Reaching the esoteric: My unforgettable fam trip to AlUla

Working in marketing, it’s my job to spruce things up, embellish stories, and admittedly, sometimes make things seem just a tiny bit more appealing than they actually are.

But when it comes to recounting my FAM trip to AlUla, I know that no matter how vivid a picture I try to paint with my words, nothing will be able to capture quite how surreal and wonderful this place actually is.

To start things off, I’ll give you a brief introduction to AlUla. Located deep into the desert in the north west of Saudi Arabia, Al-Ula was an oasis town and an important stop on the ancient pilgrimage route. AlUla (as it is now referred to) was a safe place to stop in since it provided shelter and seasonal rains meant produce such as dates, pomegranates, grapes and wheat could grow. Added to these crops, farmers could raise livestock here as well. With traders and merchants making such long distances with their camels across the vast stretches of arid desert, AlUla became an attractive prospect to settle in and became a vital transit point connecting Europe, Africa and Asia.

And just like anywhere that has the foundations for prosperity, valuable spices and commodities such as frankincense and myrrh became the luxury commodities that ruled the land, and this is indeed even recorded in the old testament for its spiritual significance during that period.

The Nabateans are responsible for the artistic, architectural and culture heritage of AlUla. The Nabateans were an ancient people who inhabited northern Arabia and the Southern Levant. Their legacy today is the elaborate carvings into the sides of sandstone cliffs that you see in AlUla as well as in the world-famous sites you see in Petra, Jordan. Therefore, an easy but perhaps simplified way to think of AlUla is like Petra before anyone found it.

That’s because until 2019 travel to AlUla was not permitted, making it one of the most exclusive locations to travel to in the world. In fact, the world’s best archaeologists are only just now exploring AlUla and are uncovering ancient tombs and underground cities and it is even estimated that only around 4% of AlUla has been discovered.

Having already possessed some of this knowledge through some various marketing endeavours and therefore having seen the incredible pictures of the place, the news that I was going on a fam trip there was easily the best thing I heard all year.

Day 1

First impressions

As we began our descent in the plane, having flown from Dubai, I caught my first glimpses out the corner of the window that was half shut by a sleepy passenger next me. It wasn’t the best view as I eagerly strained my neck to see the landscape below, but what I did see was unlike anything I had ever seen before. My first thought was that it felt like we had veered out of the stratosphere and landed on Mars.

The airport was tiny but very cool. Rustic red facades and art installations were set against the backdrop of the desert – a theme throughout AlUla. Immediately, any preconceived ideas I had about what security might be like were dispelled – everyone was welcoming and jovial, even making jokes with us. We were picked up in SUVs by our drivers and whisked away to Our Habitas AlUla, which was to be our hotel for the week.   

I will never forget the first hour of driving into this place. The resort winds from top to bottom through a canyon which previously hosted an open-air desert art exhibit. Because of this, there are seven contemporary art installations dotted around the resort. This only adds to the whimsical nature of Habitas, as it does not immediately reveal all of its personality to you at once, rather it invites you to let your sense of exploration lead you to get to know this place, with all of its quirks and surprises.   

As we drove in, we passed the first of these installations before getting out of our cars at reception. Reception is at the bottom of the hill looking up the canyon as it tapers in; I usually dislike the term jaw-dropping but this is one of those occasions where it really does fit.

Welcome home

We were greeted with warm smiles, told ‘welcome home’, and given refreshing drinks as we prepared for our welcome ceremony. Our host asked the group a few simple questions to prompt us into the right mindset and we were then each given a handcrafted bracelet and a piece of frankincense to burn. The aroma of the frankincense burning with charcoal, mixed up with the smell of the hot desert air, is a concoction so divine I felt as though it opened up new pathways in my brain.

Habitas is a sensory experience which I believe is inspired by the textures of the desert. The sandstone rocks and desert sand produce a soft but slightly rough texture and this is reflected in the natural materials of the resort. Floors are made from rich wood and are decorated with handwoven tapestry and earthenware. These delicate textures entertain you as the smoky aroma delights your olfactory senses and very soon a feeling of calm and contentedness takes residence. As funny as this may sound, I went 5 days where I did not touch anything that felt cheap or uncomfortable – it was all plush linens, soft rugs, warm handtowels to wash your hands after a meal, it was fantastic.

Villa 36

When moving through the resort, you are given the choice to either call a buggy, take your own electric bike, or walk.

