RAMADAN, PRICES AND ALL THE DETAILS- Travelling in Saudi Arabia 2025

......our last blog post about travels in Saudi Arabia was set in other-worldly Al Ula, an ancient desert city...........

We wanted to make a summary blog post about our strong feelings regarding our travels throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our impressions of the country before visiting were so different to the reality within KSA, and we assume it may be the case for our readers. There are many negative preconceptions that arise when thinking about Saudi Arabia, and hopefully we can rectify this with our tales of one of the most rewarding trips we have ever made.

Adorable welcoming father and son, Najran, KSA

Beautiful mountains around Asir region, KSA

TRAVEL NOTES

Transport in Saudi Arabia......

Travelling  in a country where almost everyone drives can be both challenging and easy in various situations. We struggled with walking in cities and towns with huge main roads, as there are few pedestrian crossings, and often walkers are forced to trek a long way around to avoid being mown down. Apparently it is illegal to cross the road when not at an official pedestrian crossing, but we did it all the time to save time and energy. 

On the other hand, when we wanted to get from town to town, with bus options being limited, we found it extremely easy to get a lift in a local's car, and most of our best experiences whilst in Saudi were when hitch-hiking. Our most numerable and successful trips were with military guys, English-speaking Saudis in flash SUVs, Sudanese and Egyptians. Of course, there were dozens of other kind and generous folk who picked us up from the side of the road to see us safely to our destinations. Amazingly, we were without fail taken directly to where we were staying in a new city or town by these lovely people. 

A very young man saved us one morning when our taxi didn't turn up! KSA

A completely mad ride with two lovely guys in the south of Saudi

Highways were always immaculate, new, with no potholes and plenty of room, little traffic outside of urban areas, and even had cleaning crews picking up rubbish by hand. Generally drivers don't speed because of numerous speed bumps and cameras with potentially huge fines. They do still love to use their mobile phones whilst driving, though, hiding them when they see cameras. This, of course, made us nervous, but that is the way it is in Saudi. 

                                       

                                   Driving through tunnels on a mountain side, whilst talking and texting

They love drive through facilities in Saudi, and drive through banks, cafes and pharmacies are all very common. 

Standing at the drive-through coffee place in Najran

Options at the drive-through bank, KSA

Public transport depended on the city/town, but was generally very sparse. We took local buses where we could in a few towns (Dammam, Jazan and Madinah), the networks always a new phenomenon in car-oriented Saudi. Somewhat limited, the buses were nevertheless new, AC and comfortable, and we're sure the systems will improve with time. 

Otherwise, we relied on taxi apps. They were surprisingly cheap, although it took us a while to get used to taking a taxi - something we almost never do! We used a mixture of Bolt, Careem and Uber depending on where we were, the prices varied quite a bit. We found them to be very reasonably priced for short distances, and usually a great way to talk with friendly Saudi drivers. Some of the apps worked without a SIM, others we needed to have our Saudi number. On average, a trip across a town of ten minutes or so would cost 10-20 SAR/£2-£4.

Riyadh has it's marvellous metro, which we spoke about extensively here. 

One of our focuses in Saudi was to take a train on one of the three railway lines in the country. We planned our trip so that we were actually able to take two train trips - one on the eastern line from Dammam to Riyadh, and the other on the pilgrimage line between Jeddah and Madinah. They were equally impressive. The trains were brand new, clean, fast, punctual and super organized and we were dazzled. We were able to gain discounted prices by booking online a few weeks in advance. Both trains were about 100 SAR/£20 each for the three hour trips. 

The last couple of trips we took as we were heading north and out of Saudi were with the North West bus company. These were also superb, perfectly on time, and the drivers were very careful. Also at around 100 SAR/£20, the journeys were much longer than our train trips, but just as comfortable. As the buses were nearly empty, we were able to spread out and enjoy the desert views out the big windows. 

Scenery out of Saudi bus window, KSA

Also, a note about SIM cards here. We hadn't been able to find out this information prior to arriving in KSA, and thought it might be helpful for people thinking about travelling here. SIM cards must be bought from the official phone company office. These are Mobily (the one we used), or STC, and the offices are plentiful, when you know what to look for! We initially bought a card lasting for 30 days, for about 65 SAR/£13, which had more than enough data for us to use taxis and WhatsApp people whilst out and about and away from free WIFI. After our 30 days had run out, we then topped up the SIM for about 35 SAR/£7 for another 30 days.

