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For two thousand years, the Nabataeans' second city sat almost unvisited in the deserts of northwest Saudi Arabia. Hegra, at AlUla, opened to tourism only in 2020, which means you can now stand alone in front of monumental rock-cut tombs that in Petra would be ringed by crowds. This guide covers the site, the wider AlUla oasis, the practicalities of visiting Saudi Arabia, and how to stay connected with a travel eSIM.
The Nabataeans' Southern Capital
Hegra, also known as Mada'in Salih, was the second city of the Nabataean kingdom, the same civilisation that carved Petra. Positioned on the incense route between Arabia and the Mediterranean, it prospered in the first centuries BC and AD, and its wealthy families cut more than 110 monumental tombs into the sandstone outcrops scattered across the plain. The most famous, Qasr al-Farid, the Lonely Castle, stands unfinished on its own rock, its facade emerging from the stone like a building being born. In 2008 Hegra became Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its tomb facades are in places sharper and better preserved than Petra's, protected by the dry desert and the long absence of visitors.
Visiting Hegra
- Entry is by guided tour booked through the official AlUla platform, with transport between tomb clusters included.
- Winter (October to March) is the season. Summer temperatures are extreme.
- Sunrise and late afternoon slots give the sandstone its colour and the photos their shadows.
- Book AlUla accommodation early in peak season; the oasis has boomed and the best places fill up.
The Rest of the AlUla Oasis
- AlUla Old Town: a labyrinth of mudbrick houses inhabited into the 20th century, now restored with cafes and viewpoints
- Elephant Rock (Jabal AlFil): the sunset gathering spot, a sandstone elephant the size of an office block
- Dadan and Jabal Ikmah: the older kingdoms before the Nabataeans, with an open-air library of ancient inscriptions
- Desert stargazing: among the darkest accessible skies in the region
Practicalities for UK Travellers
- The Saudi eVisa is straightforward for UK passport holders and issued online.
- Fly via Riyadh or Jeddah to AlUla's airport, or combine with a wider Saudi itinerary.
- Dress modestly; the rules for visitors have relaxed considerably, and AlUla is used to international tourism.
- Ride-hailing apps work in the cities, and AlUla runs on pre-booked transport and tours, all managed from your phone.
Staying Connected in Saudi Arabia
Everything about an AlUla trip is digital: the eVisa on your phone, tour bookings and QR tickets, navigation between sites spread across a large oasis, and photo backups from a destination your friends have not seen before. A SimplySIM Saudi Arabia eSIM installs before you fly and activates on landing, while your UK number stays live for calls and verification texts. See plans on the Saudi Arabia eSIM page, and if the trip continues to Jordan for the full Nabataean double bill, or into the Gulf, compare the regional and global eSIMs.
A Five-Day AlUla Plan
- Day 1: arrive via Riyadh or Jeddah, AlUla Old Town at dusk
- Day 2: Hegra morning tour, Elephant Rock sunset
- Day 3: Dadan and Jabal Ikmah, canyon dinner
- Day 4: second Hegra visit in afternoon light or a desert excursion, stargazing
- Day 5: fly onward, ideally to Amman for Petra and the full Nabataean story
Final Thoughts
Hegra today is what Petra was a generation ago: monumental, quiet and still feeling like a secret. Go before everyone else works that out, and land with a Saudi Arabia travel eSIM already working so the desert logistics stay effortless.
