Desert wonder, UNESCO tombs and dark-sky nights for curious families
🏜️AlUla
Saudi Arabia
Updated 1 July 2026
AlUla is Saudi Arabia's headline desert destination, a vast valley of sculpted sandstone cliffs, palm oases and ancient sites that has opened up fast under the country's Vision 2030 tourism push. For families it is genuinely wondrous: children get to clamber (with guides) around 2,000-year-old Nabataean tombs at UNESCO-listed Hegra, stand under the giant natural Elephant Rock, wander a restored mudbrick Old Town and watch some of the darkest, most star-filled skies on Earth. The trade-offs are real and worth planning for: it is remote and spread out, so you need a car and days built around the heat, most stays are design-led desert resorts and tented camps with no kids club, and the summer is genuinely fierce. But October to March brings warm days and cool nights that suit families, the culture is conservative yet strikingly warm and welcoming to children, and it is entirely alcohol-free, which many parents find relaxing. Think of it as an adventure-and-nature trip rather than a splash-park holiday.
1h20
Flight from Riyadh to AlUla
111
Rock-cut tombs at Hegra
40C+
Typical peak summer heat
UNESCO
Hegra, the country's first World Heritage Site
Live prices & availability
Stays near AlUla, Saudi Arabia
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Why it works with kids
- Clamber around 2,000-year-old Nabataean tombs at UNESCO-listed Hegra with a guide
- Stand under the giant natural Elephant Rock, a favourite family photo spot
- Explore the restored mudbrick lanes of AlUla Old Town
- Some of the darkest skies on Earth for real, jaw-dropping stargazing
- Desert adventures kids love: buggy rides, oasis walks and horse riding
Best areas to stay
- 1Ashar Valley: the luxury heart of AlUla, with design-led villa and tented resorts under soaring cliffs, remote and beautiful but a drive from the sights
- 2AlUla Old Town: restored heritage lanes and a boutique house hotel, atmospheric and central to the main attractions
- 3Near AlUla town: the practical zone for value resorts and self-catering stays, closest to shops and easiest for supplies
- 4Hegra and Dadan area: the archaeological north, the UNESCO tombs and ancient sites you visit rather than stay in
Our KidProof picks
Hand-picked and scored on the eight things that matter to families.
in AlUla
Banyan Tree AlUla
Standalone tented villas spread along the canyon floor, from one bedroom up to a three-bedroom villa that sleeps a whole family in comfort, and most come with their own private pool and a fire pit outside. Cots and high chairs are provided on request, and because each villa is its own separate structure you get real space and quiet for a baby's nap rather than a thin hotel wall.
in AlUla
Our Habitas AlUla
A spread of freestanding villas among the palm groves, each with a private deck and canyon views, in Alcove, Canyon and Celestial styles that mostly hold a family of three to four. Children stay free in the parent's villa, cots come on request, and a handful of larger villas suit bigger families, so ask about the two-key or connecting options when you book.
in AlUla
Shaden Resort AlUla
A big range of chalet-style rooms and larger units, from standard doubles up to family rooms and a six-bedroom Royal Suite, with some rooms offering their own private pool. Cots can be arranged and the family formats and multi-room suites make this one of the easier AlUla properties for a larger family or two families travelling together.
in AlUla
Ashar Tented Resort
Luxury tents strung along the Ashar Valley floor, from one-bedroom up to a two-bedroom tent suite of around 90 square metres that is built for a small family, each with en-suite bathrooms, a living room and a terrace with sun loungers and a fireplace. The two-bedroom suites give parents and children their own space under canvas, and cots can be arranged, though a soft-sided tent is worth weighing with a very light-sleeping baby.
in AlUla
Cloud7 Residence AlUla
Contemporary lodge-style bungalows and suites, each with a kitchenette and a private outdoor space, designed with longer stays in mind. The self-catering setup (cooktop, oven, toaster) is a real advantage with young children, letting you handle bottles, early teas and fussy-eater dinners in your own space, and the layouts comfortably suit a family.
in AlUla
Dar Tantora The House Hotel
Thirty restored mudbrick houses, or dars, woven into the lanes of AlUla Old Town, each one different and full of character, with some very spacious two-bedroom dars that suit a family. The rooms are candle-lit by design (no electric lighting inside) with hand-painted details and uneven heritage floors, which is magical for older children but genuinely worth thinking through with a crawling baby or an unsteady toddler.
in AlUla
Sahary AlUla Resort
Tent-style and cabin rooms dotted around a desert garden, including family rooms with the space a family of four needs, and cots for the little ones (children up to two stay free using a cot). It is glamping rather than luxury, so expect comfortable and practical over polished, but the family formats and the on-site play areas make it one of the more genuinely child-focused places in AlUla.
in AlUla
Caravan by Habitas AlUla
Twenty-two polished Airstream trailers, each with a queen bed (or two singles), an indoor lounge, a kitchenette and a private shower, set among date palms and rock walls. They are compact by design, so they suit a couple with one or two children rather than a big family, and there is no separate bedroom, which is the thing to weigh with a light-sleeping baby.
Compare our picks in AlUla
| Hotel | Score | Kids club | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banyan Tree AlUla | 82 | — | 900€ |
| Our Habitas AlUla | 81 | — | 700€ |
| Shaden Resort AlUla | 78 | — | 180€ |
| Ashar Tented Resort | 78 | — | 650€ |
| Cloud7 Residence AlUla | 77 | — | 235€ |
| Dar Tantora The House Hotel | 75 | — | 500€ |
| Sahary AlUla Resort | 73 | — | 150€ |
| Caravan by Habitas AlUla | 67 | — | 400€ |
Browse AlUla by what matters
Family things to do in AlUla
Hegra tombs tour
A guided rawi-led tour of the 2,000-year-old Nabataean tombs, with a hop-on bus that keeps little legs happy between stops.
Elephant Rock
An easy stop at the giant elephant-shaped rock, with beanbag seating below, a favourite at sunset with kids.
Old Town lanes
Wander the restored mudbrick Old Town and its small shops and cafes, a gentle, shaded afternoon of exploring.
Stargazing night
AlUla's protected dark skies make for genuinely magical stargazing, with guided sessions and telescopes the whole family can share.
Parents also ask
Is AlUla okay to visit with young kids?
Yes, with realistic expectations. It is an adventure-and-nature destination rather than a resort holiday: the sights are spread out and need a car, the heat shapes the day, and most stays have no kids club. But the culture is very welcoming to children, the sites are genuinely wondrous, and family-friendly resorts with pools do exist. Build days around the cool morning and evening, and rest through the midday heat.
How do we get to AlUla?
AlUla has its own airport (code ULH) with direct flights from Riyadh (about 1 hour 20), Jeddah and Dubai, plus seasonal international routes. From the airport you will want a hire car or arranged transfers, as the sights and most resorts are a drive apart and there is little public transport.
When is the best time to go?
October to March is the family season, with warm days and cool desert nights that are comfortable for children and pleasant for sightseeing. Avoid June to August if you can: the heat regularly tops 40C and really only allows short outings around the pool and the coolest hours.
Is it very conservative, and is there alcohol?
AlUla is culturally conservative and entirely alcohol-free, which many parents actually find relaxing. Dress modestly at the sites and in public (loose clothing covering shoulders and knees), and you will find locals and staff strikingly warm and welcoming to families with children.
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