The places we visited in Saudi Arabia in 2025

Food in Saudi Arabia.......

Food was an unexpected highlight in Saudi Arabia. We hadn't really thought too much about cuisine when planning our trip, supposing it would be something like Egypt or Lebanon. But the food here is quite unique, and more bread based rather than rice based. We were told this is from the times before Indians came with their rice. There is an absolutely huge variety of dishes in Saudi Arabia, and we really only tried a fraction.

Colourful Saudi dips

When we had a host we were treated to an amazing array of local delicacies. Riyadh, Najran and Jazan were the stand outs in this respect, and a great more detail about these cuisines can be found on the respective blog pages. 

Spectacular fish feast in Jazan, KSA

Left to our own devices, we often weren't sure what to order, especially when no-one spoke English. Kabsa, shawaya and mandi (classic chicken and rice dishes) were always a safe bet, and often we ate at simple eateries. Foods such as felafel, shawarma, murtabbaq (a stuffed meat pancake), ful (mashed and spiced beans) and sambousa were delicious and readily available almost everywhere. The Saudis actually claim the samosa (India's national food!), and call it sambousa. Sorry Saudi, but they are not as good the Indian version! For those interested, a filling meal for the two of us including (non-alcoholic) drinks usually set us back between 20-30 SAR/£4-£6.

Murtabbaq, fast food in Saudi

Other meals we enjoyed were at Egyptian, Pakistani and Indian restaurants, as these were usually delicious, filling and cheap options. We did also try Al Baik, the Saudi version of McDonalds, and far superior in quality, as one would imagine! The shrimp sandwiches were quite tasty and everything on the menu was extremely good value for money. We did struggle slightly with the crowds trying to order, before discovering the ladies ordering section which was slightly less manic.

A unexpectedly massive Egyptian feast in Riyadh, KSA

Most restaurants have family rooms with curtains for ladies, children and families, with men eating in the main part. It seemed to be acceptable for us to eat in either. We noticed when eating out with a host, we would normally be taken to a family room, probably because of the presence of a woman (Sal!). 

Not being an alcohol consuming nation, coffee culture has become very important in the Kingdom. Saudis take their coffee extremely seriously, with tea being a secondary beverage. Saudi coffee is served as a welcome everywhere, usually along with dates, and has a spicey fragrance thanks to the cardamon added. It's quite unique, and Sal, in particular really grew to enjoy the taste. The coffee beans are roasted lightly, which gives the coffee a pale colour. This great webpage clearly shows the process. Dates, of course were ever present, and we very much loved trying the different varieties. From quite dry and hard to sticky and sweet, we discovered we loved them all!

Date palm plantation, KSA

Richard was amused to see the Saudi's love of Vimto, a drink he remembers from his British childhood. Apparently here it is THE drink with which to break the fasting at Ramadan!

Vimto loving nation!

A malt, fake beer drink, KSA

Never seen popcorn in a can before! KSA

Accommodation in Saudi Arabia........

We alternated our accommodation between "cheap" hotels and Couchsurfing. We really prefer our own space and time these days, but Couchsurfing was unparalleled when it came to fantastic local information and tips. And of course, we love company and a good chat about travelling. 

A meal with our Couchsurfing host in Jazan

Most hotels were in actuality what they called serviced apartments. Often rooms had an almost palatial living room, washing machine, microwave and massive TV (none of which we used), but were lacking basic items in the kitchen such as spoons or cups. Most often we had AC, a kettle and a fridge (which was all we needed anyway). Although the price was comparatively high for us, usually they were very comfortable and clean, and we learnt to deal with the expense. They really don't have cheapy, basic options for sleeping in KSA- or at least as a tourist, we would find it difficult to locate those places. The cheapest of these hotels came in at about 72 SAR/£15, but usually we paid around 150 SAR/£30 a night. Air B and B was practically useless, and we usually relied on Booking.com. A minor and weird quirk was that no towels were included at most hotels, although sometimes if we asked some would be rustled up. 

