Soudah (Arabic:
ٱلسّوْدَة) is a mountainous area in the
Asir Province of Saudi Arabia. At 3,015 metres (9,893 ft) above sea level, it includes Saudi Arabia’s highest peak,
Jabal Soudah. The area is known for its dense juniper tree covered mountains.
Climate
The climate of Soudah is moderate throughout the year with temperatures rarely exceeding 25 °C (77 °F) in the summer and not rising to more than 15 °C (59 °F) in the winter. Due to Soudah's altitude, the climate is around 10 °C (18 °F) cooler than the
rest of Saudi Arabia.
Overall, the area enjoys a cool variation of semi-arid climate (BSk) that borders a regionally rare warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb) due to the presence of a brief yet unnoticeable wet season that lasts from February to April.
Tourism
The town is a tourist center, and has a
cable car to the top of the
mountain
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...
. Some people in the area claim to have seen snow fall in more than one season per year.
On 25 September 2023,
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman
Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (; born 31 August 1985), also known as MBS or MbS, is the ''de facto'' ruler of the Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, formally serving as Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Sa ...
announced the
Al Soudah Peaks project as part of
Saudi Vision 2030. The Al Soudah Peaks project will seek to develop a luxury mountain tourism destination in the region worth a projected $7.732 billion to the country's
GDP. The project aims to attract 2 million tourists throughout the year by 2033.
Culture
Soudah has a distinct culture, geography and its verdant nature that differs slightly from other parts of Saudi Arabia. The dress of the region is unique, traditionally women in Soudah have been known to wear colourful headbands and the men flower head wreaths.
See also
*
Saudi Vision 2030
*
Aseer
*
Jabal Soudah
*
Rijal Almaa
References
{{reflist
Populated places in 'Asir Province