Diksam Plateau, Yemen

[Visited: December 2021]

When we saw our first dragon blood trees on the way to the Diksam Plateau, we were thrilled to finally see the trees for which Socotra is famous. We stopped, and adored the few trees from all sides. But these were standing right next to the road, and we would see many more in better locations. After we reached our encampment for the night and left our stuff, we quickly walked out of the small village, down the road, and turned left to arrive at a large dragon blood tree. Their crown is so enormous that, from a distance, you don't appreciate their height. In fact, the crown is often wider than the tree is tall. It is only when you reach the stem of the tree that you realise how tall they really are. And then, when you look up, you see how many branches the dragon blood tree has. It is something you have never seen before.
After our first real encounter with the dragon blood tree, we hike down, away from the track. We now pass one dragon blood tree after the other, and often several trees grouped very close together. Their cracked bark, their warm colours, and obviously their shape make these trees very photogenic, so we make frequent stops. Then, we reach the very edge of the wadi. The trees have a habit of standing right next to a deep drop-off. Far below us, we see the mostly dry riverbed. There, no dragon blood trees grow. We walk a little further on, climb to a hilltop, where we find another cluster of dragon blood trees. Our guide stops at the most impressive and perfect of them all, and tells us a legend. Once upon a time, an elephant and a dragon lived on Socotra. They ended up fighting, whereupon the dragon died. Out of his blood, the unique trees were born. He tells us more about the tree. Its extremely slow growth, its threats, its usage. Because the red sap that runs within the tree is used for various purposes, and its colour is likely where the name of the tree comes from. The trees are very vulnerable in their first years, when they are an easy prey for goats.
We take our time to walk around the tree, Beyond this tree and the deep wadi below us, we see the jagged peaks of the Haggeher Mountains in the distance. After lunch under another group of dragon bood trees, we hike around the area and see valleys with trees. Then, we drive down the dirt track, straight into the deep wadi. It turns out to be a stunning setting, with water running down the wadi, and bottle trees growing on its slopes. We then drive and hike up to a limestone viewpoint where we see a veritable forest of hundreds of dragon blood trees. After enjoying the views, we walk around the forest. The longer we wait, the warmer the light becomes and the more beautiful the setting. The sun sets through the openings in the branches, turning the trees into silhouettes against a dark orange sky. The next morning, we leave the encampment in the dark of night, and manage to reach the same viewpoint of the day before well before sunrise. We have the place to ourselves now, pick a spot, and look towards the east. Gradually, the black turns into grey, which then gets more and more hints of yellow and orange, until the sun emerges above a cloud. It now shines on the lower parts of the dragon blood trees, and the rays of sunlight pierce through openings in the crowns. Again, a superb moment to see these quaint, umbrella-shaped trees. After breakfast, we see a lot of land where small dragon blood trees are planted and protected until they reach an age where goats can no longer harm them. I can only hope that this will help these truly special trees to survive in the long term.

Yemen is featured in The Long Road to Cullaville

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