Hotels in Al Ula

Al Ula: Sandstone Canyons and Nabataean Tombs in Northwest Saudi Arabia

Al Ula sits in the Hejaz region of northwest Saudi Arabia, roughly 300 km north of Medina, where a 12 km-long oasis valley cuts through rose-red sandstone escarpments. The city's centrepiece is Hegra (ancient Mada'in Saleh), Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, designated in 2008. Hegra preserves more than 100 monumental Nabataean tombs carved directly into sandstone outcrops between roughly 100 BCE and 75 CE — the same civilisation that built Petra in Jordan. A second archaeological zone, Dadan, dates the oasis settlement back to the 9th century BCE, making Al Ula one of the continuously inhabited places with the longest recorded history in the Arabian Peninsula.

Practical Tips

• Season: Visit between October and March; summer temperatures exceed 40 °C.
• Access: Prince Abdul Majeed bin Abdulaziz Airport (ULH) receives direct flights from Riyadh and Jeddah; transfer time to central Al Ula is under 30 minutes.
• Site entry: Hegra requires advance booking through the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) portal; same-day tickets sell out regularly.
• Currency: Saudi riyal (SAR); most hotels and major sites accept cards, but carry cash for the old town souq.