Shibam sits in the Wadi Hadramawt in eastern Yemen, roughly 20 kilometres west of the regional capital Sayun. In peacetime, the practical route is by air to Sayun's Seiyun Airport, which has had domestic connections from Sana'a and Aden, then by road on the paved highway that runs the length of the wadi.
Overland from Sana'a is a long drive — twelve to fifteen hours across the central desert — and was always a serious undertaking even in stable conditions. From Aden the route is shorter but passes through difficult country. With Yemen's airspace and roads largely closed since 2015, none of these options is currently practical for foreign travellers.