Najran

Al-Okhdood first, then north to Hima

Najran takes two days: the ruined trading city of Al-Okhdood and the mud-brick tower houses and Al-Aan Palace along the wadi on the first, then the rock art of Hima, a long drive north with a guide, on the second. Read your government's travel advice before booking, as the Yemen border is close.

Plan both days around early starts. On the first morning, drive to Al-Okhdood, south-east of the centre, while the air is still cool. The site holds the stone foundations of the old trading city, laid out on a grid, with carved blocks, grinding stones and inscriptions scattered among them. It is easy to picture the incense caravans that once stopped here. Allow a couple of hours.

In the afternoon, follow the wadi past palm groves and farms to see the tall mud-brick tower houses, their upper storeys trimmed in white. Al-Aan Palace stands on a rise above the trees and is the classic view of Najran. Finish at the souq by the old fort as the shops reopen in the evening.

Give the second day to Hima, a long drive north, with a guide who knows the rock art sites. The carvings and inscriptions here were left by travellers on an ancient caravan route over thousands of years, and they cover cliffs and boulders across a wide area. Expect checkpoints and possibly a police escort, and bring water, food and sun protection, as services along the way are few.

Dates, honey and southern cooking

Najran's table is dates, honey and southern rice dishes. Dates from the palm groves of Wadi Najran come with coffee at every stop, jars of mountain honey sell around the souq, and mandi and haneeth are the meals to share in a group.

The palm groves that fill the wadi are the first thing you notice. Honey from the mountains and valleys of the south is the other prized product, sold in jars in shops around the souq; taste before buying, since grades vary widely.

Cooking here shares a great deal with Asir and with Yemen across the border. Mandi, rice cooked under meat that has been slow-roasted in a pit or sealed oven, and haneeth, tender roast lamb on rice, are the meals to share in a group.

Dining out is mostly in plain family restaurants along the highway. Lunch is the main meal, and portions are built for sharing. Evenings centre on the souq area around the old fort, where tea and snacks keep people out late once the heat lifts.