Saudi Arabia’s AlUla reopens with new experiences for the visitors

By Rahul Vaimal, Associate Editor
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AlUla Heritage City
AlUla Heritage Site

The historic crossroads of ancient civilizations, AlUla has officially reopened for visitors.

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has revealed a detailed package of experiences that will be introduced in the coming months. The first to reopen for bookings are heritage sites, Hegra, Jabal Ikmah and Dadan. The reopening of the heritage site was announced earlier this month.

The Hegra is Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest conserved site of the Nabataean civilization south of Petra. It is the home for more than 100 tombs including Lihyan son of Kuza.

Hegra
Tomb of Lihyan son of Kuza in Hegra

The new changes allow visitors to become an archaeologist for a day in the ancient city of Dadan, the capital of the Dadanite and Liyhanite kingdoms and one of the most advanced cities in the first millennia BC.

In February, archaeologists started detailed excavations at Dadan to investigate the 200,000-year history of AlUla. A family-friendly 40-minute “Archaeology for Everyone” workshop will allow children to know about the art of digging artifacts from December. Live immersion shows will also be held in heritage spot, also it allows audio tours and provides opportunities to the visitors to roam in a vintage jeep.

The other parts of AlUla Old Town will be open to the public from late-December. The tourist experience will include Rawi tours of Tantora Plaza and views from AlUla citadel, experiencing a busy souq, handicraft pavilions, souvenir shops and new dining choices with complete conservation.

There will be plenty of other events outside of the heritage sites to keep tourists amused. A new Adventure Canyon area will provide those looking for high-energy thrills with a suite of experiences.

Alula
Alula Heritage Site Image

Visitors can enjoy the scenery, rock art, dunes and peaks of the desert of the Al-Gharameel rocks, from mid-November. A leisurely two-hour cycling ride, which runs through palm groves and citrus trees, is another trail accessible from mid-November.

The Oasis trial, Dune buggy experience, Bike Park, Zipline are the upcoming attractions of the tourist place.

The AlUla Fresh Farm visit gives tourists an insight into agricultural life with fruit picking, animal feeding and seed planting for a more relaxing experience. Farms play a major role in the economy and daily life of AlUla. The farm includes 2.3 million palm trees and 29 different citrus fruits and so on.

Restaurants have also been carefully considered and more announcements about some exciting new dining choices are to be made in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Barzan and Al-Makher, the main local cafes are collaborating with the RCU to ensure a year-round offering of fabulous local cuisine.

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