An oasis in the rock
AlUla's palms stretch in a green ribbon tens of kilometres long between walls of red sandstone, fed by springs and a seasonal wadi. Palms have been planted here for millennia, and AlUla families still harvest Barni, Helwa and Medjool dates from groves inherited across generations.
Hegra & the Incense Route
At the oasis edge stands Hegra (Mada'in Salih), the great southern Nabataean city and Saudi Arabia's first World Heritage site. It was a key station for incense and date caravans between Yemen and the Levant, and its rock-cut tombs tell of the wealth of ancient trade.
A modern heritage renaissance
AlUla is undergoing projects that conserve and revive the old oasis: restoring the Old Town, laying trails through the palms, and the annual AlUla Dates Festival that gathers farmers and visitors at harvest time.
