Ancient Kingdoms Festival: A Revival of AlUla’s Rich History
AlUla, an ancient oasis city and a prime tourist destination, is ready to take visitors in a journey to discover its rich history at the Ancient Kingdoms Festival.
Organized by AlUla Moments, the Ancient Kingdoms Festival 2024 promises to take visitors 7,000 years back to explore the glorious past of AlUla in a uniquely immersive experience.
Ancient Kingdoms Festival
Running from November 7-30, 2024, the Ancient Kingdoms Festival returns for a third edition full of cultural events and historical discoveries that bring the past to life.
During the much-awaited event, AlUla turns into an open-air live museum, displaying the ancient city’s heritage and indulging visitors in after-dark experiences amid the captivating desert landscape.
The Ancient Kingdoms Festival features a diverse range of dazzling experiences and curated tours across AlUla’s heritage and cultural sites, combining thrill, adventure and serenity. These sites include the Old Town, Dadan, Jabal Ikmah, Wadi Al-Naam, Hegra, in addition to the Maraya venue.
The Incense Road Experience
In a 2-hour-adventure, the Incense Road Experience will take visitors in an exciting journey through the Old Town, where they can explore AlUla’s history and heritage.
This amazing adventure, running from November 7, 2024 to April 5, 2025, blends live performances, state-of-the-art technology, as well as hands-on exploration to uncover the ancient treasures and the cultural traditions of AlUla.
During the journey, visitors can encounter ancient artifacts, get introduced to legendary figures from the ancient world, explore aromatic plants, and enjoy creating their own incense blends.
Masterpieces of the MANN
For the first time in Saudi Arabia, the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN) will showcase an outstanding selection of ancient artifacts from Pompeii and Herculaneum at Maraya, the world’s largest mirrored building.
From November 7 to December 14, 2024, visitors will have the opportunity to encounter iconic historical figures, such as Alexander the Great, Emperor Trajan and Marcus Aurelias.
This one-of-a-kind exhibition shares stories about those historical figures in addition to explaining how each of them is uniquely interconnected with AlUla as a hub for the incense trade.
Hegra After Dark
Dive deep into the wonders of the ancient world through the Hegra After Dark experience. The outstanding night event, running from November 1, 2024 to February 28, 2025, takes visitors in an impressive experience at Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage site.
Hegra After Dark involves a history-inspired experience amid the captivating landscape of Hegra. Visitors can also enjoy the “theatre of life” experience that brings history to life. It includes spectacular tombs, interactive exhibits, as well as a unique theatre featuring sights, sounds, smells and tastes that echo the Nabataean era.
Stories from the Sky
It is a special edition of Hegra After Dark experience. The Stories from the Sky event is a spectacular audio-visual drone show that illuminates the landmarks of Hegra.
In a dazzling light show, hundreds of drones tell the stories of AlUla‘s history, presenting its legends and characters in an epic experience. The breathtaking show is limited to the weekends of November 7-8 and 14-15, 2024.
Hegra Candlelit Classics
In an enchanting musical experience, Hegra hosts two exceptional nights of unforgettable performances. Three prominent artists will amaze audiences with their stunning performances at Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
On November 22, 2024, the legendary Kadhim Al Sahir will give one of his epic performances at Hegra, playing his emotional songs and captivating audiences with his melodic voice.
Moreover, Hegra will host a memorable music night on November 29, 2024, featuring the Oud master, Naseer Shamma, who will play his masterpieces alongside Spanish guitar legends, the Barcelona Guitar Trio.
After that, the internationally-celebrated pianist, Khatia Buniatishvili, will take the stage to play her soul-stirring melodies against the backdrop of Hegra landscape.
Quest for Ancient Kingdoms
Running from November 7, 2024 to February 27, 2025, the Quest for Ancient Kingdoms will take visitors in a thrilling adventure to discover the ancient treasures at Wadi Al-Naam.
The adventure has two versions to suit all age groups. Adults can enjoy the Challenge Edition for a more challenging experience featuring thrilling activities such as gorge trekking, hiking, and dune buggy rides.
Meanwhile, families can go for the Family Explorers version to enjoy a family-friendly adventure that combines education and entertainment. Both versions offer interactive activities that spark imagination and encourage a sense of discovery.
The Ancient Kingdoms Parade
A vibrant experience awaits visitors from November 7-9, 2024 at AlUla’s Old Town. The Ancient Kingdoms Parade revives the legacies of ancient kingdoms in an awe-inspiring parade that features more than 300 performers.
Discover the traditional costumes, songs and music of AlUla in this vibrant and lively parade which kicks off the Ancient Kingdoms Festival. The parade also celebrates the Year of the Camel with a camel caravan that highlights the cultural value of camels throughout civilizations.
Ancient Rituals – Yoga on the Incense Road
Enjoy meditation and recharge your energy through yoga sessions in AlUla’s UNESCO Memory of the World site, Jabal Ikmah.
This unmissable wellness experience will help visitors reconnect with the past and the present, by blending cultural heritage with yoga amid the mesmerizing landscape of AlUla. The rejuvenating event is available on November 23 and 30, 2024.
