Thula
A Small Fortified Town Of Stone Houses With A Hilltop Citadel And The Old Walls, A Quieter Alternative To Kawkaban. Visited Traditionally As A Day Out Of Sana'A On The Kawkaban Road. Under The Same Authorities And Risks As The Capital · Thula, Amran
Thula is a small fortified town high in the mountains of Amran governorate, about 45 km north-west of Sana'a at roughly 2,800 m. Its stone houses cluster below a hilltop citadel and are ringed by old walls with a gateway, and water was kept in cisterns cut into the rock. Thula has long been described as a quieter alternative to Kawkaban, with fewer visitors and the same highland air, and it is reached along the Kawkaban road. The town suits a walker who likes small places and old stone, and the citadel above gives wide views over terraced fields. It lies under the same authorities and risks as the capital, so the checkpoints and rules of Sana'a apply on the way. Most governments advise against all travel to Yemen, and access, roads and checkpoints are unknown and changing, so read your own government's advice first. It is worth the detour only for someone already in the region, in a safer future.
Thula, a fortified highland town at about 2,800 m, 45 km north-west of Sana'a on the Shibam Kawkaban road, Thula, Amran, Yemen
The town, its walls and the citadel hill have no fixed hours. Walking the lanes, the old gate and the wall circuit is FREE and possible in daylight. Houses and mosques are CLOSED unless a family invites you, and the citadel may be CLOSED or guarded, so ask a local before climbing. The market is busiest in the morning, and shops close on Friday morning and for the midday rest. Cloud often covers the hilltop by afternoon, and winter nights are cold. Checkpoints on the road from Sana'a may close at dusk. Confirm access with your government and a local contact before planning anything.