Situated here was a bar serving amazing mocktails and Greek Food – this did not feel anything like you may expect from Saudi Arabia until you looked over the look out and took in the Oasis and AlUla below. The next few days were long, non-stop and jam packed! We managed to do our site inspections, we walked through the Oasis, wandered around AlUla Old Town, we drove up the volcanic mountain side and we reached the most stunning look out at Harrat Viewpoint. We shared a seat in a sunken sand pit with a Saudi couple and their baby as we drank our coffee with the Arabian music in the background under AlUla’s starry night sky – still pinching ourselves that we had actually made it - sitting in the very spot we have looked at in pictures for a year. In our excitement we dropped our bags and headed to nearby Elephant Rock, one of AlUla’s stunning geological sites. We arrived in the evening and driving our own car, we arrived at Shaden Resort to find amazing rock formations stunningly backlit among a candlelit driveway – we were speechless. However, the moment we both waited for was AlUla. The place really came to life at night as the locals answered the call to prayer echoing out across the district – goosebumps! Welcome to Saudi Arabia! Our local guide was Leila, walking us through the maze of small windy streets in her colourful abaya. Jeddah is one of the main gateway cities for AlUla and it was good to experience what it had to offer visitors. We took an evening tour of Al Balad - “The Town”, which is a historical part of Jeddah featuring stunning coral limestone houses with the most beautifully created Rawashin (Bay Windows) in three distinct colours.
Experience alula free#
Under our masks, you could not wipe the smiles of our faces as we walked through border security, duty free and boarded a plane internationally for the first time since 2020 – onto Jeddah, Saudi Arabia we went – the first night and the first experience of Saudi Arabia – a country which was never accessible to tourists until 2019. It was a very special trip as this was our first visit to AlUla after over a year of us talking to the trade about it. Good news is we made it over to AlUla and it was honestly one of the most eye opening and amazing experiences either of us have had. Everything became dependent on a simple PCR test 24 hours prior to departure and the nerves for that negative result were real.
Upon receiving the news over Christmas that there was a possibility of us visiting AlUla in the New Year, Sonia and myself were in a self-imposed lockdown while Omicron started spreading around us. Book your safari tour here.By Antonio Khattar, Account Manager, Experience AlUla Prepare to spot some wild animals along the way. Enjoy the scenery of the beautiful sandstone mountains from the comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle. Go on a journey through nature, where you will spend two hours of vintage jeep safari in the Sharaan Reserve to experience the great desert, valleys and mountains of AlUla. As you gaze up at the stars, learn about the concepts of astrology and cosmology as practised in the Nabataean civilisation. Start the night with an interactive performance about warrior Queen Shaqilath and end with an incredible stargazing experience at Hegra. Where: Maraya Concert Hall Hegra after darkĮnter a darkened sensorium to taste, hear, smell, touch and see what the Nabataeans experienced every day. Having had a huge regional and international fan base, Hiba was the first female singer to perform live in Saudi Arabia in 2017. With a limited number of seats available, don’t miss out on this year’s first concert at Maraya. She will be enchanting the audience with records from her 14-year-old long repertoire of Arabic and non-Arabic music. Kicking off the events season in AlUla is a live performance by the renowned Lebanese singer, actor, and director, Hiba Tawaji. Where: Rooftop, Maraya Concert Hall Hiba Tawaji concert Available only for dinner from Wed to Sat.
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