Madain Saleh · The Desert Rose City

—Unlocking the Sandstone Code of the Nabatean Civilization 🌟【Opening】 Nestled in the golden sand dunes of northwestern Saudi Arabia, Madain Saleh (Mada'in Saleh) stands like a rose-hued city frozen in time. As Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, this southern capital of the Nabatean Kingdom weaves tales of 1st-century BC caravans through its 111 exquisitely carved rock tombs. When sunset pierces the towering tombstones, the ochre sandstone glows like honey, revealing why the Quran called this place "Al-Hijr" (The Rocky Place)—every wind-carved groove is an epic engraving of silk and spice-laden camel trains. 🕒【Opening Hours】 Regular Hours: April–October: 06:00–19:00 (avoid midday heat) November–March: 08:00–18:00 (morning mist adds mystery) Starlight Night Tours: Open until 22:00 every Friday & Saturday (sound-and-light projections revive ancient caravan trails) ⚠️ Heritage Etiquette: ① No touching tomb walls (millennia-old pigments are fragile); ② Drones require prior permits (5km no-fly zone around the reserve). 💵【Ticket Prices】 Experience Price (SAR ≈¥1.9) Highlights Basic Site Pass 95 SAR Includes free audio guide Nabatean Craft Workshop 65 SAR Carve your own rose sandstone souvenir Starlight Dinner Package 210 SAR Tomb-view terrace + traditional Zar dance 🔍【Experiences】 1. Tomb Decoder Quest Qasr al-Farid (The Lonely Castle): Explore the largest standalone tomb, with serpent lintels symbolizing wealth guardians. Tomb Acoustics: Clap inside Qasr al-Bint to trigger a 7-second echo (ancient anti-theft design). Caravanserai Zone: Operate replica water wells, reliving caravan survival tactics on the "Incense Route." 2. Immersive Time Travel Holographic Sand Theater: 19:30 show "Queen of Nabatea" (Arabic + English subtitles). Pottery Workshop: Sift soil to reconstruct ancient pottery with caravan markings. Star Map Decoding: Guides use lasers to link tomb layouts to Orion’s Belt. 🔥【Itinerary Tips】 Half-Day Highlights: North Gate → Caravan Well → Qasr al-Farid → Diwan Meeting Hall → Jabal Ithlib Sacred Mountain Full-Day Deep Dive: Add Al-Khuraymat rock art zone (hunt for prehistoric "Crying Camel" graffiti). 🚙【Transport】 Coordinates: "Hegra Archaeological Site", AlUla 43512 🚄 High-Speed Rail: From Riyadh’s King Khalid Airport → Haramain Express to AlUla Station (2hrs) → Shuttle Bus (Blue Line). 🚗 Scenic Drive: Rent a 4x4 at AlUla Airport → 40min via Route 375 (11 viewpoints en route). 🏜️【3-Day Itinerary】 🗺️ Civilization Trail Loop Day 1: Tomb Epic – Full day at Madain Saleh (tombs + starlight dinner) → Overnight at Habitas luxury camp. Day 2: Nature & History – Sunrise at Elephant Rock → Mirror House coffee → Decipher petroglyphs in Ikma Valley. Day 3: Modern Echoes – AlUla Old Town mud-brick workshop → Dareen Canyon suspension bridge. 🛖【Stay Like a Nabatean】 Type | Property | Heritage Perk Cave Villa | Banyan Tree AlUla | Infinity pool reflecting tomb silhouettes Stargazing Pod | Shaden Resort | Roof telescopes decode tomb constellations Heritage Home | Hegra Homestay | Stone houses run by Nabatean descendants 🎒【Packing List】 📦 Desert Archaeology Kit Must-Have | Pro Tip Archaeology Flashlight | Tomb lighting (no phone flashes) Sandstone-Colored Scarf | Sunshield + photo prop (avoid bright colors) Rubbing Paper | Legal rock art tracing (indoor use prohibited) Electrolyte Powders | Combat "invisible dehydration" (4L water daily) 💡 Did You Know? Qasr al-Farid’s unfinished chisel marks reveal Nabatean "installments"—merchants paid deposits to start tombs, but wars left them eternally incomplete! 🌅 When the wind caresses these tombs, you’ll hear whispers of camel bells and stars from 2,000 years ago. (Note: Smart guide bracelets launching in 2025 will auto-play holograms near tombs.) 【Heritage Rules】 No solo exploration of closed tombs. Hikers must buddy up and carry GPS.