                                                                        Our lovely rooms in Najran

                                                                Rich happy with our luxury room in Al Bahah

Saudi Arabia weather in February and March..........

We were surprised at the range of weather we experienced in Saudi Arabia during our stay. We had thought coming in winter would mean warm temperatures pretty much across the country. But each area varied greatly. At the beginning, in Dammam and Riyadh, we had generally windy and cloudy weather, with a little drizzle even. Najran in the south was sunny and warm, and Jazan on the coast was uncomfortably hot and humid. As we moved into the mountains around Abha it cooled down, especially at night, but the days were beautiful for exploring. Al Bahah region was the most extreme weather. Terribly foggy and quite cold at nights, we held out and were rewarded with a couple of lovely sunny days. As we travelled up to Jeddah and north to more deserty areas, the weather was dry and hot. We feel like we had the full spectrum!

Mountainous region of southern Saudi.......

......contrasting desert in the north of Saudi!

Money in Saudi Arabia......

On the whole, Saudi Arabia was cheaper than we expected. Although we were paying more for hotels rooms than we would be in South East Asia, Central Asia or the Balkans, many other aspects were affordable. We were impressed with the price/standard ratio for transport (when it was available), and food could be very inexpensive. Considering the huge percentage of imported goods in the shops in Saudi, the prices are much more reasonable than one would think. 

We used ATMs in KSA without any hassles. They were, in fact, all fee free, an amazing perk for travellers like us. We are used to searching all over a city for the free ATMs in other destinations. We had to laugh at the huge amount options offered on the screen for withdrawals- 10,000 SAR, or the equivalent of £2000 being an option.

Saudis are incredibly honest, and we never had any problems with being overcharged or feeling as though we might have been ripped off in the entire two months during our stay. It just isn't part of their culture. It was quite the opposite, people giving us things for free, and often refusing payment for services such as taxis. We felt completely relaxed and safe. The same went for the foreign workers living in Saudi. They seem to behave impeccably, maybe because if they don't they will not be allowed to stay.

The only slight downside was the proliferation of bank cards. We are big proponents of using cash, but Saudi is a digital society, or at least becoming one very quickly. We usually managed OK using cash, there were only a couple of times we were forced to use our debit card to buy a bus ticket. Many Saudis use their cards to pay for absolutely everything, and all shops and taxis are required by law to have an electronic card reader. People also have their whole lives on their phone- IDs, bank cards, tickets and bills.

SOCIETAL NOTES

Religion in Saudi Arabia........

I think we were expecting a more radically religious country. Most Saudis pray five times a day, and mosques are not loud. Sometimes men pray in the middle of a shop or restaurant, but usually we didn't even clock it was prayer time. Our hosts were always very discreet, and when driving with someone, they would sometimes pull off the road for a few minutes to pray, and we would happily wait for them. It was really no different from many other Muslim countries we have travelled in. We didn't realize there was such a large Shia community in Saudi, we had assumed most people to be Sunni Muslims. They are mainly in the East and around Najran in the south. Probably the most notable element about Islam in Saudi, is that the overwhelming majority of people are Muslim. From what we saw, it is only a tiny part of the population who are not, mainly some of the Philippino workers.

Old mosque, southern Saudi Arabia

We were unsure what to expect during Ramadan in KSA. Our original plan involved leaving Saudi before Ramadan started, in order to miss what could be a difficult period for travelling. But as we were enjoying the country so much, and felt relaxed about things, we decided to stay on and experience the fasting time. 

At first, we attempted to reverse our routine to fit in with local times. Nothing whatsoever happened in the mornings, when pretty much every business was shut. We would make sure we had bought some fruit and yogurt the evening before to eat in our room in the mornings and snacks for during the day. Everything shut every prayer time. Some shops opened at 2.00pm, and some eateries generally opened between 4.00pm and 6.30pm selling takeaways. People seemed to break the fast at home at sunset (6.30pm-ish). We would often buy a takeaway at this time and eat in our accommodation. People then went for Taraweeh, a special extra Ramadan prayer, which finished about 9.00pm. This was when the country came to life, with everyone on the streets and restaurants and shops full. Sometimes we waited until this time to eat, even though it was so late for us.

