AlUla: See the Secrets of the Stones

Amid the many wonders of AlUla’s desert, few are as instantly striking as the monumental tombs of Hegra. These colossal facades carved out of the sandstone landscape mark the burial sites of the city’s elite under Nabataean rule 2,000 years ago. Their sophisticated designs display a powerful mix of cultural influences that reflect the city’s position as an important trading hub. From Greco-Roman columns to the eagle, sphinx, and snake motifs associated with Egypt, Persia, and Mesopotamia, to the unique inscriptions calling down curses upon would-be thieves, these remarkably preserved sandstone tombs reveal much about the lives of ancient Nabataeans.

Beneath the soaring sandstone cliffs of the AlUla valley, a carpet of verdant green covers the desert floor. These are the vast plantations of date palms, the so-called “trees of life” that are essential to agriculture in AlUla. The tall palms provide shade from the sun and help retain water in the fertile soil: Beneath their protective canopy, cultivated crops flourish—cereals, fruits, and vegetables. And the date palms themselves yield the sweet fruit for which the region is famous: 90,000 tons of dates are grown in AlUla each year. It’s an agricultural wonder nestled in the protective embrace of the imposing mountains that surround the valley.

As the sun sets in the desert, rock formations seem to huddle together as if gathered in anticipation of a spectacular show hosted by the night sky. Staring at the stars has been a pleasure enjoyed by desert dwellers since humans first populated AlUla: With little light pollution or moisture to form clouds, the skies above AlUla are incredibly clear, offering an uninterrupted view of the infinity of space. Propped against a perfectly positioned rock or simply lying on the ground, it’s easy to lose yourself in the beauty―and the mystery―of the universe while contemplating a star-speckled sky from a stone-strewn Earth.

Little more than a stone’s throw from the skillfully crafted monolithic tombs of Hegra’s ancient necropolis, a timeless face gazes into the distance. This is Face Rock, one of the many stunning sandstone rock formations that nature has carved into an instantly recognizable form. Blasted by wind, sand, and water, the outcrop has been shaped into the unmistakable profile of a human head. And it’s a head held high―a slight upward incline gives it a sense of stoic pride and purpose, perhaps standing sentinel over the carved-stone tombs of nearby Hegra.

As if the mountain is sleepily blinking itself awake, an elliptical crack in the rock seems to offer a stone’s-eye view of the sandstone formations around Jabal Ithlib. It is an unusual outlook that offers a playful perspective on a site that is celebrated for its handcrafted rock carvings. At Jabal Ithlib, a natural fault allows you to walk through the mountain to explore the sandstone landscape from within. Along the passage, ancient craftsmen carved the famous Diwan, an elevated banquet hall hewn into the cavern wall—a stone dining room in the belly of the mountain.

AlUla is home to many famous rock formations that more than live up to their epithets: Elephant Rock, Mushroom Rock, Rainbow Rock. But none appear more intensely alive than the Dancing Rocks of the Raggasat Valley. Like a wonderful piece of abstract art, the two twisted sandstone towers have been shaped by the elements into a single sculpture, entwined in an embrace in which they seem to sway in unison. From above, the pair appear to be alone on an almost empty dance floor, perhaps the last couple enjoying a final spin after a long night dancing beneath the stars.

AlUla Old Town is just that—very old. After 800 years of continual occupation, the town’s last residents moved out in the 1980s, and its abandoned buildings fell into ruin. The homes that make up its maze of streets, some built centuries ago with stone plundered from the ancient city of Dadan, went silent—their stories buried beneath dust and rubble. But today new life has been breathed into the town. Archaeologists have excavated and restored the town as a living time capsule, sifting through debris like this to bring its hidden history back to the fore.

A galloping horse and rider appear to come to an abrupt halt in a moment of ageless drama captured on the surface of a sandstone rock in Sharaan Nature Reserve. The region is famous for its rock art, and ancient artists often depicted the animals that inhabited their world—including the revered Arabian horse. One of the world’s oldest breeds of horse, the “prince of the desert” has carried Bedouin warriors into battle for thousands of years. Prized above almost any other possession, the strength, stamina, elegance, and nobility of these horses have earned them a predominant place in the hearts of Saudis.

Everybody looks at AlUla’s landscape differently, from the shapes observed in dunes and rocks to the ways the changing light transforms a view from dawn to dusk. Looking at these impressive rocky outcrops, one might see a tranquil desert scene to be savored―or an exciting mountain challenge to be mastered. There is no wrong answer: Everyone can explore AlUla in their own way. But even the most adventurous souls, after a hard day of climbing, caving, and bouldering, should find time to settle back, relax, and appreciate the elegant beauty of AlUla’s spectacular sandstone desert.

Journey through time to discover the rich history of AlUla here.