I hope Saudi opens up for tourism soon so others can explore and discover that Saudi has a lot more than just sand dunes, camels and oil.

Here is Mada’in Saleh; Saudi’s first proclaimed UNESCO World Heritage Site that dates back to 1st Century AD.

Mada’in Saleh, also less known as Al Hijr is a pre-Islamic archaeological site that is also mentioned in the Quran and the Bible. It is located 22 km from Al Ula.

The Nabataeans were believed to be the first inhabitants of Mada’in Saleh and the ones who carved sandstones and built the 130 homes.

Here are some places to visit and things to do in Al Ula other than Mada’in Saleh

1. Lion Tombs – The tombs were evidence of the 2,600 years f settlement in Al Ula. Some of them have a neat craving of lions above the tombs which are believed to keep the deceased safe.

2. Viewpoint – Watch the sunset by going to one of the highest points you can find and overlook the quaint little town of Al Ula.

3. Elephant Rock – There are many rock formations in Al Ula, the Elephant Rock is probably the most famous one.

4. Visit a Farm – A street fruit vendor that was selling oranges were kind enough to take us to his beautiful farm filled with date plantation, orange trees, fluffy camels and plenty of places to hike.

5. Hike – Al Ula is surrounded by so many sandstones, pick any and start climbing!

6. Old City – Visit the old walled city that was found in the 6th century.

7. Hejaz Railway Museum

If you’re not traveling during summer or do not have any plans over the weekend, it’s about time to start exploring Saudi Arabia 😀

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It is a great place for camping and hiking. The hike was not easy due to the heat from the sun right on top of your head. It’s not easy to find shade while descending to the beautiful sodium phosphate base as well as the climb to the rim.

It would be wise to wear a hat or tie a shemagh around your head.

It is recommended to start the hike as early as possible and climb up before the sun strikes.

The time to climb down and up really depends on how much stops you make but it takes about 45 to 60 minutes each. There is a rocky trail to follow and it goes in a zigzag like pattern. The climb up definitely took much longer than going down.

What’s great is that it is very secluded in the middle of nowhere and there is only a handful of people around. There were other tents and hikers but the rim is so big that you can pitch your tent away from others.

It was just us by the edge of the crater; accompanied by millions of bright stars, full moon light and brisk winds singing to our ears.

The sunrise is something you should not miss! Climb down and enjoy the sunrise over the plateau.

If you haven’t been there, then it’s a perfect place for a weekend adventure with friends or family! 😀 Just make sure to bring extra necessities because there isn’t any shop around the area.

“You could see it as heaps of gravel,

surrounding a massive hole,

or

a magnificent corollary,

of the mighty mother nature;

breeds beauty,

from an enigmatic catastrophe”

Cover Photo Credit goes to @mr_esob

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