Hegra (Madain Saleh) Taxi — Driver Waits UNESCO Transfer
Taxi from AlUla to Hegra (Madain Saleh) — 20km north, 20 minutes. Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. 111 Nabataean rock-cut tombs, 1st century BCE. Driver waits at site — no taxis at Hegra. Fixed rate.
No Taxis or Uber at Hegra — Pre-Book Your Return Driver
Hegra is 20km from AlUla in open desert. No ride-hailing apps operate here. Without a driver-waits booking you cannot leave the site after your tour. Always confirm your driver is waiting before entering the site.
Hegra — What to See
Qasr Al-Farid
The lone free-standing tomb — Hegra's most photographed monument. A massive unfinished Nabataean tomb carved from a solitary sandstone outcrop in the open desert. The incomplete upper section reveals the Nabataean carving technique: working top-down from the facade. The isolation and scale (18 metres tall) make it the defining image of Hegra.
Best light: early morning or late afternoon.
The Tomb Groups
Hegra has 111 monumental tombs distributed across approximately 12 sandstone outcrops (jabal). The main groups — Jabal Ithlib, Jabal Al-Banat, Al-Khuraymat, Al-Aklah — each have distinctive decorative facades carved with Nabataean architectural motifs: eagles, snakes, Medusa heads, and Attic cornices. The inscriptions above tomb doorways identify the owner and proclaim the tomb is sealed.
Buggy tour included in site ticket.
Visitor Centre & Jabal Ithlib
The Hegra Visitor Centre at the entrance has detailed models and the history of the Nabataean trade network. Jabal Ithlib — to the north of the main site — has the dining triclinium (ritual banquet hall cut into the rock), Nabataean inscriptions, and a narrow defile (siq) that recalls the approach to Petra. Worth the walk.
Jabal Ithlib: 15 min additional walk from main site.