Once again, I will never forget my reaction to opening the door to my villa. I almost felt guilty that I was getting to stay there. A huge bed looked out on to the canyon, as did the gorgeous indoor and outdoor bathroom. One thing about the villas here is that there is no room service or tv because Habitas want you to interact with the resort and the environment as much as possible. I had a lovely outdoor deck which was decorated with Arabian rugs and furniture. After a shower, I sat out there with a coffee that I had made in my room and just took it all in. After I stopped talking to myself about how insanely beautiful the place was, I realised just how quiet and calm it was. The perfect place to read a book, I thought.  

Is that beetroot?

Still wide eyed in amazement, we made our way up to the restaurant at the top of the hill. Right outside the restaurant is the infinity pool which overlooks the canyon and right next to that is a large rock with a bright blue painted statue of a woman perched pensively on top (another art installation). It was at this point that I realised Habitas is what I can only imagine a luxury hotel opened by Timothee Chalamet’s character in Dune would look like… only way more relaxed. And for all of the ridiculously Instagrammable places there are in AlUla, the walkway along the infinity pool is the most impressive, evidenced by the influencers we saw getting photos there once or twice.

It was finally time to eat and we were certainly hungry. What is eminently obvious is that the produce here is of very high quality and the chefs know what they’re doing. We were given several plates of food and fresh smoothies. One thing we all found ourselves asking was how things we previously regarded as trivial, like beetroot, could taste that good.

Maraya

After dinner, we headed over to the stunning Ashar Valley to check out Maraya and perform a site inspection at Banyan Tree, AlUla.

Arabic for mirror, Maraya is an impressive contemporary arts venue which puts the spotlight back on AlUla’s otherworldly surroundings. When you finally spot it, Maraya appears like a mirage in the middle of the desert. This is where we all stopped for one the best mirror selfie of our lives. Apparently, Mariah Carey performed there the week before.

Dinner and a site inspection at Banyan Tree, AlUla

Continuing on this VIP theme, we were taken for a site inspection of Banyan Tree. This was by no means a long journey, because this resort looks out onto Maraya from the other side of the valley. What I immediately liked about Banyan Tree was that such luxurious accommodation could be so unobtrusive to the natural surroundings; with their tented canopies, villas are sewn into the valley floor, blending seamlessly and providing total privacy for its guests.

Banyan Tree, AlUla offers something slightly different to AlUla. Some may view it as being more traditionally luxurious since villas have their own private pools, with televisions and room service. The more expensive tented villas, in particular, have more of a super luxury feel. At Banyan Tree, Bedouin influences supercharged by Saudi Arabian opulence; interiors are designed with natural materials and an ecologically conscious décor with Arabian tapestry, pottery and fragrances coalescing to provide a soothing and enriching sensory experience. From your terrace, you can choose to go for a dip in your own private infinity pool or sit by the firepit and enjoy a barbecue prepared by a chef. One of the best parts about this is that you are not visible from neighbouring villas so you have total privacy and an exclusive audience with the desert. Forming part of the canyon walls that surround Banyan Tree are sandstone stacks that are so huge that they beckon your veneration and stand like colossal figures, poised to impart wisdom that has been formed over thousands of years.

Banyan Tree has two restaurants, Harrat and Saffron. Perhaps a notable point to mention is that Habitas is very close by to Banyan Tree and since you can also dine at the newly opened social in Maraya, you can easily eat out at a different restaurant each night without venturing into the town. Harrat is a restaurant which embraces local cuisine and culture, using freshly produced ingredients from AlUla’s sustainable farms to prepare classic Middle Eastern dishes while Saffron is Banyan’s signature Thai restaurant. The service at Saffron was first class and the food was sublime. The scents and tastes of lemongrass and spice are allowed to show off in Saffron AlUla’s intimate ambiance, bringing our first evening to a decadent close.

Day 2

Hegra

I woke up and drew the curtains and found a spectacular sunrise paint the cliffs around the canyon – it was such a profoundly beautiful view that it made me feel like I was being rewarded for rising early. The landscape here is so spectacular that it feels almost performative and I was getting to see the first show of the day.

We set out in our SUVs to head to our first historical site of the trip: the lost city of Hegra. We arrived at the entrance and immediately were offered dried apricot, ginger and pineapple along with fresh fruit juice served in handcrafted stone pottery. Once again, the flavours were sensational and I promise I’m still not exaggerating. The desert sun was beating down and the temperatures were sitting in the high 30s but since it was a dry heat it didn’t feel uncomfortable. Besides, it only made our drinks taste even better. Vintage land rovers escorted us to meet our rawi (storyteller), who would take us through the trail.

