A Love Letter: A guide to help you explore the enchantment of AlUla

The city of AlUla, and all the wonders surrounding it, is deservedly a known prospect for visitors to Saudi, and has been for thousands of years.

It is home to centuries of cultural and natural history, tracing the origins of the Arabic language, routes of trade and commerce, astonishing landscape formations, and countless examples of ancient civilisations carving their place amid the vast unending desert. It is an area in which to lose yourself in awe of the majesty of it all, real wonders immaculately preserved and restored, and now able to be enjoyed to the fullest by the Kingdom’s guests.  

But when we say to enjoy it to its fullest, what do we mean?

We mean that while the history and majesty of old AlUla is self-evident, there is the glamour and the brilliance of AlUla in the here and now, ready to be enjoyed in style. There are luxuries out there for any visitor to AlUla to discover – some of the world’s most talented musicians, playing against ancient landscapes; quirky places to stay and elegant spots to eat; sites that make the desert bloom anew, breathing new life into this most storied of regions.

Read on and learn everything you need to know about AlUla: then, now, and going forward into the future, so that you can revel in its glories and leave having experienced the place at its purest and finest.  

What to Know

It’s impossible to talk about AlUla without first covering the wonders of its terrain.

Set from within a monumental valley, with the traces of ancient, dried-up wadis demarcated by groves of date palm, AlUla is studded with site after site of geological treasures. The most well-known is Jabal AlFil, a titanic rock formation affectionately dubbed Elephant Rock for very good reasons – taken from a distance, it stands tall like a 52-metre sandstone pachyderm.

Over the way from the AlFil trail, you can find many more rock formations sculpted by the desert winds, from the Rainbow Arch in Madakhil to the Ragasat Valley and its famous Raqasat (Dancing Rocks), which look to be swaying from side to side.  

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The desert winds are far from the only force to have left an imprint on AlUla, however. Once you’ve had your fill of natural grandeur, there’s the region’s human history still left to explore: first, Hegra, the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Saudi and the former southern outpost of the Nabataean kingdom, which reigned over the desert two millennia ago.

From Hegra, the Nabataeans prospered through trading incense, and with trade came civilisation, art, and language. You can find examples of all three in the desert canyon of Jabal Ikmah, where rock art and carvings reveal not only a glimpse of the lives and passions of the ancients, but also some of the earliest precursors to the Arabic spoken around the world today.  

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Life has continued apace in the area for the centuries since, and modern-day AlUla is more than a monument to things past. In Hegra, you can find what was meant to be one crucial stop on the Hijaz Railway, a project from the Ottoman empire to link Madinah and Istanbul by rail, connecting east and west like never before. While this grand plan came to naught when the power finally fell in the 1920s, the opening of the Prince Abdul Majeed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in 2011 has succeeded in bringing guests and adventurers to AlUla, opening up Hegra, Jabal Ikmah, and so many more of these breathtaking destinations to the world.  

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Now, those guests visit not only for the deep, rich history, but for AlUla as it is today. Revellers flock in their thousands for the Winter at Tantora festival each year, to see stars like Lionel Richie, Andrea Bocelli, and Enrique Iglesias perform in the vastness of the desert. Even fashion houses like Dolce & Gabbana host catwalk shows in AlUla, displaying the bleeding edge of modern style in dramatic and scintillating presentations. But it is in AlUla’s Old Town that you can find the ancient and the modern in perfect harmony; you can lose yourself in its maze of houses, stores, and squares, and feel as if you’ve become a Nabataean. Then, as you leave, you’ll find yourself on the Incense Road, walking back out to the AlJadidah Arts District, one of the most exciting, vibrant, and innovative corners of the Kingdom.

In AlUla, you really can have it all. 

What to Do

Hegra Vintage Land Rover Tour 

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There’s no better way to explore Hegra than in a gorgeous British Racing Green coloured vintage Land Rover – the vehicle of choice for many a rugged adventurer – driven by a guide who knows everything there is to know about the ancient city.

Zip through the arid landscape and marvel at the vast tombs carved into the rocks by the Nabataeans, each adorned with details of their builders’ lives: from their glass jewellery, names, and biographies to the garlands of dates they were buried with. You can even go beyond the traditional trail to the “no-go” areas of Hegra, with the help of augmented reality, from the seat of your Land Rover – take the day, and the drive, and explore these untouched wonders in comfort and with class. 

Khaybar & Tayma – the Ancient Kingdoms Festival 

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Few events in the Kingdom can match the wonder and immersion of the Ancient Kingdoms Festival, a three-week celebration of all things AlUla and the neighbouring areas of Khaybar and Tayma.

A visit to either neighbour will be of immense reward: the Khaybar Oasis is famed for its extraordinary tranquillity, whereas Tayma – the Land of Kings, as it is known – is strewn with ancient temples and towers in immaculate condition. Better still, when festival season comes around, these already-beautiful spots come alive with light shows, plays, concerts, banquets; the past and the present, leaving an indelible mark on all who experience it.   

