“… it’s incredible to get that picture of watching the caravans arrive on the horizon, and you don't know what they're going hold. You don't know what mysteries. People with strange languages, different clothes, and different smells. And they set up around the fire at night and play music you've never heard before; tell stories you've never heard before …” In this series, we’re going to take you on a journey into the heart of one of the most ancient kingdoms on Earth. Located in the northwestern corner of Saudi Arabia, Alula is an oasis in the desert layered in 200,000 years of human history.  But, until recently, it was closed to outsiders, and to this day only a handful of visitors have ever been. In this immersive documentary, recorded on location, we’ll take you to the heart of one of the great wonders of Arabia and give you a glimpse of what it feels like to be there for real. Highlights include: Exploring the ancient city of Hegra. Built by the same people who built Petra in Jordan, Hegra is every bit as spectacular but only visited by a handful of intrepid travelers. Visiting Jebel Ikmah, a library of ancient inscriptions carved into stone that reveal life in the desert more than 2,000 years ago. Riding Arabian horses to petroglyphs in the desert (and nearly falling off). Meeting a herd of overly friendly camels, with a taste for microphones. Learning from rawis, local storytellers, about the history of the incense road, a vast trading route, which passed through Alula, and changed the face of Arabia forever. FIND OUT MORE Our on-location Immersion documentaries are designed so that you can experience everything we did in this episode. Find out more at ExperienceAlula.com. Check out @experiencealula on Instagram, Facebook and X for more inspiration and ideas. CONNECT WITH US If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed.  Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma! Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast  Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices