Al Elb Dam is a coveted wetland area within the city that offers miles of date-palm-lined walkways and shaded picnic spots. Visitors can stroll across the top of the dam and see fish, herons and egrets. Peaceful and clean, Al Elb Dam is a sanctuary for wildlife and locals alike. Visits are recommended after a recent rainfall or during the winter months, when the dam’s water levels are highest.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Riyadh attractions

1. Addiriyah Park

3.92 MILES

Addiriyah Park is a favourite oasis in Riyadh, and its verdant terraced seating areas offer stunning views of Al Turaif, a historic district of Al…

2. Antiquities Museum

6.86 MILES

This museum is home to objects found during the Faw and Rabdha excavations (sites in the south and north of Saudi Arabia) by King Saud University in the…

3. Sky Bridge

10.15 MILES

Not for the faint-hearted or sufferers of vertigo, here high-speed lifts fly you at 180km/h to the 99th-floor Sky Bridge, inside the Kingdom Centre. The…

4. Kingdom Centre

10.15 MILES

Riyadh’s landmark tower, rising 302m high, is a stunning piece of modern architecture – it’s particularly conspicuous at night, when the upper sweep is…

5. Globe Experience

11.41 MILES

The Globe Experience is a spectacular viewing platform inside an enormous glass ball that's 24m in diameter, made of 655 glass panels and suspended just…

6. World Sights Park

12.99 MILES

Get a tour of the world at this small and strange spectacle that holds miniature replicas of world landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal…

7. National Museum

14.43 MILES

This state-of-the-art museum is one of the finest in the Middle East. Encased within modernist architecture, its two floors contain eight well-designed…

8. Riyadh Water Tower

14.58 MILES

Until the year 2000, when the Al Faisaliah Tower was built, this was Riyadh's tallest landmark. It remains prominent today, and you can climb to the top…