Sharaan Platinum Dinner Safari AlUla: Wildlife braai stars

You search for wildlife at night using UV lights while your guide explains what you're seeing.

The Sharaan Platinum Dinner Safari is an evening tour from AlUla through the Sharaan Nature Reserve, combining a sunset canyon hike, nocturnal eco walk with UV lights, and a lantern-lit South African-style braai dinner under the stars. A dedicated Conservation Guide leads the entire experience, which lasts approximately seven hours and includes hotel pickup in an air-conditioned Land Rover Defender, a stainless steel water bottle to take home, and a four-course meal with grilled meats, vegetables, appetizers and desserts. The tour operates in shared or private vehicle options, with guides speaking English and Arabic.

Step-by-step itinerary

Sharaan Platinum Dinner Safari Experience

• Pick-up from AlUla hotels
• Arrive at Sharaan Nature Reserve
• Briefing by Conservation Guide
• Safari through canyons and valleys
• Sunset hike and enjoy canapes
• Nighttime wildlife spotting with UV lights
• Four-course South African braai dinner
• Sand art projection and stargazing
• Return to hotel

The experience

The tour starts with pickup from your AlUla hotel between 2:30 PM and 4:00 PM, depending on the season. You'll ride in a Land Rover Defender 130 to the Sharaan Nature Reserve, where your Conservation Guide briefs you on what lies ahead. The first part of the evening is a safari through the canyons and valleys. You stop at rock formations, explore inscriptions dating back thousands of years, and walk through lush fields where the local flora's scent fills the air. This is not a passive drive. You get out and move through the landscape itself.

At sunset, a short hike takes you up a canyon to overlook a vast valley. You sit there as the light fades, eating canapes and watching the day end. Once darkness falls, the nocturnal eco walk begins: your guide hands you UV lights and leads you through the reserve to spot nighttime creatures and explain their role in the ecosystem. The camp itself is lantern-lit, so the canyons glow as you move through them. Dinner is a four-course South African braai (grilled meats, vegetables, sides, appetizers and desserts) served beneath the stars. After the meal, a sand art projection tells AlUla's story against the canyon walls, and then you move to the bonfire for a stargazing session with a telescope so you can see planets and stars up close. Return to your hotel happens between 9:30 PM and 11:00 PM.

The entire experience lasts around seven hours. You receive a stainless steel water bottle to keep, and the air-conditioned vehicle means the drive itself is comfortable even in the heat of the afternoon.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in an air-conditioned Land Rover Defender 130.
• a dedicated Conservation Guide speaking English or Arabic.
• a stainless steel water bottle to take home.
• a four-course South African-style braai dinner with grilled meats, vegetables, sides, appetizers and desserts.
• nocturnal eco walk with UV lights.
• lantern-lit camp experience.
• sand art projection telling AlUla's story.
• stargazing session with telescope access.
• bonfire time with tales of the night sky.

Options for this experience

2 options

Shared CarGuide in English or Arabic · 14:30

Private carGuide in English or Arabic · 14:30Includes pickup

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 14:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15 · max 5 per booking

Live guideEnglish and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 10 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availableNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Platinum Heritage Saudi

Is this one for you?Choose the shared car option if you're comfortable meeting other travelers and want the standard experience at a lower price. Pick the private car if your group prefers to move through the reserve together without other guests joining you. Both follow the same route and include the same guide and dinner, so the choice is really about who you want in the vehicle with you.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly do I do on the nocturnal eco walk at Sharaan?

Your Conservation Guide gives you UV lights and takes you through the reserve to search for nighttime creatures and explain why they matter to the local ecosystem. The guide's knowledge shapes what you see and understand about the animals active after dark.

Is the four-course braai dinner included in the price, or do I pay extra?

The braai dinner is included in your tour price. It consists of grilled meats, vegetables, sides, appetizers and desserts, all served at the lantern-lit camp beneath the stars.

Do I need to be fit to do this tour, or is it mostly sitting and watching?

The tour involves a short hike up a canyon at sunset and a nocturnal walk through the reserve on foot, so a moderate level of physical fitness helps. The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or pregnancy. Children are welcome from age five.

What's the difference between the shared car and private car options?

Both options follow the same itinerary and include the same guide, dinner and activities. The shared car option means you travel with other guests in the Land Rover. The private car option is for your group alone. Both include hotel pickup and the full seven-hour experience.

When exactly does pickup happen, and how do I know what time to be ready?

Pickup occurs between 2:30 PM and 4:00 PM depending on the season. The operator will tell you the exact time around noon on the day of your tour, so you'll have a few hours' notice to prepare.

What petroglyphs or ancient inscriptions will I actually see at Sharaan?

The reserve contains rock formations and inscriptions dating back thousands of years that your Conservation Guide will point out and explain during the safari through the canyons and valleys. The guide brings local folklore to life as you explore these ancient marks.