A female solo traveller who recently became the first documented person to walk the entire length of Saudi Arabi has shared the highs and lows of her incredible feat.
Alice Morrison, 62, from Edinburgh, is an adventurer, author and TV presenter that has spent the majority of her life exploring the world.
From a childhood spent in Uganda and Ghana, to a post-university teaching role in Egypt and the launch of her journalism career in Dubai, Morrison has travelled extensively for decades, ticking off countless bucket-list destinations along the way.
Her most recent trip to Saudi Arabia, however, has resulted in a far more meaningful accomplishment than just another stamp in her passport.
On Monday, 15 December, Morrison became the first person to walk from the north to the south of the Kingdom entirely by foot – an expedition that covered a total of 2,195km over 112 days.
The adventurer admitted she faced some criticism before taking on the challenge, with loved ones questioning why she would travel to a country with ‘poor human rights’ and where ‘women have previously not enjoyed the same freedoms as men’.
However, out of sheer curiousity and determination, Morrison explained she simply wanted to know what it felt like to be a Western woman doing a ‘very unusual thing’ in a country still viewed with suspicion by the world.
Setting off on 1 January 2025, she was accompanied by a small specialist team and her two camels, Juicy and Lulu, as she embarked on the gruelling trek.
Alice Morrison, 62, from Edinburgh, is an adventurer, author and TV presenter that has recently become the first documented person to walk the entire length of Saudi Arabi
Accompanied by a small specialist team and her two camels, Juicy and Lulu, she embarked on the gruelling trek on January 1 , 2025, and completed the journey on 15 December, 2025
While a back-up truck was on hand throughout the journey, Morrison said camels are an intrinsic part of Saudi culture and felt it would have been wrong to walk ancient pilgrimage and caravan routes without them.
Because of the nation’s extreme summer heat and the holy month of Ramadan falling in late February, Morrison was forced to split the walk over two winter seasons.
Each day, she walked an average of a half-marathon while passing through six provinces: Tabuk, Medina, Mecca, Al Baha, Aseer and Najran.
Throughout the expedition, Morrison faced intense physical and mental challenges, from painful blisters and scorpions to temperatures reaching as high as 39C.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live, she said: ‘Walking every step north to south has been a personal challenge. The goal forced me to keep going when I was exhausted or in pain or just fed up.’
With temperatures consistently hovering around 39C, Morrison adjusted her routine by starting her walks earlier in the day while conditions were cooler.
During the first leg of the journey, she developed severe blisters that bled into her shoes.
Even Lulu the camel suffered blisters, prompting Morrison to design and make a protective shoe for her.
Morrison faced physical and mental challenges, from painful blisters and fatigue, to scorpions and scorching temperatures of 39C
Morrison praised the warmth and generosity of locals across the Kingdom
The expedition covered a total of 2,195km over 112 days, crossing six provinces: Tabuk, Medina, Mecca, Al Baha, Aseer and Najran
Morrison said of her journey: ‘I’ve walked across a country full of wild landscapes, history ready to be discovered and the most hospitable people in the world’
Yet, despite the hardships, Morrison said there were moments of real joy – from vast desert landscapes and camping beside rock carvings thousands of years old, to sharing cardamom coffee in Bedouin tents along the route.
She added that walking allowed her to experience the land more deeply, enabling her to ‘see and feel every detail’ of the journey, with the motion becoming almost meditative.
Morrison, who details her global adventures on her blog, said the warmth and generosity of locals also played a crucial role in keeping her motivated.
She explained: ‘I’ve walked across a country full of wild landscapes, history ready to be discovered and the most hospitable people in the world. One of the revelations has been the women I’ve met who are instigating a quiet cultural revolution.’
Arriving in Najran, close to the Yemen border, on 15 December marked an emotional end to the expedition and the close of a remarkable chapter.
Having already written four travel books, Morrison now plans to write another book documenting the Saudi Arabia expedition, alongside producing a film about the journey.
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