Often called the City of Roses, Taif or Tayif is famous for its fragrant rose flowers that grow in the surrounding valleys and mountains. It is a beautiful city, home to majestic mountains, flower fields, and centuries-old markets. There are many beautiful and historical places to visit in Taif that make it a preferred tourist destination even for the locals and people from nearby cities. It is easily accessible via cab from the holy city of Makkah.
Not just the destination, the route to Taif is also quite captivating. A beautiful winding road from the interior of Makkah through the mountains, fruit markets, rose farms, and deep valleys leads to the Taif Plateau. It is near the Shafa Mountains, where baboons roam freely and the sun sits pretty amidst stunning peaks. The Okazu Market Festival and the Crown Prince Camel Festival are among the top Taif tourist attractions.
Beautiful places to visit in Taif
1. Taif’s Rose Fields – A lovely backdrop for pictures
Each year, the famous 30-petaled Damask rose smell fills the air of Taif with a sweet scent. More than 900 rose growers produce over 300 million flowers each year. The flowers are harvested to produce the world’s most expensive rose oil or atar. Tourists can take a guided tour of one of the city’s rose factories or head to Taif’s Central Market to browse and purchase aromatic oils, water, perfumes, and rose-scented soaps.
Best time to visit: Late February and early March is the best time to visit rose fields in Taif. The roses in the fields blossom during this time period and are harvested in the second half of March.
2. Al Hada Mountain – Exciting views from cable cars
Towering over a valley stretching towards Makkah, Al Hada is home to playful baboons, pink fields, and pristine open spaces. Much like the ancient zig-zag camel trail, the winding path slopes gracefully along the hillside. The mountains lined up on the horizon turn grey ombre as the sun sets on the valley. A water park is present at the Taif tourist destination of Hejazistail Al Qar.
How to reach Al Hada Mountain: Tourists can hire a cab or travel in private vehicles to reach Al Hada Mountain located in Makkah Province near Taif in western Saudi Arabia. They can also use cable car and camel caravans to reach to Al Hada.
What to do at Al Hada Mountain: The longest cable car in Saudi Arabia runs between the top of the mountain and the bottom of the wadi.
3. Al Shafa Mountain – Home to quaint picnic spots
Located 35 kilometers southwest of Taif, Al Shafa is the highest mountain in the region and can be reached via a paved road. On the top, Mount Dhaka Park offers stunning views of the local mountain range covering an area of 10,000 square meters. Also, there are several basic spas for those who wish to stay longer.
How to reach Al Shafa Mountain: Tourists can hire or self drive vehicles to reach Al Shafa mountain from Taif in approximately 40 minutes.
What to do at Al Shafa Mountain: It is an amazing location for family picnic and barbecue evening.
4. Al-Wahba Crater – A stunning volcanic crater
Located approximately 250 km from Taif, the Al-Wahba Crater is a volcanic crater present in the Hejazi region of Saudi Arabia on the western edge of the Harrat Kishb basalt plateau. The Harrat Kishb plateau has many volcanic cones. It is 250 m deep and 2 km in diameter. The bottom of the crater has a covering of white sodium phosphate crystals. The sheer beauty of the crater makes it one of the most adventurous places to visit in Taif.
How to reach Al-Wahba Crater: The crater is 250 km from the Taif’s city center. It is well-connected with paved roads. Tourists can book a cab or ride a private vehicle to reach the location.
What to do at Al-Wahba Crater: Wahba Crater is among top Taif tourist spots for easy hiking experience.
5. Saiysad National Park – A beautiful park with seasonal streams
Saiysad National Park has several gates, of which only one gate is open for entry. The park is an ideal place for a group walk and is among the top Taif tourist places. It is also a perfect place for a family vacation. The park has many slides and other recreational activities for children. Saiysad National Park is present between the city and Taif Airport.
How to reach Saiysad National Park: The park is 13 km away from the Taif city and can easily be reached via road.
What to do at Saiysad National Park: Family picnic and a walk around in the natural environment of the park. It is also a good place to go camping with friends.
