Archaeological landmarks and beautiful landscapes
"Al-Ula" from the air... A journey that flies above history
Elephant Mountain is the most famous rock formation in Al-Ula.
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The unique landscapes of Saudi Arabia's AlUla region show three distinct geological periods dating back millions of years.
While archaeologists and geologists have the opportunity to fly over Al-Ula as part of their work to understand and document this history, visitors to Al-Ula can now enjoy the diversity of archaeological monuments and the global significance of the governorate's landscape, by taking the first recreational helicopter tour in Saudi Arabia.
"Visitors will have the most exciting experience of their lives when seeing AlUla from the air," said Don Boyer, one of the first geologists to undertake research-based helicopter flights in AlUla.
Based on his research on AlUla's geological topography, Boyer added: "While the rocks are mostly common rock types, there are three very different landscapes - pre-Cambrian Arabian rocks, sandstone that was added naturally on top of them, and then black basalt, which It was formed from volcanic eruptions - all in one area, which is what makes AlUla so special.”
vast areas
Boyer continued: “Atmospheric erosion and changes in wind and water have created a natural drainage like wadi, which cuts through AlUla and the adjacent steep valleys.
These elements sculpt the hilltops and create jagged edges of basalt and interesting rock formations, you will find a variety of colors of different textures from black basalt to multi-layered sandstone.
It's an extraordinary geologic journey that takes your breath away and almost makes you cry with excitement and a sense of dread at times.”
Tens of thousands of archaeological sites have been identified in Al-Ula, and few have been closely investigated so far.
The time period, covered by the archeology of Al-Ula, is approximately at least 7,000 years old, including the Dadan period and the Nabataean period.
Boyer noted that there was clearly a lot going on even in the remote desert areas, which he describes as remarkable given the apparent lack of evidence of settlements in which these ancients might have lived.
Boyer continued: “The landscape, which we see today, is more or less the same, which the people here saw 7,000 years ago.
The joy of flying over this part of the Arabian Peninsula - rather than, say, the heritage sites of Europe - is that there is no chaos.
The spaces are vast in Al-Ula, and it makes you see things in their initial state and the state of preservation is very good in general.”
Prime sites
Helicopter flights are available and operate twice a day.
The 30-minute journey covers seven major sites of interest, including the gigantic Elephant Mountain, the most famous natural geological rock formation in AlUla, Hegra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the southern capital of Nabataean civilization, the Hejaz Railway and the modern engineering marvel of the Hall of Mirrors, the largest building of mirrors. The reflective world, where it sparkles like a diamond in the desert.
The tour also includes flying over Jabal Ikma (the Open Library) and Dadan, the capital of the kingdoms of Dadan and Lehyan, in addition to the ancient town of Al-Ula, a medieval city dating back to the 12th century AD, before flying back to the village of Farasan.
Two kingdoms from the past
Al-Ula is located 1,100 km from Riyadh in the northwest of Saudi Arabia, and is an area with a distinctive natural and human heritage.
Al-Ula covers a vast area of 22,561 square kilometres, and includes a fertile oasis, towering sandstone mountains, and ancient cultural heritage sites dating back thousands of years when it was ruled by the two kingdoms of Lihyan and the Nabateans.
The most famous and recognized site in AlUla is Al Hijr which is the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Saudi Arabia.
Hegra, an ancient city of 52 hectares, was the chief southern city of the Nabataean kingdom, and consisted of 111 tombs, many of them well preserved with elaborate facades cut from the sandstone outcrops surrounding the urban settlement.
Current research indicates that Hegra was the southern outpost of the Roman Empire after the Roman conquest of the Nabateans in 106 AD.
Lawrence of Arabia story
Al-Ula is home to the ancient Dadan civilization, the capital of the kingdoms of Dadan and Lehyan, and one of the most developed cities of the first millennium BC on the Arabian Peninsula.
As for Jabal Ikma, it is an open library that contains hundreds of inscriptions and writings in several different languages.
As for the old town of Al-Ula, a labyrinth of more than 900 mud-brick houses that were settled from the 12th century at least, the Hejaz Railway and the Al-Hajar Castle, are among the main sites in the story of Lawrence of Arabia and his conquests.
• 1100 km distance between «Al-Ula» and the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
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