Know before you go
- Region
- Medina Province
- Best time to visit
- October to April
AlUla is Saudi Arabia's crown jewel — a vast desert valley where 2,000-year-old Nabataean tombs sit among sculpted sandstone outcrops and palm-filled oases. Hegra (Mada'in Salih), the Kingdom's first UNESCO World Heritage site, is the southern sister city of Petra.
Beyond the archaeology, AlUla offers hot-air ballooning at dawn, stargazing in some of the darkest skies in the region, the mirrored Maraya concert hall, and the famous Elephant Rock at sunset.
The old town of AlUla, with its labyrinth of mud-brick houses, and the oasis trail with its farms and cafés make it easy to fill three to four days. Book Hegra tours and balloon flights well in advance in peak season.
Top things to do in AlUla
- Hegra (Mada'in Salih) tombs
- Elephant Rock at sunset
- Maraya mirrored concert hall
- AlUla Old Town and oasis trail
- Hot-air ballooning and stargazing