Al Hajjarah Village - Hiking the Haraz Mountains in Yemen

Envisage a scene from the Arabian Nights – the tallest tale in a fantastical dream.

Amid waves of weird mountains and cloud, a cluster of stone-tower houses guards a crag.

Al Hajjarah village in the Haraz Mountains of yemen — The 11th century Al Hajjarah village in the Haraz Mountains of Yemen.

It’s a 5 km hike to Al Hajjarah village from Manakhah

Simply walk up to the town center and swing right thru the market and keep going out along the mountainside road (as seen below).

scenes at Manakhah market haraz mountains of yemen — Manakhah market day.

CAUTION: I was in Yemen in 2005. But in 2022, civil war and a humanitarian crisis grips much of Yemen; and I assume the Haraz Mountains are inaccessible to most travelers. Check first for the latest updates for Yemen.

Transport on route from Manakhah market day haraz mountains in Yemen — Overcrowded Toyota 4WD – public transport on route from the Manakhah market day in the Haraz Mountains.

Staying in Manakhah

Manakhah is an excellent base to explore the Haraz Mountains, with a regional market, reasonable transport links to Sanaa and the Red Sea coast.

There are very few other accommodation choices.

yemeni tradition food in manakha haraz mountains — Range of excellent small dishes that was my dinner at my guesthouse: Manakha Tourist Hotel.

ROOMS: Manakha Tourist Hotel comes with a mattress on the floor with shared bathroom and views of mountains and villages. It’s on route to the market on the main road into Manakhah.

The price also includes decent meals in a family-run atmosphere.