Hegra is synonymous with AlUla and is one of the most historically important sites in all of Saudi Arabia, as the country’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, 110 surviving tombs are strewn throughout the desert, intricately carved out of the sandstone rocks that punctuate the desert horizon. The tombs here date back to the 1^st century BC and feature intricate carvings, inscriptions and symbols. The biggest tombs held the most important, wealthy members of society along with their families. The tombs were carved from the top down and many feature inscriptions and symbols which served as a curse to anyone who might have dared to go inside.

A gluttonous lunch at Shaden Resort

After an inspection of the lovely Shaden Resort (where King Charles has his own villa), we were treated to a rather gluttonous lunch. We feasted on a cornucopia of Middle Eastern food and washed it down with some Arabic tea. Delightful!

To the pool, finally!

After a full morning, we were taken back home for some free time. I took this opportunity to relax in my villa, freshen up and head to the pool that I was desperate to swim in. As you can see from this picture, the pool area is preposterously beautiful and it was nice to cool off and just really take the place in.

Elephant Rock and AlUla Old Town

The first stop of the evening was Elephant Rock, one of the most photographed landmarks in all of AlUla. What I didn’t expect from this was the cool seating area that had been created just outside. This allowed us to sit back and watch the fiery breath of an Arabian sunset light up the rock. What makes natural structures like Elephant Rock so captivating is that, millions of years ago, this whole area would have been underwater, explaining the porous and unusual rock formations that you see.

Next up was a trip to AlUla Old Town. The dim lighting of the street made for a relaxed atmosphere, one that prompted a moment to contemplate that we were walking on the ancient incense road. Much of the group took this opportunity to sample local fragrances and buy oud-scented perfumes.  

We’re going Somewhere

This evening we were taken to Somewhere, an Instagrammable dining spot which turned out for many to be one of the best meals of the week.

Day 3

Just like the previous morning, our third day began with a trip to another site of incredible historical significance. This time we were taken along the Heritage Oasis Trail before we arrived at Dadan, the ancient capital of the Dadan and Lihyan kingdoms.

The Oasis Heritage Trail was a fascinating way to immerse ourselves in an ancient way of life. The remarkably green stretches of palm tree hides underneath it the crucial agricultural legacy of ancient AlUla. As you move along the trail, you can observe the various kinds of dates growing here. The trail weaves in and out of the old mudbrick city walls where people lived and farmed, giving us a greater understanding of how AlUla came to be.

Saudi Arabia’s Pompeii

We then met our rawi at Dadan (there is a really endearing culture of storytelling in Arabic culture that was consistent throughout this trip) who educated us about how this ancient city is being excavated, revealing the secrets and buried stories of a forgotten kingdom. We also got to peruse the various artefacts and displays at the museum, where we were given a brief but fascinating language lesson of the ancient languages of AlUla and how we could spell our own name in Lihyanite!

Dadan is just off Jabal Ikmah, a mountain where you can find thousands of ancient petroglyphs, leading it to be described as an open-air library. It was extremely interesting to see how stories in the languages that came to influence modern Arabic, including Dadanite, Lihyanite, Thamudic (Bedouin) and Safaitic, are told here. These inscriptions would have been paid for with the trade of goods such as livestock and would often have been to commemorate an individual’s death.

An evening serenade

We finished the day with another wonderful meal at Habitas’ Tama restaurant. The mood in the camp was jovial and at this point a lot of the conversation was dominated about how this had been a special trip, indeed one of the best fam trips many of us had ever been on.

As part of the resort’s menu of daily activities, which include the likes of Yoga, Tai Chi and free weight classes, we had the option to conclude another wonderful day with a relaxing desert sound bath under the stars. This was a first for me but it was extremely relaxing and frankly quite surreal. The air was a perfect temperature and above the cliffs was a beautiful night sky with shooting stars. I got that rare calm feeling that feels sort of like a warmth in your chest – the perfect end to the day.

Day 4

AlUla: a bird’s-eye view

You know a trip has been a success when you start to get sad at the thought of going home before you’ve even reached your last day. However, any such feelings quickly melted away at breakfast, as the sun shone in and I enjoyed another exquisite breakfast. Today’s elixir was an immune-boosting smoothie followed by a coffee and this was paired with today’s choice, moro brioche: sourdough brioche, caramelised banana, caramel, mascarpone, toasted hazelnuts and local mint topped with blueberries. It doesn’t get much better than this.

