What’s On Skies Festival Weekend
27 - 29 April
Top 10 Experiences for This Weekend
1. Hot Air Balloon Flights
With free-flying morning flights and tethered afternoon flights, take to the skies in a hot air balloon for a bird’s-eye view of this region’s breathtaking landscapes with this one-of-a-kind experience.
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2. Giant Swing
One of only seven in the world, this thrilling experience involves leaping from a mountain's edge and flying between canyon walls, taking in the views as you swoosh through the air.
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3. The Planet-tinyum
The world’s smallest planetarium takes you on a unique journey into the mystery of the cosmos. Lose yourself in the wonder of the universe and feel your place within it.
Adventure & Outdoor
4. Astro-photography Experience
Unparalleled clear skies make AlUla one of the world's best stargazing destinations. Learn about the constellations and how to capture their beauty on this astro-photography experience.
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5. Harrat Viewpoint
Set atop an ancient volcanic peak, this lofty viewpoint offers views over AlUla and its stunning landscape. Telescopes allow you to see even further, plus AlUla Skies Festival brings some exciting additions.
Dining
6. Suhail
Grab a table on the rooftop of Suhail and you can continue to gaze skyward as you enjoy an exciting take on traditional Saudi dishes.
7. SHI Lounge
For late-night treats under the stars, Shi Lounge offers crafted coffee and teas accompanied by freshly made pastries right in the heart of Old Town.
After Dark
8. Elephant Rock
Head to AlUla's iconic Elephant Rock and watch the skies turn from fiery sunset to inky canopy scattered with countless stars.
9. Drone Show
Forming an array of illuminated patterns and shapes, a choreographed collection of drones will delight crowds at this spectacular nightly show.
No ticket necessary; free and open to all daily from 7:45 to 8:00 pm.
10. Glow Show
Watch in wonder while flickering flames of dozens of grounded balloons make their colourful shapes glow and pop vividly against the night sky accompanied by music.
No ticket necessary; free and open to all Thursday through Saturday, from 8:00 - 9:00 pm.
ALULA SKIES FESTIVAL
The AlUla Skies Festival celebrates the magic of the AlUla skies. From 26 Apr - 13 May, the AlUla skies will be alive with hot air balloons, drones, stargazing and more.
AlUla Skies Festival Experiences
AlUla Skies Festival by Day AlUla Hot Air Balloons
Dozens of colourful hot air balloons took to the skies for the AlUla Sky Festival. Morning untethered flights rose with the sun to drift high above Hegra’s monumental tombs. Afternoon tethered flights soared skyward for unforgettable 360-degree views.
AlUla Skies Festival by Day AlUla Kites
As part of the AlUla Skies festival, hundreds of colourful kites took to the air for fabulous sky-themed celebrations. Expert fliers sailed and twirled their kites through the air before the public tried out their kite-flying skills.
AlUla Skies Festival by Day Helicopter Tour
Few aerial experiences beat the thrill of taking off in a chopper. Visitors hopped in helicopters to soar over some of AlUla’s most famous landmarks and heritage sites while enjoying bird’s-eye views of this breathtaking landscape.
AlUla Skies Festival by Day Giant Swing
An alternative way to get airborne, this 70-metre swing is one of only seven in the world. The heart-pumping experience involves leaping from a mountain's edge and flying between canyon walls, taking in the views as you swoosh dramatically through the air.
AlUla Skies Festival by Day AlUla Stairway
Unique to the region, the AlUla Stairway takes you up a 45-metre suspended ladder with an exhilarating 150-metre zipline back down to the valley floor. As well as the thrilling experience, you get a photo to take home to prove you braved it.
AlUla Skies Festival by Night Astro-photography
This beyond-stargazing experience was set in an area known for its spectacular night skies. An expert took visitors on a journey through the constellations, followed by a session on how to capture their splendour on camera.
AlUla Skies Festival by Night Drone Show
Forming an array of illuminated patterns and shapes, a choreographed collection of drones delighted crowds with this spectacular nightly show.
AlUla Skies Festival by Night Glow Show
The flickering flames of dozens of grounded balloons made their colourful shapes glow and pop vividly against the night sky. This fabulous spectacle was accompanied by music, plus there was food trucks to grab a bite while enjoying the show.
AlUla Skies Festival by Night AlUla Outdoor Cinema
AlUla's latest outdoor cinema offered the chance to relive the classic movie-going magic. The family-friendly experience provided a blockbuster-led programme and was full of fun, vintage touches set against a dramatic canyon backdrop.
AlUla Skies Festival by Night Journey Through the Stars
Habitas AlUla invited guests on a fascinating journey into the stars. Those who joined this stargazing experience lost themselves in AlUla’s famously clear night sky, contemplated the cosmos and were guided by a local expert through the power of storytelling.
AlUla Skies Festival by Night Planet-tinyum
The world’s smallest planetarium, the Planet-tinyum offered an awe-inspiring journey to the furthest reaches of the universe and showed our place within it.
AlUla Skies Festival by Night Ashar Valley Fashion
The striking rock formations and soft sand dunes of Ashar Valley were the site of an all-new series of exciting luxury retail pop-ups. High-end brands, such as Samer Halimeh, Azza Fahmy, Michael Cinco and more were a part of this unique concept.
AlUla Skies Festival by Night Harrat Viewpoint
Set atop an ancient mountain, this elevated outlook offered visitors not only spectacular views over AlUla’s landscape, but also a huge canopy of night sky. The AlUla Skies Festival also brought exciting additions to the site.
