Kawkaban
A Fortified Mountain Town At About 2,800 M On A Cliff Above The Town Of Shibam Kawkaban, With Old Stone Gateways, A Former Garrison, And An Edge From Which The Ground Drops About 600 M To The Plain. The Stone Staircase From Shibam Kawkaban Takes About An Hour. Under The Same Authorities As Sana'A · Kawkaban, Al Mahwit
Kawkaban is a fortified town on a flat-topped cliff about 40 km north-west of Sana'a, at roughly 2,800 m, with a drop of several hundred metres to the plain below. The name matters, because it is often called Shibam Kawkaban, after the town at its foot, and it has no connection to Shibam Hadramaut, the mud-brick city in the east; the two share only a word meaning something like high place. Kawkaban means star, and the plateau has been a stronghold since pre-Islamic times, when it guarded the road to the capital. The old town has stone gateways, narrow lanes, an old garrison, a large cistern that held rain, and houses of dark stone. The best known view is from the cliff edge over terraces and the valley. Reaching it traditionally means a stone stairway of about one hour from the town below, or a steep road. Most governments advise against all travel to Yemen, and the area lies near the capital and its authorities.
Kawkaban, a walled hilltop town on a plateau above Shibam Kawkaban, about 40 km north-west of Sana'a, Kawkaban, Al Mahwit, Yemen
There are no ticketed opening hours; the town is a living settlement and the walls, gates and cliff edge are open ground. Walking the lanes, climbing the stairway and the view are FREE and best in daylight. Private houses, the garrison buildings and any museum or mosque are CLOSED unless a keeper or family lets you in, and small shops tend to close on Friday and at prayer times. A guide, a driver or a hosted meal costs money. Hours of any local office are unknown and change, so confirm locally and with your government first.