We were not able to completely change to this routine. We are just way too used to getting up in the morning, having several hours of sunlight outside doing something, and going to sleep before midnight. It wasn't too bad to adjust ourselves a bit temporarily, but we couldn't do it completely. 

Saudis told us it was going to be very difficult to hitch-hike during Ramadan. This may have been true to an extent. There may have been less cars on the road than usual, but our main hitch-hiking during this period was in the mountains, so it's hard to know what it is normally like. We always managed to get lifts, even if we had to wait a while in some cases. The main difference during Ramadan was that because people were fasting and all eateries were shut, they were not able to invite us to eat with them. This was the main way people showed us their hospitality, and the central means for us to learn about culture, food and Saudi life. We loved it so much, and very much missed this aspect of life on the road. 

An upshot of travelling during Ramadan was the reduction of prices at some hotels. Locals weren't moving about much, and we were happy to see lowering of rates in many towns, a plus for us in this situation. The reverse of this was true in Madinah, however, a seemingly popular place to visit for umrah (pilgrimage) during Ramadan. Visiting the ancient tombs at Al Ula was half the price of normal entrance- apparently Saudis don't visit this town when they're fasting. 

We had decided not to stay with locals during Ramadan, as it would be too much of an imposition and difficult for them to host us whilst fasting. We always carried water with us during the day, but snuck off somewhere quiet to drink, so not to offend anyone. Saudis said it's fine for us to eat and drink in public during Ramadan, but it seemed the height of insensitivity to us. 

The fasting is tough in a hot and dry country like Saudi Arabia, especially without water. We felt a lot of respect to those going through it. One poor bloke in the line for the Farasan ferry, keeled over and fainted. This must be pretty common. We suffered the most from dehydration on our hitching day from Al Bahah to Jeddah. It's a horrible feeling, and we felt especially sorry for the people working outside. Hopefully they are exempt from the no water rule.

Overall, travelling during Ramadan in Saudi Arabia as a backpacker is certainly possible, and with careful planning not too much of an inconvenience. But it is definitely not the best time to experience the best of the Saudi people - in the day time, anyway. 

Clothing in Saudi Arabia.......

Saudis wear modest and loose clothing suitable to the culture and climate, and traditional dress is adorned by both sexes for everyday life. Men wear the long robe called a thawb, and a head scarf known as a shemaagh. We were most familiar with the classic white and red checked summer combination, but there are some varieties for seasonal differences. A darker grey or black robe, and a woollen scarf can be worn in winter. Men always looked so clean and fresh in their crisp white thawbs.

Boys dressed up for Saudi Founding Day, KSA

Women mostly wear all black. A tarhah covers the head and sometimes the face-covering niqab is worn. Usually an abaya covers the entire outfit. There are regional varieties, but for both men and women these outfits are considered the national dress and must be worn for any official duties. 

Lovely woman working at Al Turaif, Riyadh, KSA

Abaya safety, KSA

Rich wore long trousers and a long sleeved shirt for the entire time in Saudi, and Sal covered up with an abaya. Neither of these were compulsory, we just felt more comfortable dressed like the majority of the population. Things were obviously more modest in more rural places, and slightly more liberal in the cities. We noticed in Jazan many men wore shorts, and in Riyadh and Jeddah women's attire was sometimes more colourful than the basic black. I don't think we saw a woman without an abaya for our entire stay. This, of course, may be because we weren't in contact with any women in their own homes. 

Rich in Old Al Ula, KSA

Sal and Rakan and a giant ball, Riyadh, KSA

It is the current King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and especially his son the Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman that are responsible for most of the current developments in society and government, and most of the changes have occurred in the last five to six years. The most famous of these is women being allowed to drive. Others include cinemas being opened, princes having to pay their own bills, live concerts being allowed, women no longer having to cover up with an abaya and being able to study law at university. There are doubtless many other changes, these are just a few we were made aware of.  

Gorgeous scenery in the mountains of Saudi Arabia

Other interesting societal notes

After spending two months in Saudi, our perception was that most people have a pretty good life in many ways. It's not a perfect system, but it's hard to argue with free health insurance, free education, benefits for disadvantaged citizens, including rent assistance, and no personal tax. A 15% sale tax came into effect during recent years, and this cost is always built into prices in shops and restaurants. Certain food products such as milk are subsidized, as are wages of those on a low income. A massive water desalination project means drinking water is not a worry, and electricity is cheap. KSA is rich, and it seems the leaders spend a lot of the money on much that is good for the people, and therefore the economy.

