Updated · Saudi Arabia Taxi Services
How do you get around AlUla?
Getting around AlUla is mostly about distance. The town sits in a long desert valley, and its heritage sites are spread along and around it: Old Town is in the centre, Elephant Rock about 10 km out, Dadan and Jabal Ikmah 12 to 15 km away, and Hegra about 25 km to the north.
Only Old Town is a place to explore on foot. For everything else you need a vehicle: your own driver, the transport that comes with a booked tour, a resort shuttle or a rental car. Plan how you will get back from each site as well as how you will get there.
Distances between AlUla's main sites
Approximate road distances from the town centre, with a typical visit time.
| Site | From the town centre | Typical visit | How you visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlUla Old Town | About 2 km | 2 hours | On foot; best in the evening |
| Elephant Rock (Jabal AlFil) | About 10 km | 1 hour | Drive in; sunset is the classic time |
| Dadan | About 12 km | 1 h 30 min | Usually by booked tour |
| Jabal Ikmah | About 15 km | 1 hour | Usually by booked tour, with a guide |
| Maraya | About 15 km | 1 hour | Depends on events; check before you go |
| Hegra (Mada'in Salih) | About 25 km | 3 hours | By booked tour from the visitor meeting point |
| Harrat Viewpoint | About 25 km | 1 hour | Drive up; popular at sunset |
| AlUla Airport (ULH) | 35 km | 35 min drive | Most flights in the winter season |
Which sites need a booked tour?
Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, is visited by booked tour, and tours start from a visitor meeting point rather than at the tombs. Dadan and Jabal Ikmah are usually visited by booked tour too, and a guide helps you read the inscriptions at Jabal Ikmah. Visits to Maraya depend on what events are on.
Book tours on the official AlUla tourism website, Experience AlUla, before you arrive, especially in winter when slots fill. Then book transport around the tour times: give the driver the meeting point and start time, and allow for the drive and for finding the right entrance.
Keep a driver, book single rides or rent a car?
| Option | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly driver | Several sites in a day, sunset trips, families | From SAR 80 per hour, 3-hour minimum |
| Single rides | One trip, such as the airport or a dinner | At remote sites there may be no car waiting when you finish, so book the return |
| Resort shuttle | Guests of resorts that run one | Ask the resort about times and which sites it serves |
| Tour transport | Hegra and other tour-only sites | Usually covers the tour itself; check what your ticket includes |
| Self-drive rental | Confident drivers who want flexibility | Check whether the agreement allows unpaved tracks |
Resorts, gates and the Ashar Valley
Resorts in the Ashar Valley need a resort gate booking reference before a vehicle can enter. Send the reference with your taxi booking so the driver is let through, and keep it on your phone for the return. Maraya is in the Ashar Valley too.
Resorts elsewhere in AlUla may have their own entry arrangements, so check with yours. Some resorts also run their own shuttles to the airport or to sites; ask before you book separate rides.
Arriving: the airport or the road from Madinah
AlUla Airport (ULH) is 35 km from Old Town and about 45 km from Hegra. A taxi into town costs from SAR 60 per car. Most flights land in the winter season, from October to March, and summer schedules are reduced.
Many visitors drive from Madinah instead: 350 km, about 3 h 30 min, from SAR 600 per car. The road passes Khaybar, where drivers stop for fuel, and services are limited after that. Our Madinah to AlUla road trip covers the drive.
Timing: season, sunsets and night driving
- October to March is the main season, and the AlUla Winter Season, usually from December to March, is the busiest time. Book tours, drivers and rooms early.
- Sunset is the classic time at Elephant Rock and Harrat Viewpoint; arrive early and agree the return time with your driver.
- Winter nights in the desert are cold, so bring warm layers for evening visits.
- In summer, visit early or late and keep walks short in the midday heat.
- Camels can wander onto rural roads at night, so drivers keep speeds sensible after dark.