Hi Nas
The rule of thumb in KSA when you camp out is basically not to camp in fenced off areas…for the rest you are o.k. We camped in the dunes between the rock formations 10km outside Al Ula off the Ha’il road, basically behind the Elephant Rock 26.674642; 37.914046. (Almost directly across the road is a very nice resort with picnic spots and bungalows).
There is a lot of information online, but unfortunately most grid references proved to be wrong ,except for the ones given here by Florent. Florent is doing a huge job here, especially to give correct information in English. The Tabuk Tourism Development centre (the region for all these sites) has an excellent brochure package available for all the sites and diving areas etc. They can also inform you on what is open/closed since a lot of changes are happening up there around the 2030 vision and Neom development. Their number is +966144239696 or +966144247487 and TabukTourism on FB/twitter

Hello,

Thanks for all the information.

I would really appreciate if you could send me a the coordinates of a specific place that you guys usually put up the tent in AL-ULA. Don’t want to intrude anyones backyard.

Thanks

Nas

Hi
Yes, they are 2 different towns/cities and intakes about 2hrs to drive from Al Ula to Tayma and also the other way around. Al Ula has enough to see and do for a weekend and especially if you ladies are a bit fit, you can walk around and see most of the historical sites in the town on foot. However, there are astonishing rock formations (elephant rock and the dancers for instance) a few kilometres outside the town, for which you will need a taxi. Also remember that it is quite cold at night up there, so take warm clothing!

Hello,
Thank you for your kind words. Be aware that the terrain around Tayma is really tricky with a mix of soft sand and rocks. There is a new road under construction at that point: 27°28’16″N 38°36’01″E. You’ll find plenty of camp options along it, but if you don’t have the experience for sand recovery then you’ll find safer places along that road a bit further south: 27°15’58″N 38°42’32″E
Regards,
Florent

Hi
Yes you would be safe and yes there are taxis (cabs) in Al Ula. If you are Western ladies, it might be a good idea to take a headscarf. Although it is a tourist spot, there are religious places that you might want to enter for which the covering of your hair is respectful and it will also limit unwanted attention. As I said before, Ma’aiden Saleh is closed for an undetermined period, which means you need less time in the area. That being said, Al Ula and Tayma is packed with interesting and stunningly beautiful things to see. There are plenty family restaurants in Al Ula serving very good food. We have seen a number of guesthouses around, but j fortunately we do camping, so I cannot comment on the prices or condition of those.

Thanks

Hi
We went that way over the New Year’s weekend. With so much to see and do in that area, it might be good to do what we did and camp in the absolutely stunning mountains and dunes we Al Ula, about 1hr 30min drive away, depending on speed and how often you stop. You are welcome to look at our pics on Instagram @sandlandcruisers. Please also note that Ma’iden Saleh is closed for an unspecified duration for upgrading. Enjoy the trip!

Excellent information. I was wondering if anyone knows a good place to camp around Tayma I am planning a trip in a couple of weeks and was not sure if we can camp around tayma