Healthcare has always been free, but we were told in the last five years that the standard has been raised. When a prescription is given, a person simply goes to the pharmacy where it's waiting and free of charge. If specialist treatment for one's ailment is not available in Saudi, the health care system supports having treatment overseas, no matter what the cost!

Minimum wage in Saudi is 3,500 SAR/£720 per month, and all residents will earn or receive this amount. All citizens have access to free schooling and university, and every student gets financial support of 950 SAR/£200 per month from the kingdom to cover basic expenses such as books. If a family is in a bad financial situation, there is a possibility for additional help, such as free laptops. This creates a system where there is no need for student loans. If someone wants to study a subject that's not so common in Saudi, the government may pay for their expenses to study abroad. 

We had heard a rumour that many Saudis are paid not to work, but discovered this is not true. Residents who unable to to work due to an advanced age, or have a disability or illness are given 3,800 SAR/£785 per month. Unemployed Saudis may qualify for 3,000 SAR/£620 per month payment as part of a program to find employment. For this they must apply for more than ten jobs in a month. If they remain without a job, they may receive the payment, but only for a one year maximum period. 

Non-citizens live a different existence. They don't qualify for free medical care, for example. Most of the service people in KSA are foreigners. Many are Philippino, South Asians and Yemeni. Egyptians and Palestinians are also represented. There seemed to be a few exceptions to this employment trend. One was taxi drivers (most of ours were Saudi), and the other was the Saudi check-out boys in the supermarkets, splendid in their white and red outfits. Only a small percentage of the population is undocumented. It's very difficult to live in Saudi without being registered. Even as tourists, we couldn't do many things such as entering a museum, accessing ferries and taxi apps, checking into a hotel or purchasing a metro card or train ticket without giving our phone number, and sometimes even showing our visas.

Every shop and company in Saudi must adhere to strict regulations. Some of these include having an electronic card reader for customers to pay by card, and also businesses must have a camera installed in order to be allowed to function. Restaurant cooking must be performed in a place where cleanliness is on full display, with a window, or Perspex screen. 

We always felt 100 percent safe in every way in Saudi Arabia. The day we arrived, our friend advised us it was no problem leaving our bags and laptop in his car, and people don't even lock their houses. We were told by many people nothing will ever be stolen. Although out of big cities it might be unusual to see women walking alone, they are entirely safe and protected. It may be the country where have felt the safest in the world. Some say the lack of crime is partly due to honesty and partly fear of harsh repercussions. The one area we heard of criminality was around the Yemen border, where apparently much drug smuggling occurs, and is creating addiction problems within certain parts of society. Those caught smuggling face harsh penalties - people told us they would be put to death. 

Lovely, friendly people, all over Saudi Arabia

We just wanted to end on the random fact about how Saudi Arabia smells so good everywhere! People put an emphasis on a pleasant aroma (what a shame for locals encountering us!), and someone put the theory to us that the fascination with perfume may be a stamp of personality in a country where everyone dresses the same. The ever-present perfumed air is lovely, a bark called oud is burned through an incense burner, and the gorgeous smell drifts around the country everywhere one goes.

Incense burners used throughout history in Saudi

Different types of oud used to create divine smells

As is probably evident from our blogs, Saudi Arabia made a large and positive impression on us. It was one of our most adventurous and rewarding trips ever, and one where we felt we had made some authentic connections with people we met along the way. Who knows if we will ever find our way back, but we felt extremely blessed to have visited and to have found ourselves there at the perfect time. 

Farewell Saudi, and thank you, it has been most amazing

.........next up, a new adventure in a new country - Jordan.......

DESERT OASES AND BURIED TOMBS - Al Ula, Saudi Arabia

 ......our previous blog post concentrated on the glorious Thee Ain village near Al Bahah..........

