ALULA, Saudi Arabia — AlUla is positioning itself as one of the region’s most distinctive cycling destinations, offering desert roads, heritage landscapes and routes designed for both casual riders and experienced cyclists.
The Saudi destination is drawing attention as the Tour de France once again captures global interest, with riders and fans looking for new places to chase the same sense of endurance and adventure. For travelers in the GCC, AlUla is emerging as a nearby option that combines sport with scenery and history.
AlUla offers 68 kilometers of dedicated cycling trails and routes that can be explored with or without a guide. The network is part of the destination’s wider 360 Mobility vision, which encourages active and sustainable travel across the area.
Cyclists can ride past Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, where ancient Nabataean tombs rise from the sandstone landscape. Other routes include the climb to Harrat Uwayrid, which rewards riders with wide valley views, and the Oasis Trail, a shaded path lined with date palms that leads toward AlUla Old Town.
The route options are built to suit different levels of fitness and time. Visitors can choose anything from a short leisure ride to a longer half-day outing or a full-day endurance challenge.
For those who do not travel with their own equipment, AlUla has local bike rental options, including road bikes, gravel bikes and e-bikes. The destination also has the Wheels Bike Hub, which organizes community rides and group sessions.
Visitors can ride on their own or join guided experiences led by local experts who can point out viewpoints, landmarks and historical details along the way. Group rides and cycling clubs also give riders a chance to connect with a growing cycling community.
AlUla’s profile as a racing destination has been boosted by the AlUla Tour, which brings international professional riders to the region each year. The event has helped showcase the area’s roads, desert backdrops and landmarks such as Maraya and the Oasis.
Riders can follow sections of the same roads used by the professionals, though at their own pace. That makes the destination appealing both to cyclists chasing performance and to visitors who simply want a memorable ride through a dramatic landscape.
After the ride, travelers can unwind at luxury resorts such as Our Habitas AlUla and Banyan Tree AlUla, where spas, dining and desert views round out the experience.
AlUla’s cycling season is best planned between November and March, when temperatures are more suitable for outdoor activity. As cycling tourism grows across the Gulf, AlUla is emerging as a destination that offers more than sport — it offers a route through history, landscape and culture.
