Overview
Dadan was the capital of the Dadanite and Lihyanite kingdoms, and it is carved into the cliff face above the AlUla oasis.
Attraction
Dadan
The capital of the Dadan and Lihyan kingdoms, cut into the cliffs above the AlUla oasis.
Why visit Dadan
The tombs sit almost 50 metres up the rock wall, cut as square openings in a line across the cliff. Two of them are guarded by carved lions. From the valley floor they read as a row of dark squares in red stone; the scale only registers when you notice how small the people below them are.
The kingdoms based here controlled the oasis and the trade moving through it for centuries before the Nabataeans arrived at Hegra, a short drive north. Excavation is ongoing, and a good deal of the site is still unread.
Nearby: AlUla, Hegra, Jabal Ikmah.
One of the most important discoveries at AlUla – and one which made the world’s archaeological community sit up and take note – was unearthing the ancient city of Dadan.
Tours that include Dadan
Winter in AlUla
5 days, 4 nights in AlUla, timed for the cool season: Hegra, Dadan, Jabal Ikmah and the Old Town.
Riyadh, AlUla, Madinah & Jeddah
7 days, 6 nights. Riyadh, AlUla, Madinah and Jeddah, taking in Hegra, At-Turaif and the old quarter of Al-Balad.
Riyadh & AlUla
6 days, 5 nights. Two nights in Riyadh for the founding sites, three in AlUla for Hegra and Dadan.
Jeddah & AlUla
6 days, 5 nights. Two nights in Jeddah for Al-Balad and the Red Sea, three in AlUla for Hegra.
AlUla & Tabuk
6 days, 5 nights. Three nights in AlUla for Hegra, Dadan and Jabal Ikmah, then two in Tabuk for the sandstone country.
AlUla & Madinah
6 days, 5 nights. Three nights in AlUla for Hegra, Dadan and Jabal Ikmah, then two nights in Madinah.
Travel Tips Before Visiting
Dadan is in AlUla.
Plan your visit to Dadan
Want to include Dadan in your trip? Browse our journeys or ask for a custom plan.
- AlUla Shared destination context
- AlUla Old Town Shared destination context
- Elephant Rock Shared destination context
- Hegra Shared destination context
- Abha Tourism relevance match
- Al Ahsa Tourism relevance match