|
Madain
Saleh
Petra is world
famous for its
Nabatean tombs,
helped along by a
generation having watched
Indiana Jones and
the Temple of Doom.
But there is another
Nabatean city in the
Arabian Gulf, Madain
Saleh. The
tombs are believed
to have been carved
between 100 BC and
100 AD. Although in
better condition
than those in Petra,
they are better
preserved, and have
the benefits of the
Hejaz Railway on the
doorstep, in case
you have any camera
film left! Directions (from Jeddah)
Tips
-
It
is a very long
drive, but can
be done by
leaving
lunchtime on
Thursday and
returning to
Jeddah for
Friday night,
ready for work
on Saturday (we
know, this is
what we did).
-
Permission
from the Ministry
of Antiquities
in Riyadh is
required to get
into the site,
as well as the
normal travel
letter from your
sponsor. The
permission can
take over two
weeks, so
planning ahead
is essential.
-
If
camping on the Thursday
night, remember
you're in the
desert and so it
will be VERY
cold.
-
A
four wheel drive
is recommended
(we did it in a
Discovery) but
others in our
group managed
almost as well
in their Honda
Civic.
|
