The Incense Route expedition has taken us on an extraordinary journey through time, space, and a rapidly changing world, tracing one of the world’s most ancient trade routes on foot — Najran in the south to the Gulf of Aqaba in the North, finishing opposite Dahab in Sinai. As the expedition artist, I hope to reveal the astonishing beauty, depth, and mystery of a land and people that have long been hidden from the world.

Walking this ancient trade route has revealed the rich diversity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — its landscapes, cultures, histories, and voices — and the ways in which past and present remain deeply connected. The desert is imbued with a silence we have largely driven from our modern lives, and its people embody a timeless hospitality, warmth, and kindness that can feel lost in our fast-paced world.

At the same time, this journey speaks to a nation in motion. As Saudi Arabia moves towards Vision 2030, the expedition offers a counterpoint to dominant narratives, presenting a more nuanced, human story — one rooted in history yet looking confidently to the future. To walk the Incense Route today is to walk a living thread that connects ancient exchange with contemporary transformation, and past traditions with new possibilities.

This was the third in a trilogy of female-led (with explorers Rosie Stancer & Pom Oliver ) desert expeditions that began in the Aral Sea (2022) and continued across the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, (2023). Showcasing female-led innovation in culture and conservation, these expeditions explore how heritage and creativity might look back to the lessons of the past, so as to fuel a sustainable future of tomorrow.

You can see our journey here.

In these sketches, I am trying to capture the magnificent camels in just a few brush strokes. These drawings could have been made centuries ago, much as the animals they depict have for centuries been integral to life in the desert. Camels are symbolic of endurance, patience, and heritage, connecting modern Saudi life with ancient nomadic traditions. Despite the conflicts surrounding them, the ship of the desert will continue to be a steady presence.

I was so well cared for by the brilliant expedition team who took such great care of us. I had the honour of sketching Faisal Senior, Faisal, Junior and Abu Mohammed - a wonderful way to spend time with them.

I have been working through my Saudi field notes and sketchbooks, and, naturally, reflecting on the rapidity of change in that once peaceful region, in the short time that I have been home. I can't help but think that these quiet scenes that I captured remain unchanged despite what goes on around them. The ravages of war come and go, but the beauty of the land is timeless - and it is that beauty that will endure.

The rock art we encountered in the Hima region was a revelation. Southern Arabian petroglyphs are ancient rock carvings primarily found in Saudi Arabia’s Najran region, with sites like the Himā Cultural Area being significant examples. These petroglyphs, which date from the Neolithic period to pre-Islamic times, depict daily life, hunting, and animals, providing crucial insights into the region’s history and culture, and are recognised as globally important archaeological sites.

I was compelled to pay a second visit to Hima to revisit, and work with, the Arabian petroglyphs. It was a long journey back down south, but I couldn't get these extraordinary carvings out of my mind and knew that I couldn't leave Saudi without coming back. What an honour to trace the lines of these rock carvings that have been here for over 3,000 years.

I was lucky enough to be introduced to Naif Al Mansour who has single handedly restored his family home in Zahran Al-Janub. It is a glorious and joyful celebration of tribal and regional traditions, an artistic link between a way of life in Southern Arabia that has almost disappeared, and the rapidly encroaching modernity that heralds Saudi’s future.

He was incredibly generous with his time showing me around the beautifully restored house, and was happy to stand for a photo with me and my wonderful driver Faisal Al Mansour. The photo was taken at the entrance of his next restoration project.

Our ships of the desert who are extraordinarily elegant. They've carried our load and occasional passenger over every conceivable type of terrain, from deep sand to volcanic rock, over dunes and up steep gullies, through the heat of the south and bitingly cold winds of the north.