6. Al Faisaliah Garden – Ideal for lazy evenings
One of most calming places to visit in Taif with family, Al Faisaliah Garden has many fountains, slides, swings, and seating areas. The garden is very well maintained and is famous for its barbecue. The garden has a manually controlled dancing fountain. This is an excellent place to take a break from the fast-paced life of the city.
Address : Hawiyah, near 7473, 26571 3670, Taif 26571, Saudi Arabia
Timings: Thursday to Saturday: 4–11:45 pm | Sunday: 4pm–12am | Monday: 12am–12:45pm, 4–11:45pm | Tuesday Closed | Wednesday 4–10:45pm
Popular tourist places in Taif
7. Shubra Palace – King Abdulaziz’s residence
The City Palace is a beautiful home built in 1905 by order of Sheriff Ali Pasha. The palace has an interior made of Carrara marble and has lattice windows and balconies. Formerly, King Abdulaziz lived here, and later it became the residence of King Faisal. It is open 24 hours and the entry is free.
How to reach: Shubra Palace is only 3.1 km from the city’s center. Hence, it is easily accessible to the tourists visiting Taif.
8. Green Mountain Park/ Resort – An expansive theme park
Green Mountain Park is a theme park located on Alhada Street in Taif. Tourists can enjoy the greenery of the park and relax to unwind. Green Mountain Park is a popular attraction amongst families and children. The rides are quite exciting and fun, especially for children in the age group of 5 to 15 years. The Roller Coaster at the Park is a major attraction. Also, there is 7D and 9D movie zones, and the experience is quite thrilling.
Address: Alhada Rd, C44, Taif 26715
Timings: 2 pm to 3 am
9. The Taif Souq – Traditional Arabic souvenirs
One of the largest markets in Taif, Taif Souq Market is a beautifully restored historical center and is a must-see market. The visitors can stroll through the stalls to find handicrafts, local honey, rose water, and refreshing mint tea.
10. Taif Central Market – Famous for silver and gold jewelries
Taif Central Market is a narrow alleyway winding past sand-colored buildings to a quiet square. The themed area has a region dedicated to perfumes (especially rose water and oil), Islamic clothing, rich local honey, and jewelry. Street jewelers with torches work on silver rings, while several shops sell exquisite jewelry made from gold mined near Madinah. Suppliers of roasted milk, wood, knives, and herbs can also be easily spotted.
Address: Al Nuzhah, Taif 26514
Timings: 8 am to 11 pm
Taif weather
Taif experiences a desert like climate with ideally zero precipitation throughout the year. Further, Taif does not regularly receive snowfall every year, but occasional snowfall can be spotted in Taif, Saudi Arabia. However, the temperature does not reach extremely high in summers nor does it dips down dramatically in winters.
Taif temperature
The maximum temperature reaches upto 35 degrees Celsius during summers with minimum temperature falling down to 10 degrees Celsius. While the average temperature being recorded as 22 degrees Celsius.
Best time to visit Taif tourist places
The temperature remains moderate during winters, spring and autumn making these seasons the best time to visit Taif for tourist activities. Taif experience pleasant and cool breeze flowing in offering decent weather conditions for exploring the Taif visiting places.
How to reach Taif
Taif Airport
Taif Regional airport is situated 30 km away from the Taif city center. The airport not only offers domestic but international flights. Tourists can easily fly from Riyadh and Jeddah to Taif along with several foreign countries.
Roadways
Tourists can travel from Makkah via highway 15 to reach Taif in nearly 1 hour. They can also take route 80 and then highway 15 to reach Taif from Jeddah which is nearly 170 km.
Besides above attractions, camel races are organized every two weeks in July and August each year at Taif Camel Square. These events are being organized on the Arabian Peninsula since ancient times. It is a truly unique experience to see camels and camel riders kicking dust fiercely to reach the finish line by overtaking each other. With so many tourists attractions in Taif, it is a popular destination for tourists for a pocket-friendly yet exhilarating getaway. It is a lovely city with many beautiful places to explore nearby. Cabs are easily available for Taif sightseeing tours.
