Give someone the desert
Where the heritage fee goes
where-the-heritage-fee-goes
Heritage
Faisal Al-Rashid
Every night you stay, forty-five dollars a guest goes to the people who protect the valley. Here is exactly how it is spent, and what it has achieved so far.
heritage, conservation, community
Hegra, slowly: a morning among the tombs
hegra-slowly
Heritage
Khalid Al-Harbi
How to see Saudi Arabia's first World Heritage Site without the rush: when to go, what to look for in the carvings, and why the quiet tombs are the best ones.
hegra, nabataeans, heritage
The falconer's morning
the-falconers-morning
Stories
Saad Al-Mutairi
Before dawn in the mews with the birds, the hood, the glove and the quiet patience of an Arabian tradition that is older than the tombs of Hegra.
falconry, heritage, stories
When to come to AlUla: a month-by-month guide
when-to-come-to-alula
Planning
Reem Al-Zahrani
Cool clear winters, golden springs and quiet summers. An honest guide to the weather, the light, the crowds and what each month in the valley is best for.
planning, seasons, weather
What the stars look like at 900 metres
what-the-stars-look-like-at-900-metres
Desert
Khalid Al-Harbi
No lights for thirty kilometres, dry air and a sky that fills from edge to edge. A guide to stargazing in the valley, and what to look for in each season.
stars, night sky, astronomy
Dates: a primer from the oasis farm
dates-a-primer-from-the-oasis-farm
Kitchen
Omar Haddad
Medjool, Barhi, Ajwa and the dozens in between. Our chef on how dates are grown in the valley, how to tell them apart and how we cook with them.
dates, farm, kitchen
Why the desert flowers in February
why-the-desert-flowers-in-february
Desert
Khalid Al-Harbi
After the winter rains, the valley turns briefly green and gold. What blooms, where to find it, and why it lasts only a few weeks.
wildflowers, seasons, nature
