Itinerary

1. Ship Rock

   The most famous icon in Hasma Desert, known as the "Desert of snow, clouds, and human civilizations," is:

   • A sandstone rock formation that resembles a ship.
   • It is situated along the most renowned routes in the northwest of the Arabian Peninsula:
     • The old incense trade road.
     • The path of the Umayyad Caliphate.
     • Pilgrims Road.
   • Therefore, it serves as the largest and most significant repository of Thamudic, Nabataean, and Islamic rock writings.

2. Moses Altar and 12 pillars

   At the base of Mount Sinai, Moses built a stone altar and raised 12 marble pillars.

   • Of the original 12 pillars, 10 stones in the shape of a cylinder are still there to this day.

   These sites are some of the most convincing in saying that this is the real Mount Sinai.

   • This altar made of uncut stones that has not been elevated meets the prescribed design given to Moses by God.
   • The two animal corrals in the shape of a chevron lead up to the altar, where one large room is followed by three adjoining rooms.

3. The Golden Calf Altar

   This site is a very sobering reminder that just in the shadow of the mountain where God was writing the law with his finger, Aaron and the people were constructing a golden idol.

   • The image of which was likely fashioned to reflect the ancient Egyptian bull gods of Apis and Hathor.
   • A natural rock formation with a relatively flat top, strategically located at the intersection of the north/south and the east/west travel corridors, provided the ideal location to showcase their prized deity.
   • The credible evidence that provides authenticity to the site is etchings of bulls and some rare paintings that are around the sides of the formation.

4. The Spilt Rock of Horeb

   Moses and his people camped in an area that had no water.

   • Due to the people's desperation, which came from the fear of dying of thirst, Moses believed that the wrath of the people would result in him being killed.
   • The deliverance of Moses and his people came about by an incredible miracle that occurred at a place called Rephidim.
   • Moses struck this Rock of Horeb, the rock split, and this produced such large volumes of water that what ensued was described as "rivers in the desert".
   • Seeing this actual miracle up close is a must on any visitor's journey into Saudi Arabia.

5. Maghaer Shuaib

   Midian (Al bad) is the land where Moses spent 10 years in voluntary exile before returning and freeing his people from Pharaoh Ramses II.

   • It is also the homeland of Jethro (Prophet Shuaib), who was Moses' father-in-law.
   • The Mugha’yer Shuaib seems to appear from nowhere in the reddish desert west of Tabuk.
   • Moses (as) lived here a decade under the patronage of the Prophet Shuaib, who had been impressed by Moses’ chivalry and offered his daughter’s hand in marriage.
   • Moses eventually returned to Egypt, but it’s easy to imagine that this beautiful place stayed with him.

6. Moses Well

   Al Suaedni Well Visit:

   • Visit the Moses well at Maqna where it is believed that Moses took care of Jethro's (Prophet Shuaib) daughters and helped them take out water for their sheep.
   • This is the first place where Moses (Musa) met Zipporah, Jethro’s daughter, and eventually married her.