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What we know today as The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an age-old land, whose secrets are slowly being revealed. Spanning the Arabian Peninsula, its historical regions played key roles as centres of trade, the birthplace of Islam, and the territories of fascinating and mysterious ancient civilizations.Today, this area’s early history is most commonly associated with the Nabatean Empire, who, 2,000 years ago, were the most prominent civilization in the Arabian Peninsula. The Nabateans took control of local trade routes, developing their settlements into cities. They excelled at carving sandstone rocks into elaborate temples and tombs, and eventually transformed the landscape on both ends of their realm into majestic metropolises.
Petra, in Jordan, is the most famous remnant of this great empire, and most of the world is not yet aware that another impressive Nabatean relic lies in the heart of Saudi’s AlUla Valley. Hegra, the country’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, was built in a climate and topography even harsher than Jordan’s, making the achievement seem like an engineering miracle from the past.
Hegra is only one part of this vast and incredible landscape, home to vibrant red sands, giant rock formations rising from the earth, and hidden valleys and canyons just begging to be explored.
Recent times have seen rapid change in Saudi Arabia – in just the space of a few years, the country opened to tourism and started making a huge push to attract visitors from far and wide. If you’re looking to discover its ancient treasures without the crowds, time is running out…yalla!
Let's go!
Day 1 // Thursday
Meeting at airport for direct flight to Alula.
Arrival, immigration clearance and we’ll set out to get our first look at the area’s incredible landscapes and rock formations. We’ll make a stop for photos at the iconic Elephant Rock, an imposing sandstone mass rising 52 metres into the sky, which over time has been shaped by wind and water erosion to resemble its namesake animal.
Next we’ll step back in time with a visit to AlUla Old Town, established more than 1,000 years ago as a stop on the ancient incense trading routes as well as the pilgrimage path from Damascus to Mecca. We’ll wander the winding alleys and marvel at the hundreds of mudbrick houses that have stood the test of time.
Day 2 // Friday
Today we’ll head to the Hajar region and hike up the cliffs for taking in the beauty of this harsh landscape. Our guide will tell us more about the history of the land and the native plants and wildlife.
In the afternoon we’ll head to Ashar Valley, an expanse of desert filled with winding canyons and wind-carved rock formations. Here we will pay a visit to a couple of modern, man-made wonders, first with a guided tour of Maraya, the world's largest mirrored building – making for a stunning sight as its walls reflect its surroundings to create the illusion of an endless landscape. Pictures here are made for Instagram!
Last stop is Wadi AlFann, meaning ‘Valley of the Arts’, a new open-air gallery for contemporary art which features works by artists from around the world placed amid AlUla’s rugged terrain.
Day 3 // Saturday
This morning we will learn more about the fascinating ancient history of the area. The city of Dadan was the ancient capital of the Dadan and Lihyan kingdoms more than 2,000 years ago, and here we’ll find tombs carved into the red stone of cliff faces – incredibly, some built as high as 50 meters off the ground.
Next we’ll head to UNESCO-recognised Jabal Ikmah, a site featuring the largest concentration of ancient inscriptions in the region etched into its cliff faces and rocks. The mountain’s hundreds of etchings have given it the nickname of “AlUla’s open-air library”.
In the afternoon, we’ll head to the Algramel area, an otherworldly landscape of rock chimneys rising up from the earth. A trek will take us past stunning rock formations and through a maze of canyons, to find the Raqasat, or “Dancing Rocks”. These three natural pillars have been molded by time and the elements to look like they are swaying together in unison.
Nearby we’ll find another of AlUla’s most recognizable rock formations: The Arch, a bridge-shaped structure which resembles a rainbow flanked by two clouds. Here a sparkle might catch your eye, as we spot pieces of multicolored quartz embedded in the rock and scattered on the ground in the area.
Later we’ll visit a local farm and take a stroll through an oasis, learning about the region’s traditional agricultural practices.
Day 4 // Sunday
Head to the airport for our return flight. Back home early afternoon.
Activities: Trekking, sightseeing, off-roading.
Grade: Easy, with short hikes. Available to everyone.
Room & Meals: Hotel - double sharing. Meals excluded.
Cost: AED 5600 AED all-inclusive of direct flights until MAR 17th. Past this date cost will change.
Specifically Excluded:
Evisa,
Insurance,
Meals.
Optional:
- Hegra by night,
- Dinner at Maraya.
Book early to avoid sell-out.
Visa:
Visas not included in the trip budget, UAE / GCC RESIDENTS can now obtain E-visa: [https://visa.visitsaudi.com/](https://visa.visitsaudi.com/)
It is sole responsibility of participant to secure admission to the country of destination.
See yah in Saudi x
Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 050 4848238
Find all trekkups at [linktr.ee/trekkup](http://linktr.ee/trekkup)
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