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Until recently, the desert oasis of AlUla was an unseen wonder of the world
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As the hot air balloon soared at sunrise over the Arabian desert, monumental tombs carved into surreal sandstone rock formations appeared far below. This was Hegra, a city founded nearly two thousand years ago by the Nabataeans, the mysterious civilization of Arabic traders that also built Petra in Jordan.
Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hegra is the crown jewel of a remarkable zone of archeological wonders, otherworldly landscapes and artistic inspiration called AlUla that has just begun to welcome the outside world.
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I was here to experience the AlUla Skies Festival, a celebration of all things airborne. Each morning, dozens of hot air balloons drifted across AlUla’s cloudless cerulean skies. By day, hundreds of colourful kites twirled through the air and sightseeing helicopters circled over AlULa’s landmarks and heritage sites. At night, illuminated drones formed choreographed patterns, the stargazing was stupendous and a pop-up outdoor cinema projected Hollywood movies against a stark canyon backdrop.
Part of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Saudi Vision 2030 plan to transform the world’s largest oil exporter into a more diversified global trade and tourism hub, AlUla represents the Kingdom’s attempt to woo Westerners with a mix of archeological wonders, post-modern art installations, unique and sustainable luxury resort experiences and Arabic hospitality.
Aware of their infamously austere and conservative country’s image problem in the West, the people marketing AlUla to the wider world are content to attract only a relatively small number of well-heeled, intellectually curious travellers willing to journey well off the beaten track.
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“The fact that Saudi Arabia remains mysterious to a lot of people is an advantage because there is curiosity along with trepidation,” said Rami Almoallim, an executive with the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), which oversees tourism here.
Ancient crossroads
For millennia, AlUla’s verdant valley was an important oasis along the incense trading networks that crisscrossed the Arabian Peninsula, its canopy of palm and citrus groves offering caravan traders, pilgrims and travellers coolness and shelter from the desert heat.
First settled around 5,000 BCE, the area has been home to layer upon layer of civilizations. The most enigmatic were the mysterious Nabataeans, nomads whose desert survival skills and forays into trading extended as far as India and China, where they dealt in spices, gold, incense, exotic animals, ivory, perfumes and much more. More than ninety of their mammoth rock-cut tombs remain remarkably well preserved at Hegra amid wind-carved canyons, red-rock cliffs, giant boulders and fantastic sandstone formations surrounded by the desolate Hijaz Mountains and a sea of sand.
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Unlike Petra, which now receives nearly a million visitors per year, Hegra remained virtually unknown outside Saudi Arabia before the Kingdom started issuing tourist visas for non-Muslim visitors in 2019. On the day I visited, only a handful of other visitors wandered among the elaborate facades marking the entrances to the tombs of wealthy Nabataeans. Above one, an inscription carved in stone read: “May the lord of the world curse upon anyone who disturb this tomb or open it.”
Elsewhere around this still-thriving oasis, which produces 90,000 tonnes of dates annually from more than two million date palm trees, were more reminders of a distant past. At a site dating back to the kingdom of Dadan, which predated the Nabataeans by centuries, two pairs of lions cut into the cliffs kept an eternal vigil.
The labyrinth of tightly packed streets and mud-brick buildings that makes up AlUla’s Old Town offered a fascinating glimpse of life here a millennium ago. Depictions of humans, camels, livestock, harps, chariots and hunting and battle scenes graced the walls of AlUla’s numerous rock art trails. And in a valley called Jabal Ikmah, more than 500 rock inscriptions in more than ten different languages predating Arabic chronicled life across the ages.
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“When I feel stressed, I come to Jabal Ikmah and find a sense of calm, surrounded by these inscriptions, feeling connected to my past,” said Sulaiman Aljuwayhil, who works for the RCU.
Modern artropolis
The past and future intersect in AlUla, with its legacy of cross-cultural exchange and ambitious plan to become an important modern-art melting pot. Launched in 2020, Desert X AlUla, an offshoot of the original contemporary art exhibition first held in Southern California’s Coachella Valley, featured monumental works by Saudi and international artists set amid breathtaking desert landscapes.
“Everyone is hungry for the best in contemporary art – and Desert X AlUla is feeding that appetite in an unprecedented way,” said Raneem Farsi, co-artistic director of Desert X.
Equally impressive was Maraya, which means mirror or reflection in Arabic, the largest mirrored structure in the world. Nearly invisible from a distance amid the shimmering heat rising from AlUla’s landscape, Maraya is the stunning centrepiece of AlUla’s growing cultural scene, hosting performances from renowned performers such as Alicia Keys and Andrea Bocelli and Cheb Khaled, as well as pop-up art events and longer term exhibits like FAME: Andy Warhol in AlUla, which showcases the iconic artist’s fascination with celebrity.
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Elsewhere in AlUla, art of a more traditional kind is practised in places like Madrasat Addeerah, Saudi Arabia’s first girls school, which opened in 1964. Today, it is an arts and handicrafts hub offering a range of workshops and classes. Here, dozens of local women, most dressed in the traditional Abaya — a long, loose gown with a black headscarf or niqab in public places — study traditional crafts like jewellery, pottery, wicker and ceramics making under the tutelage of international artists in residence.
“Once you’ve learned the craft, you’ve then got to figure out how to turn it into a viable business,” says Dr. Desmond Lazaro, a visiting artist and administrator. “We can teach them how to get a job at the end of it as a way of making a living.
Adventure hub
Adventure is also part of the new mix. From zip-lining and dune buggy excursions to Arabian horseback rides, mountain biking and trekking, the region is already drawing active travellers keen to experience the Saudi desert.
One day, I explored the wild beauty of the Sharaan Nature Reserve on a vintage 4×4 safari, spotting endemic animals like Nubian Ibex and Idmi Gazelles. That evening, AlUla’s remote location, clear skies, and an abundance of excellent lookout points made it a superb destination for some Astro-tourism.
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As Saudi Arabia continues on its path toward opening up, AlUla is well positioned to become the epicentre of the Kingdom’s attempt to engage with the world through its extraordinarily well-preserved heritage and natural beauty.
The writer was hosted by Experience AlUla. This story was not vetted by the organization before publication.
IF YOU GO
Air Canada has year-round, non-stop flights from Toronto to Dubai, and will offer non-stop service from Vancouver to Dubai starting in late October. FlyDubai offers a daily connection between Dubai and AlUla. There are no direct flights from Canada to Saudi Arabia.
• Canadians over the age of 18 can apply for an eVisa costing around $160, valid for one year, and offering multiple entries of up to 90 days each.
• The Traveling Panther offers a variety of bespoke AlUla itineraries.
Where to stayBanyan Tree AlUla is a luxury all-villa tented resort featuring two restaurants, a spa and rock pool, yoga classes and more.
Nearby Habitas AlUla also offers villas, a fantastic pool and an even more Bedouin-like vibe.
Where to eatTawlet Fayza offers traditional Arabic food. Perched on the Harrat Viewpoint, OKTO offers upscale Greek cuisine with spectacular views of the AlUla Oasis and the surrounding desert.
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