Jabal Shada

Jabal Shada is a mountain massif in the Tihama part of the Al-Bahah Region in south-western Saudi Arabia, within Al-Makhwah governorate. It consists of two neighbouring mountains, known as Upper Shada and Lower Shada, which rise sharply above the surrounding Tihama plains.

The mountain is made of granite that has been shaped by erosion over very long periods. This has produced huge rounded boulders, hollows and caves of various sizes. In the past the inhabitants made use of these caves, turning some into dwellings and storerooms by adding walls and doors. Shada has varied vegetation, and Upper Shada has been declared a nature reserve to protect its plants and wildlife. Coffee is grown on the mountain's terraces, and Shadawi coffee is well known in the region.

Visitors climb the mountain by very steep and winding roads, passing rock formations, cave houses and coffee farms. For the people of Al-Bahah the mountain is both a natural and a cultural landmark, bringing together a varied natural environment and old ways of adapting to life in the mountains.