Meet the storytellers whose knowledge and personal connections help visitors experience AlUla through the people who know it best.

A tradition of storytelling

AlUla is a place layered with time – a landscape shaped by wind and water, memory and meaning. From the ancient traces of the Incense Road to the quiet groves of date palms, stories are everywhere here. But it's the people who bring them to life.

In AlUla, a special team of expert cultural practitioners connect visitors to history, landscapes and traditions. They are called Rawis. Some trace their connection back through many generations, while others arrived more recently, drawn by the desire to understand and share its secrets.

Guided by their own lived experience and mentored by leading experts, including archaeologists, historians and heritage specialists, AlUla’s Rawis continually deepen their knowledge, bringing fresh insight and authenticity to every story they share. They form a living connection between AlUla's past and present, helping visitors experience the destination through the people who know it best.

AlUla's voices reach a global audience

Today, their stories reach far beyond AlUla. Now on display at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, the I AM A RAWI photography exhibition celebrates the personalities, practice and perspectives of AlUla's Rawis – championing intercultural dialogue. Through a striking series of portraits, it introduces an international audience to the living heritage they preserve every day in AlUla.

What unites the Rawis is a deep sense of care – for the land, its people and the stories that bind them together. Here, members of the Rawi team offer a glimpse into what it means to live, work and share this remarkable place.

In their own words

"I don't want to tell them a regular story... I want to make it memorable. So that every time they remember AlUla, they remember the story I told them."

"For me, AlUla will always be a kingdom of civilisation. The more excavations we do, the more we can tell the world about this beautiful area." – Faiz

"I don't see myself as a tour guide – I see myself as an ambassador of my family, my culture, and AlUla." – Sultan

"I always associate AlUla with the smell of agriculture – the citrus and the moringa that were being cultivated, the sound of the birds in AlAtheeb and the smell of the oasis and the wells." – Sana

"Sometimes people don't remember how many sites they have seen in AlUla, but they remember something special about you as a Rawi." – Faiz

"Every time I dive into history, I see people on a mission to preserve it. Now I am part of this great mission." – Mohammad A

Every Rawi brings a different perspective to the role, reflecting the richness and diversity of AlUla itself. Among them is a Rawi who leads tours in Arabic, British and American Sign Language – helping ensure more visitors can experience AlUla's stories in a meaningful and accessible way.

These are just a few of the voices that bring AlUla to life. Whether you meet them at AlUla's heritage sites or discover them through the I AM A RAWI photography exhibition, the Rawis show that AlUla's history lives in the people who share it.