Private AlUla tour: Elephant Rock and Old Town with guide

A 10th-century fort still watches over AlUla's Old Town from above.

A private, guided tour of AlUla covering Elephant Rock, the Old Town, Ashar Valley National Park and the Mirror Hall, with an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned vehicle and hotel pickup included. The tour runs eight hours and suits all fitness levels. Restaurant meals are not included in the price.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore AlUla's natural and cultural sites

• Meet driver at hotel
• Travel in private air-conditioned vehicle
• Visit Elephant Rock at dusk
• Explore AlUla Old Town and 10th-century fort
• Shop local handicrafts and enjoy juice
• Discover Ashar Valley National Park
• Dine at Zalata with traditional Middle Eastern food
• Visit the Mirror Hall or alternative site
• Walk in Wadi Al Qura oasis and heritage site

The experience

How do you see AlUla's most recognizable landmarks without arranging transport yourself? The tour picks you up from your hotel in a private, air-conditioned vehicle and moves through the region's main stops on a fixed route with a guide who speaks English. Elephant Rock, Jabal AlFil in Arabic, rises 52 metres from the desert floor, its warm sandstone shaped by millions of years of wind and water. The guide will take you there, and the light matters: at dusk the fading sun turns the rock deep crimson, which is when the formation's trunk and body read most clearly against the sky.

The Old Town is a labyrinth of tightly packed streets lined with mudbrick houses and shops, with a 10th-century fort perched above it watching over the valley. You'll walk through it, browse local handicrafts and antiques, and stop for fresh juice if you want. The route also covers Ashar Valley National Park, where the landscape shifts between rock formations and open desert, and includes a visit to the Mirror Hall: the world's largest mirrored building, though note that ongoing maintenance sometimes closes it, in which case the guide takes you to an alternative site instead. Lunch happens at Zalata, a restaurant in the Old Town that serves traditional Saudi dishes and Middle Eastern comfort food made from family recipes and local produce. You pay for your meal separately.

The eight-hour day is built around the private vehicle and the guide's route, which means you move at a steady pace through each stop rather than lingering as long as you want at any one place. Infants travel on an adult's lap. The tour works for all fitness levels, though the Old Town involves walking through narrow streets on uneven ground.

What’s included

• English-speaking guide.
• private air-conditioned vehicle.
• hotel pickup.
• parking fees.

Options for this experience

2 options

Explore Elephant Rock and many hidden gems on a private tour of AlUlaGuide in English · No fixed timePickup is included

Solo ticket for a private tourGuide in English · No fixed timeSolo ticket for a private tour of Elephant Rock and hidden gems, with pickup included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (10 to 89 years) · Child (under 10)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfants must sit on laps

Is this one for you?Book this if you prefer a private vehicle and guide for the day rather than joining a group. You'll follow a set route covering the main sites over eight hours, moving between stops at a planned pace.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 10).

What exactly is Elephant Rock and why does it matter?

Elephant Rock, Jabal AlFil, is a 52-metre sandstone formation shaped by erosion over millions of years into the unmistakable silhouette of an elephant's head and trunk. It's AlUla's most recognizable landmark and looks most striking at dusk when the setting sun casts deep crimson light across the stone.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

The tour stops at Zalata restaurant in the Old Town, which serves traditional Saudi and Middle Eastern dishes, but you pay for your meal separately when you order.

What happens if the Mirror Hall is closed during my visit?

The Mirror Hall sometimes closes for maintenance. If it's closed on your tour date, your guide will take you to another site instead so the day's itinerary stays full.

Can I book this tour if I'm traveling alone?

Yes, a solo ticket option is available for the private tour, so you can book it as a single traveler without joining a group.

How much walking is involved in the Old Town?

The Old Town is a maze of tightly packed streets with mudbrick houses and shops, so you'll walk through it on foot on uneven ground. The tour suits all fitness levels, but the terrain is not flat or paved.