Aja and Salma Mountains

Aja and Salma Mountains are twin mountains located west of the Hail Province in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They are part of a vast mountainous area. Aja Mountain is considered the largest mountain in the region and the highest peak of the Najd Plateau, reaching a height of 1,544 m above sea level. The adjacent Salma Mountain rises to around 1,430 meters above sea level.

Aja and Salma Mountains are twin peaks in the Shammar Mountain in the northwest of Hail. The names of these two mountains are originally named after the tragic love story of Aja and Salma, during the pre-Islamic era. There are many versions of the story, including that the two belonged to separate tribes, which caused tension, and eventually, the refusal to acknowledge their relationship, which prompted Aja and Salma to flee. Another story says that Salma's brothers did not allow Aja to ask for Salma's hand in marriage, while one account suggests that the couple's parents refused their marriage. In all versions of the story, Salma and Aja both die, one on the southern Hail mountain and the other on the northern summit.

Aja and Salma Mountains are among the tourist attractions in the Hail Province in particular and in the Kingdom in general. Shuaib Jaw, situated to the north of the Aja mountains, is a popular picnic destination. It has been included in the Quality of Life Program as one of the top tourist attractions in the Kingdom and is considered one of the thirteen key landmarks for guided tours in the Hail Province.

There are a few natural parks in Aja Mountain that residents of the region often go to visit. These include Aqda, Mashar, and Tawarin. The mountain also has numerous valleys, wells, and springs. The most notable of these is Ain Sada. Additionally, the mountain has a group of reefs that are known for their dense vegetation cover of acacia and ziziphus spina-christi trees.

From September 29 to October 7, 2022, the Ministry of Culture organized the Aja and Salma Festival at al-Maghwah Park in Hail Province. The festival presented various cultural events across nine areas, namely live cooking, international restaurants, cafes, sand drawing, the al-Nafud pavilion, storytelling, 3D mapping, a music theater, and children's area.

The mountains of Aja and Salma are formed from granite rocks and are surrounded by the vast sands of the desert from the north and west. They contain several surface water wells and are intersected by several reefs characterized by dense vegetation cover.

The Aja and Salma Mountains are comprised of volcanic rocks. To the east of these mountains is the Harat al-Hatimah, which is near the ancient town of Tabah. This town is situated in a low depression below ground level. Furthermore, in the middle of this area is the town of al-Na'i, which is located in a low-lying area surrounded by steep rocky cliffs on three sides.