AlUla Wellness Festival’s 17-day program leaves guests feeling restored, re-energized
The AlUla Wellness Festival – featuring workshops, events, and interactive activities deeply influenced by art, culture, and music – concluded on November 4.
The flagship program, the largest of its kind in the Middle East, returned for a third time and was held from October 19, with thousands of people worldwide embarking on a unique journey of physical, spiritual, and sensory transformation over 17 days.
Wellness-seekers and health-conscious enthusiasts were treated to the festival mainstays and brand-new additions, in addition to inspiring talks by world-renowned experts and interactive activities that were deeply influenced by AlUla’s abundant historical and natural heritage.
“We’re thrilled with the incredible reaction and reception that this year’s AlUla Wellness Festival has generated,” said the Vice-President of Destination Management and Marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), Rami al-Moallim.
“As part of the AlUla Wellness Festival, witnessing thousands of visitors achieve their wellness dreams and head home with newfound happiness and positivity has been a real joy. A new benchmark for future editions has been set over the last fortnight, and I want to convey our thanks and appreciation to everyone who turned out and made the festival the best it could be,” he added.
From yoga, meditation and mindfulness sessions to fitness, outdoor excursions and therapy, people from across Saudi Arabia and the globe enjoyed a range of transformative experiences, discovering inner peace and enhancing physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health in the serenity of a desert setting.
Some of the highlights at this year’s festival include the Five Senses Sanctuary and its unique program of immersive sensory-based activities, the Couples Retreat at the beautiful Hidden Valley Camp, and the Nomuhub Wellness Program with its intensive four-day rejuvenation course.
The All Day I Dream event, which took place on October 20, witnessed a full house with a sold-out show.
Meanwhile, the Anyah Cooking Classes, Eco-Gardening, and the Heritage Restoration Experience were met with a lot of interest.
New additions to the festival lineup were also met with high praise, such as the Silent Hike in the desert and the Reviving Nature Experience, where attendees embraced creative workshops to help tackle environmental waste and be part of a visionary new sculpture and public space.
The AlUla Wellness Festival reflects the growing popularity of yoga and meditation in Saudi Arabia and around the world, Saudi Arabian yoga instructor Lana Nazer told Al Arabiya English last week.
“People from all over Saudi Arabia have made their way to AlUla, which illustrates the widespread desire to experience wellness in some shape or form,” she said.
“As a Saudi woman, I’m honored to have had this opportunity to serve my people. The Wellness Festival is a push for health and better life for all. It has shown that we have high standards for wellness in the Kingdom. The experience has been amazing, and I can’t wait for the next edition,” she added.
