Amongst the most significant discoveries in all of Al-Ula is the city of Dadan, the capital of the Dadan and Lihyan kingdoms. The town built meticulously from stone and astride the valley’s oasis, dates back between the late 9th and early 8th century BC (Kingdom of Dadan) and 5th–2nd...
Less than 22 km from Al-Ula is Hegra (also known as Madain Saleh or Mada’in Salih), built amid rugged desert canyons and mountainous terrain. It lies in the most stunning setting that bears testimony to the Nabataean civilization. The ticket costs 95 SAR, and the tour runs at 08:00...
We visited Maraya, the world’s largest mirrored building, reflecting Al-Ula’s beauty. It is a stunning piece of art set in the desert canyon of Ashar Valley. It is designed to blend into the surrounding landscape and rises from the sand like a mirage. According to Guinness World Records...
We spent a few busy days at the kingdom’s most famous destination. Al-Ula is a living museum of preserved tombs of ancient cultures, historic dwellings, dramatic rock formations, sand-swept dunes, and natural wonders. For thousands of years, northwest Saudi Arabia attracted people...
We drove from Al Thamad for 70 kilometers through the extensive Harrat Khaybar lava field. At the Ranger’s Station, we had to turn right and drive off-road through the lava fields and hills to explore the area. It was tough to navigate because Google doesn’t know the area...
The beginning of the twentieth century witnessed the construction of an important project in the Islamic culture, which shortened the journey of pilgrims from the Levant, Northern Iraq, Egypt, and Anatolia from 45 days to 5 days, bringing that time up to 300,000 pilgrims in a year. For...
We arrived at al-Madīnah, the second holiest city in Islam after Mecca. The city lies 625 meters above sea level on a fertile oasis. It is bounded east by an extensive lava field and on the other three sides by the Hejaz mountain range. Unlike Mecca, Al-Madīnah is open to everyone...
We knew there should be a nice wadi on the way to Al-Madīnah. But on Google, we didn’t find anything about it, so it took us an hour, with the help of locals, to find the correct way to the wadi. It’s a lovely spot for overnight. Still, except for sounds of nature, you will...
The motto of the city is “Jeddah is Different.” And they are right. The city is the perfect blend of old and modern. The historic crossroads of pilgrims and traders and the traditional gateway to Mecca, Jeddah is the most fascinating of Saudi Arabia’s major cities, with...
We spent the whole afternoon alone on the long stretch of white sand beach Al-Nuhud near Al-Birk. Someone put a lot of money into building a 3-lane road around the beach, parking bays, and every hundred meters toilets with showers. So it’s the perfect spot to relax after some long...