Medaina Saleh
Planning a trip up to Medaina Saleh in a few weeks and was hoping for any advice. Fly into Medina from Riyadh on Wen evening and fly back Friday night and thats about as far as we have gotten. Looking to stay probably in ala Ula but any advice on hotels, car or 4x4 rentals, tour companies (hoping to avoid big busy tours) places to eat in Ula, must see parts of the ruins and really anything else would be much appreciated. Thanks1
I believe that there is only one hotel i Al Ula (Al Ula hotel). Which is quite nice. The can arrange to drive you to Medain Saleh. Plente of nice eateries on the main stroll. You should see the whole thing - it is kind of in a loop so it will more or less happen automatically. Why not hire a car in Medina and drive out there you self? You can get the required permission from the museum in Riyadh. That way you will have it all to your self2
There are actually two hotels in al-Ula, a cheaper one and a more expensive one. Both will arrange permits, cars and guides. Having a guide is definitely worth it--ours took us lots of places in the vicinity of al-Ula and Mada'in Saleh that we wouldn't have thought to visit otherwise. And given the difficulties of getting to Saudi Arabia the chances of your encountering a "big, busy tour" are few and far between. Such groups do exist, but only a few a month. On the day my friend and I visited Mada'in Saleh we had the site entirely to ourselves.4
Im from Riyadh and never been to madain saleh, but I believe that number of people ur expecting to find at the sites is a lot more than the actual, welcome and good luck :)5
There used to be two hotels, but apparently one burned down sometime this winter/spring. You can arrange the permits for mede'in saleh by the hotel, though do this more than a week in advance (my friends went a few weeks back and almost panicked when the permits didn't arrive by tuesday evening). I went in the fall for Saudi National Day and found our guide to be next to useless; I was also on a 'big, busy, tour' (they do exist in saudi!) which was in and of itself awful, but despite it being a national holiday the site was far from full.If @zashibis knows of a good guide, I highly recommend finding out how to contact this guide.
6
****funkydelicguy and laxstar****call me asap if you'd like to join me on an impromptu visit to M-saleh. I plan to be there THIS Thurs and Friday. I just got the permit by the Antiquities Commission in Riyadh (took 20 minutes, for free) and am flying to Jeddah tonight.
I am still exploring how to reach al-Ula from Jeddah, perhaps fly to closer town or overnight(?) bus or--if necessary--bust out a car. I dont have a valid license so I myself cannot rent a car! If anyone can provide advice on traveling from Jeddah to Ula, that would be marvelous
