The Adventure Trail Trip Information Pack
We would like to welcome you to AlUla, one of the last jewels of Arabia. AlUla is a city 380 km north of Medina in the north-western part of Saudi Arabia. Historically located on the incense route, the city was the capital of the ancient Lihyanites (Dedanites) and it is well known for archaeological remnants, including some drawings that are over 2000 years old. The older the history, the better the story.
The Adventure Trail will take you through the story of the people who lived in this area thousands of years ago; their writings are on the wall, how they lived, how they fought, and how they connected with each other. So buckle up and enjoy our story.
Trail Description The Adventure Trail is an 8 km long historical treasure site with few clusters of over two-thousand years old pictographs along the trail. The trail takes about 3-4 hours to hike through, depending on your fitness level. The Adventure Trail is the best representation of AlUla’s rich heritage and beautiful nature. The Adventure Trail offers a variety of terrains of different volcanic rocks and soft sand. The alternating water and air erosion is apparent throughout the hike. The canyon was carved by water, forming a variety of sections from narrow to wide, along with very rough sandy walls. The trail is effectively flat as its elevation merely drops 95 meters from the starting point at 1020 m to the end point at 925 m. The long walls of the canyon provide a constant shade throughout the day which makes it a perfect place to hide or hang out during the hot hours during summer months. This quality can explain the multiple clusters of ancient pictographs on the canyon’s wall. While this place is known for its pictographs, it also has a variety of flora and fauna. The canyon can collect rain-water in couple of spots along the trail during the winter months, therefore it may require you to go knee deep into water ponds which adds to an already great adventure.
Trail Start
Basic Schedule Sunrise Tour: 6:45 AM - Departure from winter park. 8:15AM - Arrive at trail start point briefing. 8:30 AM - Start the hike 11:30 AM Finish the hike 12:45 PM back to AlUla Winter Park Sunset Tour: 2:00 PM- Departure from winter park. 3:15 PM - Arrive at trail start point briefing. 3:30 PM - Start the hike 6:30 PM Finish the hike 7:45 PM back to AlUla
Trail End
Trip details: Start: Daily from Tuesday to Saturday Sunrise Tour: Departure Time: 6:45 AM Expected Return: 12:45 PM Sunset Tour: Departure Time: 2:00 PM Expected Return: 7:45 PM Difficulty Level: Medium level adventure – no elevation gain just a long hike Danger Level: Low Meeting point: Winter Park – Al Ula For more information or you want to sign up contact us at info@husaak.com
What does the price include? Experienced guiding team All trip logistics and transportation from Winter Park to the site and back. Also flashlight/headlight can be available for the sunset tour, but we recommend to bring your own. Water/Snacks will be provided – No alcohol is allowed.
What do you need to bring with you? 1. Ankle support hiking boot (Mandatory) 2. Small backpack (Day pack) – 30 Liters or less. Nice to have: 1. Hiking stick 2. Hat 3. Jacket Always check the weather forecast the night before to dress properly for the hike. It could be extremely cold in the early hours of the morning.
The Adventure Trail Etiquette: The Adventure Trail is an 8 km long historical treasure site with few clusters of over two-thousand years old pictographs along the trail. Care and attention by the visitors is required. Damage and disturbance to the ecosystem and environment is to be avoided. Please consider the following while you are walking and enjoying this trail: • • • • • • • • • • •
This trail can only be accessed by foot, no motorized vehicles beyond the starting point. Stick to the designated path and follow your guide. Do not wonder around by yourself off the trail. Do not light fires without a permit. Do not discard litter or cigarette butts anywhere on the trail. If you encounter animals, keep a respectable distance away from them. Do not feed birds or animals on the trail. Do not damage or remove any flora or fauna. Do not remove rocks, stones or any other materials from the natural habitat. DO NOT touch the pictographs or disturb any archeological sites – only photos are allowed. Do not play loud music – it will disturb the animals and your fellow hikers. LEAVE NO TRACE - In order to preserve a safe environment for nature and the wild life, we kindly ask you to take back with you any food or beverage. • Enjoy the beautiful nature. All visitors to The Adventure Trail are guests firstly of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and secondly this unique and highly sensitive reserve. Please respect both and always remember, it is privilege to be here and not a right!
Frequently Asked Questions 1. How long is the drive? • The drive on the way in is about 1 hour and 30 minutes. • The drive on the way back is about 1 hour and 15 minutes. It’s a long drive but its worth it! 2. Is there a phone signal during the hike? There is no signal during the whole duration of the hike. Signal while on the road is intermittent. 3. Is there a bathroom during the hike? There is no bathroom on this adventure, you need to be comfortable with the outdoors. 4. Do I need the ankle support boots? Yes you do, the trail is very rocky in some section and twisting ankle is the most popular injury during hiking in an uneven terrain. You will significantly reduce the risk of injury by simply wearing ankle supported boots. 5. What will I put in my backpack? You will carry one large bottle of water 1.5 liter, along with some snacks. Always keep space in your bag for your jacket as you will warm up when you start walking.
6. Do we have to cross water during the hike? After a rainy day and during the winter season, water will collect in few spots along the trail. The water can be knee deep or waist deep (depending on your height) and it will be cold. The best way to go across is to remove your shoes before crossing the water pond. Your cloths will most likely get wet and the water is cold so be ready for an adventure!
The Adventure Trail Trip Information Pack