Abha is the highland capital of Saudi Arabia's Asir region, sitting at an elevation that gives it a noticeably cooler climate than the coastal lowlands, and car rental at Abha's airport, coded AHB, is the natural way to explore mountain scenery, terraced villages and cool-season tourism that draws visitors from across the country. Pickup is arranged through desks near the compact terminal, and the surrounding highland roads begin climbing almost immediately outside the airport perimeter.
From Abha, the road network winds through some of the most dramatic mountain driving in the country. The nearby Asir National Park and its cable car are within a short drive of perhaps twenty to thirty minutes, while the historic hanging village of Habala, reached via a striking descent road, sits a little further out, generally under an hour. Roads through the highlands feature genuine switchbacks and steep grades as they drop toward the Tihama coastal plain, so a measured pace, attention to brakes on long descents, and caution around fog that can settle in the higher elevations all matter more here than on flatter Saudi routes. Saudi Arabia drives on the right, and the highway network around Abha is toll-free, consistent with the rest of the country.
Visitors can typically drive on a valid license from many countries for a limited tourist stay, and an International Driving Permit alongside a home-country license is recommended, particularly for licenses not printed in Arabic or English, since it smooths both rental pickup and any mountain-road checkpoint. Abha's elevation makes it noticeably more temperate than lowland Saudi cities, and while summer still brings warm days, evenings can turn genuinely cool, occasionally cold at the highest points in winter, which is part of the region's appeal as a domestic retreat from coastal heat. Fog and low cloud are the main seasonal driving hazard here rather than heat, most common in the cooler months, so allow extra time on mountain roads and keep headlights on through any misty stretch.