Sal at Al Ula, KSA

Having had a couple of difficult hitching days travelling north within Saudi Arabia, and seeing that the area we were entering next was quite isolated, we decided to take a bus to our next destination of Al Ula. Leaving early in the morning, we fell asleep almost immediately on the very comfortable and punctual bus. Upon waking, we were greeted with an amazing sight. As we progressed further north into the desert, the scenery became incredibly spectacular and akin to something out of a magical story book. There was nothing but desert as far as the eye could see - only the long straight road, far away majestic mountains and small herds of camels. When some giant dunes came into view, they seemed to be floating on beds of shifting sand, and the desert colours were constantly changing with the position of the sun. It was worth making the effort to travel here, if only for this journey.

Desert scenery, road to Al Ula, KSA

Warning sign for camels, taken from the bus to Al Ula, KSA

Classic sane dunes, taken from the bus to Al Ula, KSA

Herds of camels, taken from the bus to Al Ula, KSA

As we neared Al Ula, giant rocky outcrops appeared to welcome us to the area. It seemed other worldly, and so different to the mountain areas in the central part of Saudi in which we had been spending time recently. 

Al Ula is a place that many Saudis asked if we had visited, yet none of them seem to have been there themselves. One thing everyone seems to agree on, is that Al Ula is expensive. We can verify that - at least for the accommodation, this was definitely the case. We spent double on the hotel room here than we had been spending elsewhere in Saudi. We did umm and ahh about whether we should visit for this reason, but as we were in Saudi Arabia, in the vicinity, and didn't know when we would ever be back, we decided we should go for it. And we're VERY glad we did!

Al Ula room, pricey, but necessary!

Al Ula had always been a market place and stop on trade routes- apparently traders came here travelling between India and East Africa for hundreds of years. The old town sprung up as a result of the plentiful water supply and fertile soil - agriculture and water systems were developed along with trade. The Nabataean Kingdom came into power maybe between 100 BC until around 100 AD, and the Romans established the southernmost limit of their empire here after that. The Ottomans actually created a railway when they had power of the region in the early 1900s. It ran from Jeddah, right up through the northern part of Saudi, Jordan and ended in Damascus, Syria. My goodness, we would have loved to have travelled on that!

At sunrise on our first morning, we set out out for a wonderful day on the Oasis Heritage Trail, everything one would imagine of a classic lush oasis setting. Although we hadn't realized, the trail started right around the corner from where we were staying, and continued for over four kilometres. The path had been meticulously set up to showcase the ancient abandoned mudbrick village houses, along with the small scale farming surrounding them. The dazzling spectre of the majestic red cliffs sheltered the whole area.

Sunrise at the oasis, Al Ula Heritage Walk, KSA

Wee beetle, Al Ula Heritage walk, KSA

Colour in the desert, Al Ula Heritage walk, KSA

Exploring abandoned mud houses, Al Ula Heritage walk, KSA

Oasis scenery, Al Ula Heritage walk, KSA

The ruins of old mud houses, Al Ula Heritage walk, KSA

Glorious Al Ula Heritage walk, KSA

The buildings had been partially renovated, and we were able to see the traditional construction with baked straw and mud, and were free to climb and explore to our hearts content. We walked through the shady palm tree groves, past green fields of vegetables, with water spouting from natural springs. Again, the delightful site had been very tastefully restored, faithful to the old styles and included charming sitting areas, unobtrusive cafes and subtle decorations such as earthen pots in random corners. We meandered along the quiet little dirt paths, sometimes dusty and sometimes with a low mud wall to guide us, birds waking up in the trees twittering away. Before we knew it, we had wandered for four hours to the end and back without really noticing the time go. 

Lovely vase in a corner, Al Ula Heritage Walk, KSA

Rich in the citrus grove, Al Ula Heritage Trail, KSA

Walking through the abandoned mud village

Curious cat, Al Ula Heritage Walk, KSA

Low mud wall guiding us, Al Ula Heritage Walk

Gardens with red cliffs in background, Al Ula Heritage Walk, KSA

Open mud house, Al Ula Heritage Walk, KSA

Gorgeous scenery, Al Ula Heritage Walk

Because we had left at first light, we enjoyed watching the colours change as the sun rose, and also had the added benefit of it not being too hot. The only others we encountered throughout the morning were the workers in the fields, doing a sterling job- hardly a weed could be seen. There may have been a few inhabitants still living in the oasis, as we saw some sheep in enclosures in a few spots, but we weren't to see a soul for most of the morning. We read that when the village was populated, people had town homes for the winter, and used these mud houses for the summer months. We loved this walk so much, and our minds were relaxed and free from worry on this morning. 

