Mada’in Saleh – Little Petra…?

After 5 months in a country roughly the size of Europe, it dawned on me that there was much more to see than just my tiny slice of desert in Saudi. Seeking some cultural and historical enlightenment, we booked a 3 day tour to Mada’in Saleh, which in the pictures looked suspiciously like Petra!

Flying from Dammam to Hail, followed by a 3 hour drive we eventually made it to Al Ula. What remains of the original city is an extremely well preserved city of mud enveloping a stone fort with stunning views of the surrounding date farms.

Standing atop the fort in the blistering midday sun we were given a history lesson about Al Ula being on the incense route and therefore being a pillar for the trading of items such as silk and spices through India, Egypt and Arabia. Surprisingly, despite being in a devout Muslim country I also heard my first mentions of Christianity and the significance of this area during biblical times. This was swiftly followed, of course, by stories of the Prophet and his journey through Al Ula on the his way to the Holy City of Medina.

Driving back along the mountain lined road we suddenly veer off track seeming now heading into untouched desert. After 10 minutes of blindly navigating the sand dunes a true desert oasis opens up in front of us. A small lit path flanked by brightly decorated static tents opening out into an entertainment area set between two mountains providing shelter from possible sand storms.

Exploring this little oasis further we find Ostrich and goats and the sweetest little guard dog. Swings for the children to play and a blissfully shaded dining area complete with traditional Arabic seating.

That night we are treated to a traditional buffet complete with whole mutton cooked over an open fire. Being a fussy eater I braved joining the queue only to be given my portion as the poor, now well cooked, sheep head fell off!!!! Unfortunately this was more than my stomach could take however the plethora of other Arabic dishes followed by Arabic coffee (Gahwa) kept me fed long into the night.

After a very restful nights sleep, off to the Mada’in Saleh railway station, which is now a museum,  museum it was. Here we were given a talk on the history of the Hejaz railway which was built in Ottoman times, intended to connect Constantinople with Mecca and Medina, it was however, badly damaged during world war I at the time of Lawrence of Arabia and his rebel Arab allies to push back against the Ottoman Sultan.

Driving further into the UNESCO world heritage site of Mada’in Saleh, we came across the first of the 111 monumental tombs and facades. Unlike Petra, these tombs are generally spread far and wide with little clusters sometime dotted here an there. Jumping out of the bus, we began to explore. Climbing sandbanks, ducking into the dark corners of the open tombs, taking photos of the hand carved decoration, it was truly a wonder!!

As sunset began to draw in, we started the climb to the highest point of Mada’in Saleh. With no actual path, no hand rails, loose rocks and slippery surfaces, this should certainly not be tried by those on their own and without supervision however for those of us daredevils who chanced our arm at trusting our tour guide would catch us if we fell the reward at the top was spectacular.

The next morning, bright and ridiculously early, we set off in a convoy of 4x4s into the desert. As the first glimpses of light started to creep up over the horizon we found ourselves atop a sand dune between the mountains with a perfect view of the sunrise. A truly spectacular sight, no photo could do it justice.

After playing in the sand (because why wouldn’t you when you’re in a giant sandpit) I managed to convince our guides to let me sit in the drivers seat of one of the 4x4s. Surrounded by very worried looking Saudi men (seeing a woman in the drivers seat of a car is completely unfamiliar territory) I had one quick picture before briskly being usher out the car before I did something crazy…like try to drive, god forbid!

The rest of our morning saw speeding along the sand through cervices and caverns, stopping for a little Arabic coffee around a makeshift campfire, whilst shaded by the great rock formations. From here we headed to elephant rock.

Now, when I was told we were visiting Elephant Rock, in my head I had decided that it would be one of these abstract things where is you squint your eye and tilt your head a little you could kind of make out the shape of a elephant…clearly I was wrong.

If you look closely at the picture you will see, between the trunk and the body there is a tiny speck in the sand. This is actually a 6 foot man, that’s give you a little perspective of how huge this rock actually is. The spectacular shape of this sandstone rock is down to thousands of years of sandstorms. Standing alone in an open patch is desert, it truly is a wonder to behold.

Leaving our elephant friend behind, we began the long journey back to Hail. One of the smallest airports I have ever seen, it looks more like a waiting room than a terminal. Flying over and into Riyadh, lit up at night the city is a twinkling beauty surrounded by a mass of emptiness, you start to grasp just how much of Saudi Arabia is still untouched desert.

This Mada’in Saleh trip was an absolute blast and one I would recommend to everyone.  It is such a shame that only those of us who live in Saudi Arabia will ever get the chance to see the wonders that this ancient country holds. I have hope that one day, tourism will be more accept and the beauty of Arabia will be shared with the world, until then, I trust you have enjoyed my little insight into this mystical place. Happy Travels!

At the time of this piece being published, it has been announced that Mada’in Saleh will be closed for two years for renovation.