Shaharah

Introducing Shaharah

Fortified mountain villages are two-a-penny in Yemen, but Shaharah is the pick of the crop. Incredibly inaccessible, Shaharah has been a thorn in the side of any invading army and a bolthole for retreating imams for centuries. It wasn’t until the civil war of the ’60s that the village was finally conquered through the use of air power. In addition to its defensive fame the village has a long tradition of learning (dating back to the time of the Zaydi dynasty in the 9th century). Its scholars were known throughout south Arabia.

The village lies at 2600m and overlooks mountainous bulging swells to the south and shimmering hot plains to the north. The climb up from these plains to the village takes you through some of the most jaw-dropping scenery in the country. In addition the adventure of getting to Shaharah is half the fun of a trip there.

Most tour operators recommend a stay of just one night. In some ways this makes good sense – aside from admiring the views and walking a little way back down the mountain, there is nothing much to do. However, on the flip side, getting to Shaharah is such a mission (it’s six hours minimum from San’a) that when you arrive it’s getting dark. You then leave at first light, which doesn’t really allow time to appreciate the place. Unfortunately, there is nowhere safe to stay between Amran and Sa’da (drivers of tourist cars don’t even like to halt for a photo along some sections of the road), so breaking your journey is also not possible.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009