Palm grove, Al Ula Heritage Walk, Al Ula, KSA

Cross roads, Al Ula Heritage Walk, Al Ula, KSA

An afternoon at the touristy Elephant Rock site, turned out to be a fantastic sunset adventure, thanks to Rich! We arrived by taxi at what was a small enclosure complete with cafes and many tourists posing for Instagram pics, the surroundings ugly thanks to ongoing building works next to the site. As cool a shape as the Elephant Rock was, the scene wasn't our thing. 

Arriving at Elephant Rock, Al Ula, KSA

Cool shape, Elephant Rock, Al Ula, KSA

Rich suggested a walk out over an expanse of sand and up to an epic formation in the rocks- a giant hole looking out to a wadi and oasis. It was a magnificent view when we got there, the huge rocks looming above, completely dwarfing us, and we scrambled around to find the best spot to watch the sun set. Going home, we hitched a lift with a Polish couple, who seemed most surprised at how we were getting around, and our lives in general. Almost all the tourists we saw at Al Ula had their own hire car, and whilst there may have been some sights we didn't get to see by walking, hitching or taxi, we didn't feel at all that we had missed out on anything. 

Splendid view through the huge rock, Al Ula, KSA

Wonderful shapes in the desert, Al Ula, KSA

Desert scenery around Elephant Rock area, Al Ula KSA

Sal doing a Miranda! Al Ula, KSA

Spectacular sunset, Al Ula, KSA

We are not tour people. We have only ever done a handful of tours in our 28 years of travelling together. But at Al Ula, visiting the Nabataean ruins of Hegra is strictly controlled, and no independent roaming is allowed. The only way we could see the sites was to join a tour. It's very difficult to find out any information about independent travelling in Al Ula in English online (or anywhere in Saudi, for that matter!), as there are simply not that many foreign visitors. We noticed the Hegra tour was on special for Ramadan, half price at 50 SAR/£10, and thought we would give it a go. If we didn't enjoy it, it wasn't a fortune wasted. 

Tombs in the desert, Hegra area, Al Ula, KSA

Arriving at the extremely scenic pick up area in the afternoon, we joined a few other foreigners on a very organized and clean bus, and were shuttled out into the desert where we joined with another bus with probably about 40 tourists on board. We were ferried around to various sites in the desert - tombs and other historical areas of interest. The "get out, listen to the guide talk, take a photo, don't go too far over there, get back on the bus, go to the next spot" rhythm of the tour was soul destroying We were dying to go off and explore on our own in the amazing-looking rocks and tombs. But that was the nature of the beast, and it was the only way we would get to see anything. 

Tombs at Jalal Albanat, Hegra area, Al Ula, KSA

Ancient melted rocks, Jalal Albanat, Hegra area, Al Ula, KSA

We were aching to explore more! Hegra area, Al Ula, KSA

One cave we were allowed inside of, Hegra area, Al Ula

Tomb of Lihyan Son of Kuza, spectacular, even with all the other tourists!

Faded remnants of camel petroglyphs, Jalal Ithlib, Hegra area, Al Ula KSA

Gorgeous colours inside a tomb, Hegra area 

The Nabataeans were an interesting lot. Existing at the same time as the Greco-Roman civilisations, these Arab people were all about the trade, and displayed a strong independent streak. This lasted until, after many wars, they were eventually incorporated into the Roman Empire in around 100 AD. Their most famous settlement is Petra (which we would hopefully see soon), presumed to be their capital city. 

A series of ancient tombs, Jalal Albanat, Hegra area, Al Ula, KSA

Surviving decoration around tomb entrance, Jalal Albanat

Majestic Tomb of Lihyan, Son of Kuza, Hegra area, Al Ula, KSA

The various tombs sites were intriguing for their location in apparently the middle of nowhere. There were various stories which the guide repeated word for word from the signage available at the different sites, about mass burial sites and bodies being discovered with dates around their necks. One of the tales was that a grave site was uncovered when exceedingly high desert winds blew away the sand from the tombs. In most of the places we were taken, the face of the tomb looked as though it might have had some restoration work done on it- they were all flat, often with step decorations. When someone asked the guide what the steps represented, she answered that it was their style! 

