It’s not very often you get to visit a place of significance that is relatively unknown. Being able to visit an incredible destination, without the crowds that usually follow, was typically only on offer to the early explorers or those willing to go well beyond the travelled routes. It’s even rarer to have this amazing destination be easily accessible, with good accommodation options nearby, and yet still remain unknown. Could you imagine visiting the Colosseum in Rome if nobody else knew it was there? Or, more aptly, the wonders of Petra without any crowds?
AlUla is one of those places. Located in Saudi Arabia, which itself was only opened to general tourism again in 2013, AlUla has remained out of the public consciousness until only very recently. As part of a concerted effort by the Saudi authorities to increase its presence on the world stage, previously closed areas and hidden treasures are now reopen for public viewing. It’s here that you can live out your dreams of being an explorer amongst these soon to be cultural icons, far away from the crowds.
What is there at AlUla?
The biggest drawcard of AlUla is the incredible UNESCO World Heritage site of Hegra. This archaeological wonder brings comparisons to Petra in Jordan, and for good reason. Both cities played a major role in the Nabatean kingdom, with Petra the northern capital and Hegra the southern. Like Petra, Hegra features fantastic rock carved buildings that can render people speechless. There are hundreds of them dotted across the desert landscape, from tombs and halls to the iconic Qasr al Farid (seen above). It is impossible to see these remnants of a former kingdom and not have your breath taken away. And (at least for now) have the room to be amongst them without coaches of selfie stick toting tourists swarming all over the place.
It’s also hard to imagine that the sight of this ancient city could be overshadowed and yet at AlUla the desert itself becomes the star. Rock formations carved by time and volcanoes dot the landscape and create an almost otherworldly experience. You can see the famed Jabil AlFil, or ‘Elephant Rock’ so called because it resembles an elephant walking across the sandy floor. Further along, canyons and valleys bring to mind lost planets from Star Wars, from the network of canyons, valleys and so called ‘Dancing Rocks’ at Jabal Al Rukkab to the soaring mesas at Harrat Uwayrid. There is the delicately balanced ‘Mushroom Rock’ and the huge quartz studded rock archway of ‘The Arch’ alongside stunning desert landscapes.
An open air library
There are also wonders around every turn, like the open-air library of Jabal Ikmah. Here travellers as far back as 1,000 BC carved their stories into the rock faces. A walk through here is to soak in the stories of the people before you, carved into the stone.
Such is the depth of AlUla that attractions that would take centre focus elsewhere become footnotes here. There is the archeologically significant ancient city of Dadan, the beautiful AlUla Oasis and the AlUla Old Town remaining from millennia past. There are hikes to the craters of volcanoes and remarkable stargazing. The list goes on and on and on and on.
It’s not a secret that AlUla is home to such incredible wonders. The only thing that is secret is the destination itself, having flown largely under the general travel radar. For now. That will change, and very quickly. In our opinion, it’s best to visit before it does.
