Rub' al Khali
The Empty Quarter, a huge sand desert covering most of the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula, about 650,000 square kilometres in all. It holds some of the highest dunes on Earth, and very few people live there.
- Where
- Sharurah, Najran, Saudi Arabia
- Grade
- Well known
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site, plus 1 for its grade
- Coordinates
- 20.0000, 50.0000
Get the Rub' al Khali stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Rub' al Khali. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Najran volume with your photos and a note.
Near Rub' al Khali
Land of Frankincense 430 km
A group of sites in Dhofar linked to the frankincense trade on the Incense Road. It includes the frankincense trees of Wadi Dawkah, the port ruins of Khor Rori, the caravan oasis of Shisr and the old town of Al Baleed.
Shisr 430 km
The ruins of a fortified trading post on the edge of the Empty Quarter in Dhofar. It was linked with the frankincense route, and some people connect it with the legendary city of Ubar.
Uruq Bani Ma'arid 435 km
A protected area on the western edge of the Rub' al Khali, the largest sandy desert in the world. Its dune ridges shelter reintroduced Arabian oryx and sand gazelle, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its natural value.
Wadi Dawkah 472 km
A wadi in Dhofar with a park of frankincense trees near its head. The trees are part of the Land of Frankincense World Heritage listing, and resin is still tapped from them.
Tuwaiq Escarpment 496 km
A long limestone escarpment that cuts through the central plateau for about 800 km. Near Riyadh its sheer cliffs give wide views over the plain below, and a viewpoint known as the Edge of the World is a popular stop.
Qaryat al-Faw 508 km
The ruins of a caravan city on the edge of the Empty Quarter, about 100 km south of Wadi ad-Dawasir. It was once the capital of the Kingdom of Kinda, and its houses, market, temple and tombs make it a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Liwa Oasis 524 km
A crescent of date-palm villages in the far west of Abu Dhabi, on the edge of the Rub' al Khali, the Empty Quarter. Some of the highest dunes in the region rise around it, among them Moreeb Dune.
Tomb of Job 529 km
A shrine in the mountain village of Ayoon, near Salalah, which local people hold to be the burial place of the Prophet Ayyub, or Job. The tomb is a long whitewashed structure on a hillside with views across Dhofar.
Questions
Where is Rub' al Khali?
Rub' al Khali is in Sharurah, Najran, Saudi Arabia. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Land of Frankincense (430 km), Shisr (430 km), Uruq Bani Ma'arid (435 km).
How do I get the Rub' al Khali stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Rub' al Khali and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Najran volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Rub' al Khali before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Najran volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 40 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.