Wahba Crater

WHABA CRATER TWO DAY TRIP

    AN EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE VOLCANIC CRATER, THIS TRIP TAKES YOU FROM THE COASTAL
    PLAINS – TAHAMA- UP INTO THE HIGHLANDS – HIJAZ. ALSO YOU WILL SEE THE RUINS OF THE
   “OKAZ MARKET – LAST USED ABOUT 1300 YEARS AGOI
•         WHABA CRATER LIES NORTH EAST TOWARDS RIYAHD, YOU WILL PASS THROUGH PART OF THE CITY OF TAIF, THE CRATER HAS NATURAL SALT AT THE BOTTOM AND A SPRING HALF WAY DOWN THE TRAIL. THERE IS ALSO A DATE PALM GROVE THERE.
•         AN IMPRESSIVE NIGHT SKY AND CAMP OUT IN THE OLD LAVA FLOWS.
•         OKAZ MARKET RUINS WAS LAST USED ABOUT 1300 YEARS AGO, IT WAS A MARKET FORMING PART OF A CIRCUIT OF MARKETS AROUND THE ARABIAN PENINSULAR. ALL KINDS OF ITEMS WERE TRADED, FROM THE FAR EAST, AS WELL AS INCENSE FROM YEMEN.
•         A POETRY AND STORY TELLING COMPETITION DIFFERNETIATED THIS MARKET FROM THE OTHERS. THE WINNER HAVING HIS POEM OR STORY SEWN IN GOLD THREAD ON CLOTH AND READ AT THE OTHER MARKETS.

The Wahba Crater is one of the most spectacular sights in Saudi Arabia.
How was Wahba Crater formed?There are two theories on how the Wahba 
Crate r was made. Most people believe the crater was made by volcanic 
activity in the form of an underground explosion, caused by the hot lava coming
into contact with underground water, this caused a massive explosion
leaving the crater. The second theory, which has no scientific 
foundation due to no evidence, there is no trace of Shocked Quartz or 
high levels of iridium, is that it was formed by a meteorite. The crater 
is a 1.3 km wide circle and the sides are 200 m high.

Why is the bottom white? 
There is an underground water source, which has a high salt content. 
The spring comes to the surface about half way down the east side. 
So the Wahba Crater bottom is covered in white sodium phosphate crystals.

Location
It is located in Saudi Arabia western part, 22°54'4"N 41°8'29"E

Climate
Temp max 44 c in summer (in shade), max 15 c in winter
Rain is very rare

Access

You need about 1 hour to go down and about 2 hour to climb back up.
You have to be reasonably psychically fit, and not push yourself beyong 
your capabilities, most folk can get up and down in their own time.
VERY IMPORTANT, don't forget to take lot of water, because you can 
dehydrate easily.

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Wahba Crater

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