AlUla’s Ancient Kingdoms Festival: Immersive journey into Saudi Arabia’s rich history
The Ancient Kingdoms Festival is back for its second edition in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla from November 16 to December 2.
Located 1,100 km from Riyadh, AlUla is home to extraordinary natural and human heritage. The ancient city includes a lush oasis valley, towering sandstone mountains and ancient cultural heritage sites, dating back thousands of years to when the Lihyan and Nabataean Kingdoms reigned.
The flagship event invites its guests to explore the ancient oasis city’s rich heritage through a world-class program that allows visitors to delve deep into the Kingdom’s cultural history.
From cultural celebrations and after-dark excursions to culinary experiences inspired by ancient narratives and journeys, the festival offers an immersive experience to the visitors that is quite unique.
Visitors can also explore the significant relationships between AlUla, Khaybar, and Tayma – the three interconnected ancient oases of Northwest Arabia.
The festival will also celebrate the landmark 15th anniversary of Hegra’s inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hegra is the most well-known and recognized site in AlUla and is Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Spread across 52 hectares, Hegra was the principal southern city of the Nabataean Kingdom and comprises 111 well-preserved tombs, many with elaborate facades cut out of the sandstone outcrops that surround the walled urban settlement.
During the festival, guests can join The Living Museum Tour, a new augmented reality experience where guests can access all areas ‘behind the tombs’; Hegra After Dark, a history-inspired journey that takes one on a tour of the site’s tombs; Life at Hegra Exhibition, a free-flow experience showcasing 15 finds from archaeological excavations; and Hegra Nature and Wildlife Tour, where visitors can explore the spectacular landscape and discover the geology that characterizes it.
A series of cultural workshops will also be held under the theme ‘Programs for Future Ancients’ as part of the Ancient Kingdoms Festival.
The highlights of the event:
Ancient Inscriptions Academy – Children can create their own stone artworks, inspired by the inscriptions and rock art of this special site.
Mudbrick Workshop (Oasis) – Hands-on heritage awaits in the Oasis. Using a recipe handed down through generations, mix-and-mold mud inspired by the life and memory of AlUla’s people.
Hegra Unlocked – A fun-filled treasure hunt in one of the world’s most astonishing historical sites, revealing the lives of the people who once called Hegra home.
Archaeology Alive – Set in one of the world’s most active archaeological sites, visitors can dig deep to discover the people of Dadan in this interactive journey.
