Next day, I had a 2 hour (on site) tour booked of Hegra - the main focus of my visit to Saudi. It was difficult to decide what type or duration of tour to take beforehand and I think I did OK. Unfortunately we had a group of 5 young Saudi ladies (western dress, some botox lips, one of them vaping on the bus, incessant chatter amongst themselves, incl when the English version of explanations given, selfies, selfies, selfies, no respect for timing - just obnoxious).
Anyway - the tour started with a pick-up from the Winter Park as before, at 8:30am. Half a coach load. About 20 mins drive to the park entrance where there is a small visitors centre and its a muster point for the actual tours of the site. We got off, and after 5 mins, joined another coach which was already half full. Couples got split up - not ideal. Comfortable 2 door coach, USB A power at the seats.
The car park at the visitors centre (concealed) - showing the base of a typical formation there.
The countryside was fascinating - isolated sandstone rock formations, called inselbergs, from the size of a garage to decent hills, just sticking up out of the sand.
An inselberg
Hegra. Many here would have visited, or know of the magnificent carved tombs at Petra, in Jordan, the main city of the Nabatean empire. The Nabateans occupied northern Arabia and the 'Levant in the 4th-1st centuries BC and rules some very rich trading routes (gold, frankincense and myrrh ... ). I loved Petra and when I found out that Hegra was the second city of the Nabateans (and a bit later than Petra - say, 500BC), and also had rock-cut tombs, I had to visit. Its a UNESCO world heritage site, the first in Saudi Arabia.
In the pics note how just about all the female visitors were without head coverings and most were in western attire (no skirts). This was typical of all the excursions, within hotels and even at the Madinah train station, Jedda Corniche etc.
First stop was at Jabel Ithlib ('Ithlib mountain') which hosts a
diwan, or dining hall/space.
Adjacent to the diwan was a small siq , leading to the remains of a dwelling or other structure. The lady on the right below was out guide - very knowledgeable and answered questions such as on the Nabateans and relationship of here to Petra. There was also a Saudi guy 'safety officer' so pax didn't stray where they shouldn't. We spent about 30 mins at each site.
Two of our lovely local ladies, still clutching the coffees they bought at the Winter Park.
As far as I could tell, al the erosional features were natural.
There were inscriptions and niches, presumably for deities.
Heading back to the coach. The city of Hegra is in the wide space in the distance.
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