Maraya 

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Gleaming in the sun, a monumental structure that will stand proud in AlUla for years to come, Maraya shines as one of the world’s brightest, most brilliant buildings. Made from nearly 10,000 mirror panels, the immenseness of the building needs to be seen to be believed – but its utilities are more than just mere reflection.

Superstars like Alicia Keys, Usher, and John Legend have performed inside the state-of-the-art concert hall, which has even served as a gallery hall, exhibiting a one-of-a-kind collection of Andy Warhol’s work from February to May 2023. Maraya is one of the Kingdom’s most glamorous destinations and an unmissable spot that should be on everyone’s itinerary.  

Where to Stay 

Banyan Tree AlUla 

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For a destination this luxurious, it almost feels unfair to say that the real delights of Banyan Tree AlUla are to be found not in their palatial villas, situated in the serenity of the Madinah Province, but all around their domain, in the Ashar Valley surrounding it. Those villas, mind you, are stunning: replete with private swimming pools, fire pits, and all the modern conveniences you’d expect of a five-star hotel. But where Banyan Tree AlUla sets itself apart is with its dining experiences – two outstanding on-site restaurants, but also secluded private dinners, picnics, and barbecues in the dunes and canyons, where you can pitch yourself underneath the stars and let their staff take care of everything else.  

@banyantree.alula

Shaden Resort AlUla 

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For an experience that will place you at the very heart of AlUla, Shaden Resort – an MGallery Experience by Accor – is a destination without comparison. From each window, you are dwarfed by vast craggy towers of sandstone, which take on different shades and complexions all through the day and night. You’re only five kilometres away from the legendary AlUla Old Town and with that, the AlJadidah Arts District, where you can experience the region at its chicest and most modern – all year round, there are cultural activities that showcase the Kingdom’s sharpest artistic talents turning the streets into their canvas. If you want to make the most of the Old Town, there’s no place better than Shaden Resort in which to base yourself.  

@shadenresortalula

Caravan by Habitas AlUla 

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This option may not be for everyone, but for those who are seeking an immersive, meditative glamping experience deep in the desert, the luxury Airstreams on offer at Caravan AlUla will be unforgettable. Each caravan has been lovingly restored and fitted with private outdoor decks that boast of private, personal views of the oases and canyons. To eat, drink, read, chat, and meet new people, head to the playful food trucks dotted among the Airstreams for breakfast waffles, smoothie bowls, wood-fired pizzas – even marshmallows for you to grill over the fires back at your caravan, in your group or maybe even with new friends. As experiences go in AlUla, the Caravan life is unlike any other.   

@caravanhabitasalula

Where to Eat 

SOMEWHERE 

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Most restaurants are quick to tie their flag to a particular cuisine – to certain dishes, spices, or influences. Not at SOMEWHERE, where their style comes from… somewhere, as they say. Anywhere. Everywhere. It’s less about fusion and more about innovation: chicken shawarma cooked in the Levantine way, then piled into steamed Chinese bao buns; Iraqi kubba (or kibbe) made with braised short rib instead of lamb; or Lebanese batata harra – spiced fried potatoes cooked with chilli peppers and garlic – lavished with black truffle and parmesan.

SOMEWHERE’s approach is proudly iconoclastic, thrilling and engaging, and is comfortably the most daring option for lunch or dinner in AlUla’s Old Town.  

@somewhere

Suhail 

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For something more rooted in traditional Saudi flavours, however, turn to Suhail, where the classic dishes of the Kingdom are elevated to true haute cuisine. Their take on jareesh – a comforting dish for so many in the region – is adorned with gold leaf and served in hand-crafted ceramic bowls made by local artisans, a nod to both the humility and luxury you can experience in AlUla.

Likewise, their braised lamb kabsa has all the bosky depth of any great stew, served on rice gilded by fragrant saffron – a dish fit for a king, which shows that with all the new openings and cuisines coming to the country, the dishes dearest to Saudi hearts are just as good as anything else out there.  

@suhail_saudi

Maraya Social by Jason Atherton 

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Already situated on the rooftop of one of the most mesmeric structures in the Middle East, Maraya Social by Jason Atherton just so happens to be one of the very best restaurants in the country, led by the legendary Michelin-starred British chef. Taking the style that has made his cooking so renowned and celebrated all over the world, Atherton has reimagined his dishes through a Saudi lens, making use of the bounties of the region: AlUla oranges paired with salt-baked beetroot and smoked goat’s cheese, dates from the palm trees baked into sticky puddings with banana and spiced toffee. Maraya Social is a fine-dining wonderland, and if you’re visiting Maraya, in which it so proudly sits atop, you ought to treat yourself to a table.  

@marayasocial

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Lead image with thanks to Abdulaziz Albalawi (@aziz.alula)