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Al Ula Viewpoint
The views as you wind your way up to this gem of a spot offer glimpses of what's to come. At the top, the road plateaus through a windswept, lunar…
©Yousef Albalawi/EyeEm/Getty Images
Al Ula
Nestled in a large, spectacular valley, where palm groves run down the centre of a wadi (dry riverbed) and forbidding red-sandstone cliffs rise up on either side, Al Ula has a delightfully mysterious air about it. It is also the gateway to Saudi Arabia's very own 'Petra', Madain Saleh, with most visitors to the World Heritage Site staying here in town.
Al Ula's old-town ruins are among the best examples of traditional northern Arab architecture, and with a history that stretches back to the 6th century BC, the town is surrounded by a host of fascinating pre-Islamic sites.
Founded as 'Dedan' by the Lihyanites, the town became the capital of their kingdom. Al Ula's strategic location meant it also sat along several trade routes for spices and incense coming from the Levant, Egypt and North Africa.
Explore Al Ula
- AAl Ula Viewpoint
The views as you wind your way up to this gem of a spot offer glimpses of what's to come. At the top, the road plateaus through a windswept, lunar…
- AAl Ula Heritage Village
There are plans to make this a formal tourist venue in the near future, but for now you can enjoy freely wandering among the beautiful mud ruins where…
- JJebel Khuraibah
The fortress and three peaks of Jebel Khuraibah once formed part of the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Lihyan. Rock-cut tombs squat at the foot of the…
- AAl Ula Fort
To protect the ancient village, inhabitants in the 6th century used red-sandstone blocks to build this castle on a promontory that gives a 360-degree view…
- AAl Ula Antiquities & Heritage Museum
This small museum is attractively designed, with some intriguing and informative displays on the history, culture, flora and fauna of the area, as well as…
- UUmm Al Daraj
A few kilometres north of old Al Ula, Umm Al Daraj (Mother of Steps) is worth a detour. Climbing the hill reveals three red-sandstone religious structures…
- MMt Almejder
This 300m-high mountain east of Al Ula features stone settlements and caves with pre-Islamic inscriptions and drawings, but there was no access to it at…
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Al Ula.
See
Al Ula Viewpoint
The views as you wind your way up to this gem of a spot offer glimpses of what's to come. At the top, the road plateaus through a windswept, lunar…
See
Al Ula Heritage Village
There are plans to make this a formal tourist venue in the near future, but for now you can enjoy freely wandering among the beautiful mud ruins where…
See
Jebel Khuraibah
The fortress and three peaks of Jebel Khuraibah once formed part of the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Lihyan. Rock-cut tombs squat at the foot of the…
See
Al Ula Fort
To protect the ancient village, inhabitants in the 6th century used red-sandstone blocks to build this castle on a promontory that gives a 360-degree view…
See
Al Ula Antiquities & Heritage Museum
This small museum is attractively designed, with some intriguing and informative displays on the history, culture, flora and fauna of the area, as well as…
See
Umm Al Daraj
A few kilometres north of old Al Ula, Umm Al Daraj (Mother of Steps) is worth a detour. Climbing the hill reveals three red-sandstone religious structures…
See
Mt Almejder
This 300m-high mountain east of Al Ula features stone settlements and caves with pre-Islamic inscriptions and drawings, but there was no access to it at…
Guidebooks
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