Alula_through my eyes

Alula is a destination of extraordinary proportions, culturally, geographically and historically. Strategically located in the north west of the Saudi peninsula and on the incense route made it a melting pot for civilizations gone by (Dadan, Lahyan, Nabataens and Romans ) the most prominent being the Nabataens  in 6th century.  The remnants of each civilization speak volumes, making Alula a walk-through history.

Our trip started with a drive to the renowned Elephant rock. The drive over was fascinating in its own right, as the highways are lined with folds of rolling mountains interrupted by beautiful, sculpted rock formations creating abstract shapes and impossible structures, each a testament to the marvels of nature; to the strength of air and water as defining elements. I could spend days photographing the mountains from every angle and not coming close to covering a fraction of their sculptural beauty.  Our final destination is a staggering 52m high Elephant Rock , an iconic geological marvel carved purely due to erosion and corrosion over millions of years.   Having reached at sunset location, we spent a few hours drinking tea, and enjoying the ambiance in a beautiful lounging area.  Gradually, as the sun sets the skies light up with millions of stars.  Against the darkness, the pinpoints of each star shine bright, I can only imagine what it looks like during Milky Way season.

With the dawn of a new days, came a new destination - Shaaran Natural Reserve.  The reserve is a sprawling 1500 square kilometers of soaring red rock canyons, stretching valleys covered in the greenest of grass and wildflowers.  This reserve is home to an abundance of wildlife including ostriches, brilliant green bee -eaters, eagles, gazelles, and red eared foxes just to name a few.  With access limited to a 40 km radius, our trip takes around three hours from beginning to end. The drive takes you around the main areas of Alqulayba , the Sultans tomb, the Dancers Rocks, the Camel valley and the horse carriage inscription.   Somehow, each site is a step up from the one before, offering more flare, more awe and amazement.  The trip is nothing short of jaw dropping.  We ended our drive with a mini picnic, sipping beautifully infused oregano tea paired with date cookies both sourced locally at the reserve.  Our guide gave us so much information on the area, leaving us with enough to warrant another visit – apparently the best time to see the fauna and flora would be around March after the rainy season.  I quietly, earmarked this for next year!

Our next stop was Maraya, the world largest mirrored building set in the middle of Ashar Valley reflecting the beauty, one of the most unique landscapes I have come across. The state of the art mirrored structure is a perfect modern ode to the past and a centerpiece to the growing cultural scene that is centered in Alula. This multipurpose venue hosts highly sought after performances from both international and regional stars such as Andrea Bochelli and Mohammed Abdo and Abdulmajeed Abdulla  to name a few

Sunset on this day delivered us to Harrat Uwayrid, which was recently added to the UNESCO world heritage sites. . A harrat is a dormant volcano, translating this brings logic to the areas name as the word “Harrat” means hot in Arabic. The area delivers a beautiful lookout point from which you can witness spectacular sunsets over an epic view of Dadan oasis, Alula old town, and Alula oasis. As the sun sets, an orange glow lights up the mountain ranges creating a cinematic scene.  Given the time, I would recommend having dinner here and then continuing your

Of course, my photography trips are never complete without a sunrise shoot and this time it was in Algharameel. The name “Gharmool” is derived from the impeccable carved shapes of darkly colored rocks, the work of nature’s artisans. A landscaper’s dream, explored by few.   The scene felt surreal, almost like a view in a sci-fi movie. . A photographer’s tip (go earlier during daylight to plan your shots) You will end up with truly epic ones.

From the beautiful Algharameel, we travelled to our most anticipated stop: Hegra, Saudi’s first UNESCO world heritage site. We were greeted by Saudi tour guides who treated us with customary Saudi hospitality, serving us fresh orange and pomegranates juices, water, or local tea and coffee with a selection of dried fruits. This portion of the tour had five stops. A shuttle drops you in every location where you are met by multi-lingual guides giving you a rundown on the history of the place, as well as time to wander around before jumping back on the bus on to the next stop. It is here on the second stop that you will see the Red Tomb, the most famous, and the most photographed of Alula’s sites. It is truly amazing to visualize these tombs being carved using only chisels, and to see them standing firm today after millions of years in the elements. . Every one of our fives stops was a wonder to behold, and a must do for anyone in the area. It is important to keep in mind that these locations are not accessible to individuals, you are required to pre book an entry ticket with  the tour operators. or us

The last day was dedicated to Ekmah Mountain and Dadan city the last of Saudi’s UNESCO world heritage sites in the area. This trip takes around two hours, enough time to be immersed in the history and beauty of the area. Much like Hegra, access to the area requires you to have pre-booked it with the authorized tour operators .

Our last stop was a 6km walk in the old town of Alula. The walk takes you through mazes of old mud bricked houses that are intertwined with patches of green palm trees creating a mini oasis. We chose to walk through Alrawda which translates to “heaven” an accurate description as any.  The air is thick with locally grown mint, which is both aromatic and flavorful, and I highly recommend you buy some to take home.

A beautiful ending to a highly anticipated trip. Will I go back again? YOU BET!

Visa requirements :

check ww.visitsaudi.com

Cameras and lenses :

-Keep in mind that you will be doing a lot of long exposure shots for sunrises and sunsets inanition to astro shoots, so tripods are required.

-Travel with two camera bodies. Easier than switching lenses. Fujifilm xh1 /nikon z7ii

-Mid range zoom ( I like compressed shots of mountains ) 55-200mm/wide angle lens 14-24mm maybe a portrait lens of you have time to photograph locals throw in your nd filters

There is a lot of flora for Macro lovers . Reeflex Macro 10x lens for mobile .

Clothing : You have to master the art of layering.

-tshirts/joggers /for daytime /Scarf /hat/woollen socks and a puffer jacket for night.

Thermal leggings /and regular leggings.

Sunglasses/mosquito repellent/sunscreen/ hat

Trainers.

tour operator: Pangaea club tours .

instagram :@pangaeaclub