Peering into the unknown, Jabal Albanat, Al Ula 

A huge burial site, Jabal Albanat, Hegra area, Al Ula, KSA

Really out in the middle of nowhere, Hegra area, Al Ula, KSA

Tombs all had similar step decorations, Hegra area, Al Ula

The sheer size of it, Tomb of Lihyan Son of Kuza, Hegra area

Partially buried still, tombs around Hegra area, Al Ula, KSA

The bizarre shaped rock formations really were astounding. Anywhere else, a small cluster of them would be a showstopper on their own, but here they were absolutely everywhere, as far as the eye could see into the distance. It was also a huge contrast to lush oasis we had been exploring the previous day. 

Beautiful desert hues, Hegra area, Al Ula, KSA

Odd shapes, Jabal Ithlib, Hegra area, Al Ula, KSA

The tombs had a melted feeling, Jalal Ithlib, Hegra area, Al Ula, KSA

Mysterious face in the rocks, Hegra area, Al Ula, KSA

It has to be said, and maybe we are shallow, but equally as interesting to us as the tombs, were the other passengers on the tour bus. Some of their behaviour seemed shocking. A few of the women were wearing exceptionally inappropriate clothing, the most extreme example in a leather suit with hot pants. Two Chinese women took off articles of clothing to pose for each other in ball gowns for the entirety of each stop in front of anything they could see, more interested in themselves than the history or culture. Another vlogging couple took cringey videos of themselves acting "excited" in front of the tombs. The lack of self awareness from most of the fellow tourists was an eye opener for us. We were interested to know what kind of trip they were on, and where they had come from. Surely they weren't touring around Saudi dressed in those clothes? It was a mystery. It does have to be said, although we joined the tour with about 40 tourists on the bus, this was pretty much the only time we saw tourism in Saudi on any scale. And when compared with Egypt, Thailand, or even places in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was almost nothing.

What an outfit! Hegra tour, Al Ula, KSA

Seems like a normal dress to bring on a trip to Saudi Arabia

The difference in attire, Hegra tour, Al Ula, KSA

Our last day saw us strolling the Old Town of Al Ula. This part of town had been developed the most, and had an extremely flash hotel complete with stunning pool, a souq street with posh shops and restaurants, as well as the Ottoman-era fort and ruins of the ancient homes below. It was one time we were glad of Ramadan, as everything was closed, and no local tourists around, so we were able to enjoy the spots peacefully, with only a handful of foreigners about. The view across the Oasis Trail and outward to the enormous rock formations in the distance was a contrasting way to view areas we had seen on other days.

Old town in the morning, Al Ula, KSA

Everything closed for Ramadan, Al Ula Old Town, KSA

Lonely chair, Al Ula Old Town, KSA

Fort perched on top of a small hill, Al Ula, KSA

Remains of old houses, Al Ula, KSA

One taxi driver we spoke to said there were already too many tourists in Al Ula, but we feel he may be in for a rude shock in the next few years. This place will for sure start to be discovered by overseas tourists looking for something different. There is already good infrastructure set up, and many more hotels in the planning. We were very glad with our decision to visit Al Ula when we did.

The bus ride leaving Al Ula was just as scenic as the one entering. Again we had scored seats up the front of bus to make the most of the stunning views. For an hour or so, we sat mesmerized by the beauty of the desert scenery, giant rocks and gorgeous colours. The further away we became, the flatter the terrain was, and suddenly on the outskirts of Tabuk, an agricultural region appeared, with lush green fields and irrigated farms growing crops. 

Our stop in Tabuk was only for a couple of days, and primarily in order to discover how we would attempt the next leg of our trip to Jordan. We were completely unsuccessful on all fronts in this quest, and had to find our own way in the end. Stay tuned for details in the next part!!!

Our route from Madinah, to Al Ula, Tabuk and onwards

.......our next blog post will be a summing up of our experiences in Saudi, expenses, and feelings about Ramadan travel.........