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Come to the desert for solitude, sound baths and awakenings
For thousands of years, humans have used nature for healing,” says reiki healer and yoga teacher Dina Ghandour. “There’s something about the landscape and the nature formation in AlUla that really lends itself to fostering wellness. The land has a lot of history – a lot of ancestral energy – and the area’s towering mountains cradle us in support as we dive deep into ourselves.
That same vitality is why you’ll find a wellspring of resorts and wellness-centric retreats in the Asher Valley today. Habitas AlUla, for example, runs a daily wellness program featuring an assortment of activities from Tai Chi to sound baths. Similarly, at Banyan Tree’s award-winning spa, therapists blend Asian rituals and Arabian traditions to create a most unique and holistic approach to wellbeing to provide physical, mental and spiritual renewal to its guests.
"There’s something about the landscape and the nature formation in AlUla that really lends itself to fostering wellness"
Aligning with its legacy as a place of rest and revitalization, AlUla plays host to a Wellness Festival each year embracing the unfiltered nature of the desert city. The two-week festival focuses on recreation and relaxation, providing visitors with positive energy and healing, as they learn from some of the world’s best practitioners from reiki healers, and yoga teachers to nutritionists and life coaches.
Away from the retreats and festivals, there’s no shortage of beautiful places to visit all across AlUla; wellness here is as wide as the AlUla desert itself. You could set out on a meditative morning hike in the canyons or wander along the oasis trail under the shadow of palm leaves while breathing in the sweet smell of dates and citrus groves. You might then wind down with a yin practice or experience interconnectedness with an after-hours sound healing therapy or full body massage, ending with an evening alfresco, while gazing up with gratitude at an endless star-filled sky.
“They are exceptionally fond of freedom and whenever a strong force of enemies comes near, they take refuge in the desert, using this as a fortress, for it lacks water and cannot be crossed by others.” Diodorus Siculus
Long considered a place of tranquility, AlUla is the perfect destination to reflect, disconnect and reinvigorate the body and mind. This annual festival offers a range of uplifting activities, workshops, and experiences to restore physical and emotional balance.
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