Royal Heritage Experience: Riyadh & AlUla

Arrival at Alula International airport, after visa and immigration formalities our representative will meet and escort the guests to their air-conditioned vehicle for their transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Alula.

Breakfast at your hotel, Today we will start our journey with the visit of the famous Hegra (Madain Saleh) which is the first site of Saudi Arabia that was listed as UNESCO World Heritage site.

Madain Saleh, whose original name was Al-Hijr or Hegra in Greek, is the southernmost important city of the Nabatean Kingdom that flourished thanks to the caravan trade between the 2nd century BCE until the Roman conquest in 106 CE.

It is the second richest Nabatean city in terms of monumental tombs with over a hundred decorated funeral monuments including some of the most vibrant and well conserved architectural prowess of the Nabateans builders. We will lead you through this fascinating site and reveal to you the secrets of its tombs, ancient inscriptions, stone structures, and many others.

Lunch in the city. Then we depart for Dedan/ Ikmah tour. AlUla is an ancient oasis that is inhabited for the last 7000 years as testify ancient carvings in and around the oasis. During the 1st millennium BCE the city of Dedan develops thanks to its strategic location on the frankincense trade road to become one of the oldest Arabian kingdoms that ruled over most of what is today Tabuk and Madinah provinces.

Visit Jebel Ikmah with its amazing rock inscriptions that make it look like an open-air library. Then will pass by the ancient city of Dedan that was an important oasis on the frankincense trade route between Southern Arabia and the Mediterranean World. Before heading back to the hotel, we will visit Jebel Al-Fil (Elephant rock) for a relaxing time. Back to your hotel. for dinner & overnight in Alula.

Breakfast at the hotel. we will go through AlUla for a panoramic tour all around the city. Stop at Maraya for photo stop. Maraya is a stunning piece of art set in the desert canyon of Ashar Valley. Designed to blend into the surrounding landscape, it rises from the sand like a mirage. The state-of-the-art structure is covered in 9,740 mirrored panels reflecting AlUla’ s beauty, making it the largest mirrored building in the world, according to Guinness World Records.

We continue then to the Old city of AlUla “AlUla Old Town” has been awarded the title of Best Tourism Village by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, joining an esteemed collection of villages across the five regions of the world. This prestigious award recognizes AlUla’ s sustainable preservation initiatives across nature, culture, heritage and more. That became at the beginning of the Islamic era an important staging post along the pilgrimage route to Mecca. Back to hotel. Prepare for experience the entire universe through the clear skies of AlUla with this unique stargazing experience.

Grab a warm jacket, lean back, look up to the sky and see an entire universe reveal itself above you. immerse in the magnificent desert landscape, but when night descends, the real magic happens. Experience the enchantment of a desert stargazing tour led by local experts. Far from city lights, vast open spaces in remote desert lands create some of the world’s most enviable dark skies, making AlUla an idyllic locale for star watching. Ever wondered why a dark sky is so coveted?

You only need to understand how light pollution from cities dims the capacity to see stars and constellations. As the sun sets here, its beautiful hues of orange, pink and gold are the prelude to a magical excursion once the sky drops its curtain. We all live under the same sky, but its clarity and unfathomable beauty are a spectacular sight to behold in the ancient desert realm of AlUla.

Tilting your eyes skyward and witnessing a dark horizon lit up by an infinity of twinkling stars is a deeply moving experience. This stargazing experience set in the remote Gharameel area of AlUla offers some of the best views of the night sky you’ll ever see. A traditional dinner prepared right on the campfire just for you. At the end back to your hotel. overnight in Alula.

Breakfast at your hotel. Tayma is one of the legendary oases along the ancient Incense Road, connecting Arabia to the great civilizations of Egypt and Mesopotamia, from southern Arabia to the Mediterranean and beyond. Located between the Hijaz Mountains and the western part of the Great Nefud desert, Tayma has been a seat of prestige and power through chapters in history, including being the residence of the last Babylonian King Nabonidus for ten years in the mid-6th century BCE.

The story of Tayma continues to be revealed close to the ground with excavations discovering astonishing artefacts and monuments that shed light on the depth and complexity of the people that lived and thrived in this region thousands of years ago. The discoveries at Tayma have played a pivotal role in changing the narrative of the history of ancient Arabia. For example, findings of tools and ‘warrior tombs’ from the Bronze Age (3rd-2nd millennia BCE) have contributed to changing the perception of this period as being a void or ‘dark age’ in the history of northwest Arabia.

The link between the three oases of AlUla, Tayma and Khaybar has been further strengthened with the discovery of numerous funerary structures along avenues located near permanent water sources, the directions of such avenues. As our knowledge of this unique region of Arabia expands, we invite you to Tayma, the Land of Kings – a region that has long been considered a sister oasis to AlUla in legacy, legend, and heritage. Back to Alula for dinner & overnight

Khaybar is one of the natural wonders of northwest Arabia. A geological treasure with an unforgettable landscape, Khaybar is a unique site born from desert volcanic activity. The ecology supports an abundance of native plant and animal life. The natural conditions of freshwater springs and ‘wadis’ create an oasis that has encouraged waves of settled and nomadic human activity.

From the skies, the monumental scale of Khaybar unfolds in full. Aerial archaeology and photography continue to bring new discoveries and areas of expert study that are reshaping our understanding of the early history of northwest Arabia and its connection to the wider region.

Like Tayma and AlUla – its sister oases, Khaybar is rediscovering its history and revealing new stories that previously remained unknown. Its records are layered in time, as evidenced by the remnants of fortresses, the traditions of craftsmanship, and ways of living that continue to thrive here to this day. In a part of northwest Arabia formerly deemed devoid of human civilization, the ancient kingdoms of AlUla, Tamya and Khaybar highlight the importance and influence this region has played in the history of humankind. Back to Alula for dinner & overnight

Breakfast at your hotel. Check-out Transfer to Alula International airport for your departure flight back to your hometown. END OF SERVICE.