Shibam
Yemen · Hadhramaut · 700 m
Description
Shibam is a walled town of about five hundred mud-brick tower houses rising up to eight storeys from a single platform on the floor of the Wadi Hadhramaut, and it has been called the oldest skyline in the world and the “Manhattan of the desert”. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The towers are built entirely of sun-dried brick, need replastering after heavy rain and stand shoulder to shoulder with no gaps, which is why the whole town reads as one block. The best view is from the escarpment across the wadi at sunset. The town is walked through in twenty minutes.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 2 days (optimal 1 day)
Travel season
Best time to visit: November – March
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Shibam old walled city (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Mud-brick tower houses of up to eight storeys
- Sunset view from the escarpment opposite
- City walls and the single gate
- Replastering of the towers after rain
- Narrow shaded lanes between the towers
- Friday mosque inside the walls
- Wadi Hadhramaut date groves around the town