Al-Ula

Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia

Low-angle sunrise view of Al-Ula's old mud-brick town framed by palm fronds against towering sandstone cliffs.

Al-Ula is a desert oasis town of rock tombs, old inscriptions and mud-brick houses on a former incense trade route.

The place

Al-Ula sits in the Hejaz, the western region of Saudi Arabia tied to the early history of Islam and to several older Semitic civilisations. The town is officially called AlUla, and its governorate lies in Medina Province, some way north-west of the city of Medina. Roughly 32,000 people live here. The settlement grew up around a palm-filled oasis in a desert valley, where water and fertile soil made permanent life possible.

The first thing you notice on arrival is the old walled town, known locally as al-Dirah. Its dense cluster of mud-brick and stone houses sits at the edge of the palm grove that once fed it. Much of it has been restored, so the lanes feel lived-in rather than frozen. Newer buildings stand close by, some made to look old, which is worth knowing before you take photographs.

The surrounding landscape is the real draw. Sandstone outcrops rise from the valley floor, and the mountains hold inscriptions and petroglyphs cut by travellers over many centuries. The archaeology is spread across the valley rather than gathered in one place, so you will need transport to see it properly.

Heat shapes the timing. Winter is the busy, expensive season, when the new luxury lodgings are at their most sought after. Midsummer is hot enough that long walks in the open become hard going. Walking is comfortable from October to April, when winter days stay mild, while midsummer is the hardest time outdoors.

Its story

The oasis of Al-Ula has been inhabited for a very long time. Settlement here reaches back to the Bronze Age, and the valley's water and soil drew people long before there was a walled town. Later the place took shape as a stop on the incense trade, the caravan network that carried spices, silk and other luxury goods between southern Arabia, the Red Sea kingdoms, Egypt, India and the Levant.

Many scholars link the oasis with Dedan, the Biblical city whose name also appears in ancient inscriptions. The Dedanite kingdom, which ruled in the seventh and sixth centuries BCE, left its own writing and a growing town. Dedan is also named in a Babylonian inscription recording a military campaign led by Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon, into northern Arabia. Around the turn of the fifth century BCE the kingdom became hereditary.

The Lihyanites succeeded the Dedanites and made the oasis their capital for roughly four hundred years, until about the first century BCE. The Nabataeans, whose great cities include Hegra to the north and Petra in Jordan, later held the region. Their rule ended in the early second century CE, when Rome annexed the territory into its province of Arabia Petraea.

Trade moved on in the Islamic period. The commercial centre shifted to al-Mabiyat, a settlement some distance away near Mughayrah, which flourished from about the seventh century CE and declined before the thirteenth. Al-Ula kept its walls, its palms and its role as a stop for travellers, and the inscriptions in the surrounding hills still record the people who passed through.

What to see

Culture

Al-Ula is a Muslim-majority town in a country where public life follows Islamic norms, and the old town is a home for families as well as a heritage site. Locals go about their day among the tourists, so treat the lanes as you would a village rather than a theme park. Modest dress matters most: keep shoulders and knees covered in the old town and at heritage sites, and carry a light layer or scarf for the rock tombs. Alcohol is not sold in Saudi Arabia, so do not plan on it. Photography needs care, since many people here value their privacy. Guides are usually local and know which spots are sensitive, so follow their directions at tombs and inscriptions where people may be resting or praying. Families gather in the valley at weekends, so keep voices low near homes and cafés. Ask before photographing anyone, and never photograph women without their permission.

What to wear

Traditional dress in Al-Ula follows the wider Hejaz. Men wear the long white thobe, an ankle-length cotton robe, with a white or red-and-white checked headcloth called the ghutra, held in place by a black cord known as the agal. Women traditionally wore dark, loose robes and headscarves, often embroidered at the cuffs and collar. The black abaya remains the common outer layer for women today. Cotton and wool were the working textiles of the oasis, while silk and brocade came through the trade routes and appear in older garments.

In the streets now, you see a mix. Many men still wear the thobe, especially on Fridays and at prayer, while others wear Western clothes. Younger women often pair a plain abaya with a shayla, and some wear coloured or patterned scarves over fitted trousers and tops. Staff at the new lodgings and the guides usually wear practical clothes, so the mix of uniforms, tailored thobes and everyday wear is wide.

For a visitor, the rule is modesty and comfort. Loose trousers or a long skirt, with sleeves past the elbow and a scarf you can drape over your hair, will suit the old town and the heritage sites. Bring a light layer, since desert evenings turn cool quickly. Sturdy closed shoes with good grip are essential for the rock paths and the carving sites, where the sandstone can be slippery and loose underfoot.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. Al-Ula is best from October to April, when walking and guided tours are comfortable and winter days stay mild. Winter is the busy and expensive peak, and midsummer is too hot for long days outdoors, although rates fall sharply then.

How long. 3–4

Getting there. The nearest major airport is at Medina, a long drive away, so most visitors fly to Medina and continue by road. Saptco runs direct buses from Jeddah and Riyadh, which take many hours. Check current schedules and the airport options before you book.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources