiding place for a cache. Unlike him, we found what we were looking for (GC113B1).

Our drive along the wadi took us on a westerly direction before heading south to Roawdat Nourah (GC10ZWM) which we reached around noon time. I was concerned about our car fuel but my cousin who knew the area well kept assuring me we will be able to make it and sure we did. We arrived at Riyadh around 2 p.m. making this trip the longest we had so far.