How Locals in Al Qassim Spend a Day in the Desert: The Culture of Kashta

If you visit Al Qassim during winter, you may notice something interesting on weekends.

Instead of everyone heading to shopping malls and cafés, many cars begin leaving the cities and driving toward the open desert.

The destination is what Saudis simply call Al-Barr — the open countryside and desert.

And the outing itself is known as a Kashta.

A Kashta is not necessarily a multi-day camping trip. Sometimes it is simply a few hours spent outdoors with family or friends before returning home in the evening.

The tradition exists across Saudi Arabia and is not unique to Al Qassim. But the region's desert landscapes, cold winters and rainy seasons make outdoor desert gatherings an important part of seasonal life.

What Does “Kashta” Mean?

In Saudi Arabia, a Kashta generally means going out into nature to relax and spend time outdoors.

It can be a family gathering, a trip with friends or a simple afternoon outside the city.

Good weather matters.

Winter is especially popular, and periods following rainfall often attract more people outdoors as parts of the landscape become greener and seasonal plants begin to appear.

In Al Qassim, this is why winter can easily feel like desert season.

Preparing the Car

There is no official packing list for a Kashta.

Some people arrive with enough equipment to build a comfortable temporary camp.

Others keep things extremely simple.

Common items include:

• Ground mats and cushions
• A tent or shade shelter
• Firewood
• Cooking equipment
• Water
• Saudi coffee equipment
• A teapot and cups
• Food for the day

During the winter camping season, demand for tents, carpets, firewood and coffee and tea equipment traditionally increases across Al Qassim.

But a Kashta does not need to be complicated.

A mat, a coffee pot, tea and a good place to sit can sometimes be enough.

Finding a Place to Sit

Once outside the city, the landscape opens up.

Al Qassim contains broad desert plains, sandy areas, seasonal green spaces and natural depressions that can change noticeably after rainfall.

The place people choose depends on weather, rainfall, road conditions and the season.

There is no single “Kashta destination” for everyone in Al Qassim.

Part of the experience is simply finding an open place that feels right for the day.

Setting Up the Gathering

After arriving, the first task is usually simple: make the place comfortable.

Mats are spread on the ground, cushions come out, and a tent or shade may be set up if needed.

Then the coffee and tea equipment appears.

For many people, the purpose of the trip is not complicated at all.

It is simply to sit somewhere open, away from the city.

This is one of the most important things for an international visitor to understand.

A Kashta does not always need activities or a schedule.

Sometimes the gathering itself is the activity.

Lighting the Fire

As the temperature drops, fire becomes one of the most recognizable parts of a traditional winter Kashta.

Locally, lighting the fire is often called Shabbat Al-Nar or Shabbat Al-Dhaw.

People gather around it for warmth, conversation and preparing drinks.

It may also be used for cooking.

The fire creates the center of the gathering, especially after sunset when Al Qassim's winter temperatures become noticeably colder.

Of course, it also comes with responsibility.

Fire should be completely extinguished before leaving, and visitors should avoid damaging vegetation or creating any risk of wildfire.

Saudi Coffee and Tea in the Desert

It is difficult to explain why tea sometimes tastes better in the desert.

Saudi coffee and tea are among the drinks most closely connected with the Kashta experience.

They may be prepared directly over the fire, with people sitting nearby while the water boils and the drinks are prepared.

Saudi sources describe coffee and tea prepared over firewood as part of traditional Kashta culture.

But the experience is not simply about drinking.

Preparing the coffee, waiting for the tea and passing cups around the gathering are part of the time spent together.

What Do People Eat?

There is no official “Kashta meal.”

The food can be extremely simple or become one of the main activities of the day.

Some groups cook a full meal outdoors.

Others barbecue meat or chicken.

Some bring food prepared at home.

A pot of rice and meat may be enough for an entire group.

During the colder months, traditional foods also become more popular across Al Qassim, including warm dishes associated with winter.

But you should not expect the same menu at every Kashta.

Every family and group has its own habits.

So What Do People Actually Do All Day?

This may be the surprising part.

Not necessarily very much.

People talk.

They drink coffee.

They make tea.

They cook.

They walk around the area.

Children play.

Some groups bring card games or other simple activities.

The purpose is not to fill every minute with entertainment.

The purpose is to have the time in the first place.

After the Rain, the Experience Changes

One of the most popular times for desert outings is after rainfall.

Parts of the normally dry landscape can begin to change as seasonal vegetation appears and open areas become greener.

Saudi official reports regularly document increased interest in outdoor trips during these periods.

This seasonal transformation is one reason people closely follow rainfall during winter and spring.

The same desert you visited a few weeks earlier can suddenly look very different.

Is Kashta Unique to Al Qassim?

No.

Kashta is part of a much wider Saudi outdoor culture.

Its character simply changes depending on the region.

In central and northern Saudi Arabia, it is often associated with deserts, valleys and seasonal green areas.

In coastal regions, outdoor gatherings may happen beside the sea.

In mountainous parts of the country, people may head toward highlands and wooded areas instead.

What gives the Al Qassim experience its own character is the local environment: cold winter evenings, open desert landscapes and the dramatic changes that can follow seasonal rainfall.

The Local Eye

If you tell an international traveler, “We're going camping,” they may imagine backpacks, hiking equipment, a small tent and sleeping overnight somewhere remote.

That is not necessarily what a Kashta means.

You might leave home in the afternoon, spread out a comfortable sitting area, light a fire, make Saudi coffee and tea, cook dinner, spend several hours talking and then drive home at night.

You might not sleep in the desert at all.

For me, one of the best things about a Kashta is that you do not need a major reason to go.

Good weather, an open landscape, people you enjoy spending time with and a small fire when the evening becomes cold can be enough.

In Al Qassim, it is one of the simplest ways to understand the relationship people still have with the desert around them.

If You Are Visiting Al Qassim

If you ever have the opportunity to join a local family or group of friends on a Kashta, take it.

Not because it is a tourist attraction.

Actually, the opposite is true.

It is something people do for themselves.

And those ordinary experiences are often where travelers see the most interesting side of Saudi Arabia.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Kashta in Saudi Arabia?

A Kashta is an outdoor gathering or trip into nature, often involving family or friends, food, coffee, tea and time spent relaxing away from the city.

Do you have to camp overnight?

No. Many Kashtas last only a few hours. People may go out during the afternoon and return home later that evening.

When is the best season for a Kashta in Al Qassim?

Winter is especially popular because temperatures are cooler. Periods following rainfall can also be particularly attractive as seasonal vegetation appears.

What do people usually bring?

Common items include ground mats, tents or shade, firewood, cooking equipment, water, coffee and tea supplies and food.

Is Kashta only a tradition in Al Qassim?

No. It is common across Saudi Arabia, although the landscape and style of the outing vary from one region to another.

Final Thoughts

A Kashta is one of those Saudi experiences that can sound almost too simple when described.

You drive outside the city.

You sit in the desert.

You light a fire.

You drink coffee and tea.

You eat and talk.

But that simplicity is exactly the point.

Sometimes understanding local life is not about finding another attraction. It is about understanding why people enjoy spending an entire afternoon doing almost nothing in the middle of the desert.

The Bedouin Eye
Saudi Arabia, through a local's eyes.