Introduction
Before the asphalt road was built in the early 1960s, the route to Riyadh from the west was either through the Wadi Hanifah or up one of the camel trails to the top of the Tuwayq escarpment. These trails were on the trade routes from Yemen to Kuwait and were also used by pilgrims on their way Makkah.
Walking in the desert is best undertaken in late afternoon; it's cooler and the light is better for photography. Take plenty of drinking water, and a torch and whistle in case you need to attract attention in an emergency.
Although the ascent can be done in less than half-an-hour, for safety allow about 2 hours for the walk.
Beware, walking in the desert is dangerous and camels can bite!