Taif is Arabic for
encompassing or circling. It is a tourist destination in
Saudi Arabia.
Saudi is mostly composed of desert and lacks any natural parks or national attractions. It is part of the
Hijaz mountain chains located at the west of the Arabian peninsula. It takes about 2 hours to drive from
Jeddah to
Taif.
Because of its high altitude compared with the rest of the hot desert, its climate ranges from 80-90F degrees in summer and cool winters of 40F.
Monkeys inhabit the area in huge numbers and are known to be friendly towards people.
Population: 300,000. May double during summer since it is a huge
tourist destination in Saudi Arabia.
Highest
elevation: 6000
feet (1800
meters).