Jebel Shamsan

No trip to Aden would be truly complete without a climb up the craggy monolith which is Jebel Shamsan, Aden's highest point of the mountain ridge known as the Shamsan Range rising to 553 metres.  Shamsan will often be seen written and pronounced as Shum Shum. In very early times each peak of the Shamsan Range had a towered fort, part of Aden's defence structure. There were perhaps up to 20 such forts.

 A 1581 Engraving, Sirah Island on the right

 

The view east presents a splendid panorama of Khormaksar and Slave Island whilst to the north you can see the 374 metre Jebel Muzalqam over the harbour at Little Aden. Look south or west and out to sea, and the horizon is about 45 miles away; you can see the ships which move between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean and pass within a few miles of the harbour.

Shamsan viewed from Maalla

The climb up Jebel Shamsan is not for the faint-hearted and is best made during the early morning hours before the heat of the day sets in.

Shamsan Signal Station

 
View over Maalla Wharf and Dhow Yards, Feringee Rocks, Slave Island, Western Bay and Khormaksar from the summit of Jebel Shamsan