Wadi Dhahr is a deep, green agricultural valley about half an hour by road north-west of Sana'a — a sudden break in the dry plateau, lush with vineyards, fruit orchards, and terraced fields fed by ancient irrigation channels. The cliffs around the valley rise sharply, and on a rock pinnacle in the middle stands the Dar al-Hajar (Rock Palace), Yemen's most photographed building.
A walk along the valley floor takes you past traditional villages of mud-brick houses, market gardens, and qat plantations. The valley is one of the easiest day trips from Sana'a — even people on a short visit make the run out for the palace and back.