Asia

[Visited: May 2004, July 2021]

My first visit of Wadi Dawan started after a ride over the rocky plateau from the south from Al Mukallah. I had arranged for a fourwheeldrive with armed guide and driver, and we did not see any other vehicles on our way. It seemed we had the entire highlands to ourselves, until the road descended into Wadi Dawan. From above, we could see villages tucked away against the steep canyon walls. We continued driving north, until we reached Wadi Hadramaut, the bigger and more famous wadi of Yemen. Little did I know that it would take seventeen years before I would be back. After a visit of Shibam, we drive further west until we reach a junction where we turn left. The road straight would lead us to Sana'a, but for foreigners, the Yemeni capital is out of reach. Soon after we start to drive south, the wadi narrows.
Wadi Dawan is littered with villages, and the first one we see is Al Hajjarayn. Dramatically built on a rocky slope of Wadi Hajjarayn, its history goes back many centuries. It already existed in pre-Islamic times. We look at it from several lookout points, and I am trying to retrieve the images in my memory as I have passed this unique village on my first visit. We continue further south, past villages like Sif and Qaydun where Wadi Dawan proper begins. At a junction, we buy local honey, which is supposed to be the best of Yemen and is exported to Saudi Arabia where it is thought to have strong aphrodisiac qualities. We take the left fork, and continue our drive south, until the road climbs the eastern wall of the canyon. We stop several times to enjoy the views, and continue a little further up the road where we reach a resort. We leave our stuff there, have lunch and a break to be protected from the summer heat, before we descend into Wadi Dawan again. We see several more villages made of elegant and impressive mud houses, until we reach the end of the road and see the rocky outcrop on which the settlement of Hayd al Jazil rises high above us. We are back at the resort just in time to enjoy the sunset views of Wadi Dawan, which forks again a little further south. One day, I would love to travel (probably walk) down this wadi, as far as I could go.
We are up early the next day, and see the sun creep into the dark canyon, lighting up the earth colour village of Hayd al Jazil before it reaches the floor of Wadi Dawan. After breakfast and a short drive, we start our hike down from the plateau straight into the canyon through a crack in the mighty rocky walls. We soon reach viewpoints which enable us to appreciate the beauty of the mud house villages from above. When we reach the first houses, we greet the surprised villagers. We now take our chance to have a closer look at the mighty mud houses, many of which are painted in pastel colours. Our guide takes us to one of the mansions, so big it could be a palace. Once a hotel, it now stands empty. We see finely carved wooden doors, a huge courtyard, walk up the stairs, see carved lion sculptures on the roof and fine views of the village. Meanwhile, we wonder how it is possible that such an incredible house stands empty, slowly crumbling away. From here, we head north, take a turn into another branch of Wadi Dawan where we see more spectacular villages. We are on our way north again, in the direction of Shibam, but could easily spend more days exploring this amazing part of Yemen.

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Wadi Dawan (Yemen)

Wadi Dawan > Yemen > Asia

[Visited: May 2004, July 2021]

Around the World in 80 Clicks