Northern Saudi Arabia
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Overview
Northern Saudi Arabia is the region with the richest pre-Islamic sites in the entire country. While Madain Saleh will rightly continue to take all the headlines, with its Petra-like carved tombs in spectacular desert settings, the lesser-known town of Al Ula is also an impressive ode to ancient civilisations. It sits hemmed in by a forest of palms and stunning red cliffs.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
Northern Saudi Arabia
Often dubbed the 'second Petra', Madain Saleh, for many, is on a par with – if not more impressive than – its famous cousin across the border in Jordan…
Northern Saudi Arabia
The melancholy of Al Wajh's beautiful old Hejazi houses, as they stare wistfully out to sea, is apparent in every corner of the town's near-abandoned Al…
Northern Saudi Arabia
A lone rusting locomotive sits in the sun on its side, its funnel pointing downwards. Derailed and useless, this relic really evokes the impact TE…
Northern Saudi Arabia
This is one of the only surviving bridges of the Hejaz Railway left in Saudi Arabia. The beautiful 150m long red-and-grey-brick arches, stretching over a…
Northern Saudi Arabia
Jebel Al Lawz, rising 2580m above sea level, is one of the only accessible mountains in the Kingdom to experience snowfall in winter. This is what many…
Northern Saudi Arabia
The haunting wreck of cargo ship Georgios G – ambitiously dubbed the 'Saudi Titanic' – sits half-submerged, rusting in the sun after becoming stranded on…
Al Buwayr Hejaz Railway Station & Fort
Northern Saudi Arabia
Sitting off the old Medina–Al Ula road is this refurbished black Hejaz Railway locomotive, almost complete with wagons in tow. There's also a crumbling…
Northern Saudi Arabia
Arabia's only 'elephant' is a huge red rock three storeys in height. The enormous 'body' connects to a slimmer 'trunk' that bulges in just the right areas…