Hegra, also known as Mada'in Salih, was the southern capital of the Nabataeans, the same desert traders who carved Petra in Jordan, and it holds more than a hundred tombs cut into sandstone outcrops scattered across a flat plain. It was Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2008, and the sight of the carved facades, standing alone among the rocks with the desert behind them, is a powerful one.
The Nabataeans were masters of water and trade. From about the first century before our era, they controlled the caravan routes that carried incense and spices north, and they built wells and cisterns to survive in a place that gets almost no rain. The tombs date mostly from the first century of our era, and inscriptions above many doors name the owners and threaten curses on anyone who disturbs them. The most famous is Qasr al-Farid, the lonely castle, a single huge tomb carved from an isolated boulder, which stands apart from the rest like a monument to ambition. Later, the Hejaz railway passed through nearby, and old station buildings still stand.
Visiting is a managed affair. Access to the main archaeological area is by organised tour or ticket, usually booked in advance, so check the current arrangements before you ride out; you cannot simply wander in. Within the site you move by bus or on foot with a guide, and motorcycles stay at the visitor area. The road from AlUla is straight and good, a smooth desert highway with open views, though heat and glare are fierce in summer and the wind raises dust. October to March is the time to come, with morning or late afternoon visits best for light and comfort.
The landscape around Hegra is as memorable as the monuments. Sandstone outcrops rise from the sand like ships, their surfaces pitted and ribbed by wind, and the colours deepen at sunset. Birds nest in the cliff faces, and in spring there may be a hint of green in the wadis after rain.
AlUla town, about twenty kilometres away, has fuel and food, and it is the place to fill the tank and carry water. Bring a hat, sunglasses and patience; the heritage here rewards slow looking.