Tareq Mohammed, A Specialist In Cave Tourism From Madinah, Is Opening The Door To A New World Of Geotourism In Saudi Arabia
Tareq Mohammed, a tourist guide who specializes in the Kingdom’s caves and their geological structures for foreign and Saudi tourists, has just discovered a hidden Saudi geotourism gem. Do we actually understand what geotourism is though? The first things that come to mind are beaches, forests, deserts and so on. According to Tareq Mohammed, “Saudi Arabia is also full of monuments and caves.”
Geotourism is starting to revive in the Kingdom, and travelers from all over are discovering that caves are a safe and enjoyable source of adventure. Don’t you think so too? Adventure is all about exploring and discovering some of the unknown after all. According to Tareq Mohammed, caves in Saudi Arabia are divided into five basic types according to their geological division: Ice caves, which are formed in ice within cold regions; marine caves formed by waves, oceans or rivers flowing into large rocks or mountains, creating large cavities over thousands of years; basaltic caves, also known as volcanic caves; limestone caves; and finally, sand caves, which form inside sandy mountains. Here’s an interesting fact regarding limestone caves, which are formed below the Earth’s surface. Over millions of years, acidic groundwater or underground rivers, eat away the limestone, leaving cavities that grow over time.
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Via Arab News
History of the cave
The cave, a long tunnel formed by volcanic lava, was formed when the surface of the volcanic lava began to freeze, with the lava below ground remaining as a liquid due to the high temperatures.
“The lava continues to flow until it reaches the end of the tube. The dimensions of the cave vary between 4-12 meters in width and 1.5-12 meters in length,” Mohammed said. The Maker Al-Shaiheen cave is located in the west of the Kingdom in Harrat Khaybar, Madinah region.
Caves have their own unique beauty regarding their formations and shapes. The cave tourism specialist also mentioned that cave tourism is available throughout the year, since cave temperatures are consistent between 24-26 degrees Celsius. This applies whether it be in the morning, evening, winter or summer. Let’s go and visit!