A breakfast of champions was definitely needed though because it was time for another adventure, this time from the skies. We were taken on a helicopter ride over AlUla, taking off at Maraya, flying over the old town, Dadan, Hegra and Habitas! This was a lot of fun and also a great way to really truly understand how AlUla is geologically one of the most impressive places on earth.

Afterwards, we were delighted to hear that we had the rest of the afternoon to do as we pleased. While I am often one to resent spending too much time in my hotel or resort when I travel, this was an exception. I had a great time relaxing by the pool, cycling through the resort and chilling on the my terrace. I even managed to fit in a full workout too!

Stargazing

We had gone from looking down in amazement in the morning to looking up in awe in the evening as we drove one hour into the desert for an unforgettable stargazing experience. For me, this was possibly the highlight of the trip so far.                 

With zero light pollution, it takes approximately 20-30 minutes for your eyes to fully adapt to the night sky. As our eyes got used to the darkness, the most beautiful night sky revealed itself and a sea of stars enveloped my vision. Our fantastic rawi taught us about the milky way, how to read constellations and navigate using the sky just as the Bedouins did all of those years ago. It was fascinating to hear the stories of how ancient Arabs could navigate these deserts with incredible precision using only the stars. One anecdote our rawi told us that really stayed with me was of a man who proclaimed:

“If I cannot understand the stars, then I do not recognise the roof of my own home.”

As my mind flooded with questions about the vastness and complexity of the universe, I found myself feeling gaining a profound feeling of curiosity and gratefulness to belong to such an incredible place.

Day 5

Canyon swings and ziplines

Sadly, it was our final day in AlUla. But not before one last incredible adventure. This morning, we set off to AlUla Adventure Hub.

Now, for context, when I was given my itinerary before leaving this was the one activity that stood out. I had overheard our trade support manager on the phone discussing this activity and how it looked absolutely terrifying but that it was a great activity to offer on the final day of our trip. She wasn’t wrong.

For additional context, I am not someone who is happy to go on roller coasters and I certainly do not want to entertain the thought of a bungee jump. So when we arrived and cranked our necks up to view the cliff off which we were to jump off, I declined to take part, leaving a group of the most daring to get suited up with their helmets and harnesses. There was just one problem and that was the voice in my head telling me that I couldn’t come all this way and just stand by and watch. At the very last minute, feeling like I had just tricked myself into doing the scariest thing of my life, I got suited up and we set out.

The first part of the course was not what I had expected, in a good way. In order to get to the top, we had to first complete a rather challenging via ferrata. Our guides were just great, helping us and supporting us to get along the various rockfaces and climb our way up while making us laugh at the same time. Everything was of course perfectly safe, but it felt like they weren’t holding back in how they made this course as it really did provide a very enjoyable challenge.

The views of the early morning sunrise only added to the atmosphere, so making our way to the top really made for an atmospheric climb. The challenge was probably a good thing too, because it had distracted me from the fact we were about to jump off the very top! When we did finally make our way round to the summit, there was a strong camaraderie forged by the team effort to get there.

For the final time of the trip, I had another moment that I’ll never forget and that is when I was shuffled round the rock face to lay eyes on the launch point. I will be honest and tell you that I did feel a degree of what we will call terror as it became apparent to me that I was now at the top of this very high canyon, looking down at the base camp which now appeared very small and very far away.

As I made my way across to the edge, the whole group cheered me on in support. I didn’t reciprocate for those who went before me because I was simply too focused on controlling my own breathing! The guides were once again fantastic in their encouragement and helping me to feel safe and as calm as I could be.

Before I knew it, I was dangling over the edge, waiting for the safety cable to be detached and the rope to be released. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…. I did it. What a feeling. I screamed in triumph as I had overcame a huge fear of mine and truthfully REALLY enjoyed doing. I rejoined my fellow adventurers and we then took on the zipline and suspended ladder.

Just before we made our way to the airport, we made one last stop at Pink Camel for one last indulgent meal. As the adrenaline subsided, my appetite took its place and I took full advantage of a table full of delicious meats, vegetables and even some surprisingly delicate macarons.

The morning really was the perfect way to finish what had been genuinely one of the best weeks of my life. I am hopeful that I will get to experience many more amazing things in my life, but I am aware and I am grateful that my fam trip to AlUla was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.