Things to Do in AlUla: Heritage, Canyons & Dark Skies

Inscribed in 2008 as Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hegra was the southern principal city of the Nabataean kingdom, which had its capital at Petra in Jordan. Over 111 monumental tomb facades were carved directly into standalone sandstone massifs between the 1st century BCE and the 1st century CE. Notable monuments include Qasr al-Farid (standing alone in the sand), the Diwan ceremonial chamber cut into Jabal Ithlib, and the necropolis at Jabal al-Banat.

Designed by Italian architecture firm Giò Forma, Maraya is the world's largest mirrored building, cloaked in 9,740 square metres of mirror panels that reflect the surrounding canyon cliffs. Inside, the 500-seat theatre hosts international musical performances, arts festivals, and global summits. The rooftop houses Maraya Social, offering fine dining with views across the canyon.

Located approximately 85 kilometres north of AlUla town in an uninhabited desert plateau, AlGharameel features weathered sandstone spires rising from golden sand. Due to its distance from municipal lighting, the site enjoys exceptionally dark night skies (Bortle Class 1 to 2). Guided evening tours provide traditional carpet seating, hot tea, campfire refreshments, and astronomical telescope viewing of planets, nebulae, and the Milky Way.

Ascending via the steep, winding King Abdulaziz Road, visitors climb from the sandstone valley floor onto the basalt plateau of Harrat Uwayrid. The viewpoint sits approximately 1,250 metres above sea level (around 500 metres above the valley floor), offering sweeping vistas of the green date-palm oasis, Old Town, and distant sandstone cliffs. Facilities include a glass-floored viewing cantilever, telescope stations, fire pits, and a seasonal cliffside café.