From the top of the main watchtower at Airif Fort, the whole of Ha'il spreads out below you, a mud-brick city on the edge of the desert between the Shammar Mountains of Aja and Salma. Come down into the centre and you can eat on the floor of a traditional mud-brick building, then drive to the foot of Samra Mountain where a fire is lit at night on the summit, just as Hatim al-Tai once lit one to welcome his guests.
Ha'il suits travellers who are interested in the history of the Rashidi dynasty, in mud-brick architecture, and in the desert and its rock art. It is a working agricultural city rather than a resort, and its sights are spread between the centre, the surrounding hills and the desert beyond.
This guide covers the places worth your time in and around Ha'il, followed by a plan for a single day and answers to the questions visitors ask most often.
Top things to do in Ha'il
1. Airif Fort
Airif Fort, also spelled Oreif, is a mud-brick fort on a hill on the edge of the city, built over 200 years ago as a combined observation post and stronghold. The main watchtower gives you a view over the city.
Go for the view rather than for exhibits, and pair it with the central sights below since it sits on the edge of town.
2. Qishlah Fortress
Qishlah Fortress stands in the centre of Ha'il and is the largest traditional mud-brick fortress in the city. The current building was put up in the 1940s while Prince Abdulaziz bin Musaed held office in Hail province, and it was used mostly as a barracks. It is well restored and preserved both outside and inside, with a large inner courtyard holding old military items on exhibition.
Because it is central, it combines easily with At-Turathy Restaurant and the Barzan Souk in the same outing.
3. Jubbah Rock Art
The rock carvings near Jubbah are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with petroglyphs believed to date from 5500 BC showing humans, cattle and chariots. The area is about an hour and a half from Ha'il city by car.
You can buy permits to see the petroglyphs at Hail Museum, or at Ateeq Naif al-Shammari's Jubbah Palace of Heritage museum just off the main street in the town of Jubbah itself. Tours to the Nafud desert can also be organised at Hail Museum, so sort your permit before you set out.
4. Samra Mountain
Samra Mountain overlooks the city, and it is where Hatim al-Tai lit a fire on the summit to welcome guests. Today an asphalt road leads to the summit, where a natural gas-powered fire is lit at night. There is a park with a lake at the bottom of the mountain, and on the side of the mountain the Emblem of Saudi Arabia, a date palm and crossed swords, is made from electric lights that are turned on at night.
Come in the evening so you see both the fire on the summit and the illuminated emblem on the mountainside.
5. Aja Mountain
Aja Mountain, or Jabal Aja, is on the opposite side of Ha'il city from As-Samra. A huge Saudi flag made of electric lights is located on the side of the mountain and is turned on at night.
It is a night-time sight, so treat it as the second half of an evening that begins at Samra Mountain.
6. At-Turathy Restaurant
At-Turathy Restaurant is a large historical mud-brick building in Ha'il centre used as a traditional restaurant. Its appearance is half restaurant, half museum, with a large number of local traditional items used as decorations. The atmosphere is traditional, the food is traditional, and seating is on the floor.
It sits in the centre, so it works well as a meal before or after Qishlah Fortress.
7. Hail Museum
Hail Museum is the museum of the city of Ha'il. It is one of the two places where visitors can buy permits to see the petroglyphs near the oasis of Jubbah, the other being Ateeq Naif al-Shammari's Jubbah Palace of Heritage museum just off the main street in the town of Jubbah itself.
Make it your first stop if the Jubbah rock carvings or a Nafud desert tour are on your plans, since permits and tours are organised there.
8. Barzan Souk
Barzan Souk stands in the place where the Barzan Palace of the Rashidi extended family, who governed the area around Hail, once stood.
Visit it as part of a walk through the centre rather than as a separate trip.
9. Friday Market
Friday Market is a traditional-style souk, held on Friday because it is a national weekend.
Time your visit to Ha'il so that you are in the city on a Friday if you want to see it at its busiest.
10. Hail Roundabouts
Ha'il Roundabouts are found in different parts of the city. They carry large sculptures of traditional items in the centre of the traffic rotaries, which are decorative fountains. One has a Gerba, a traditional animal skin canteen, built as a fountain; another has a Mabakara, a traditional incense burner, with Dellahs, traditional coffee pots, and cups around it built as a fountain.
You will pass several of them while driving between the fort, the museum and the restaurants, so keep an eye out rather than making a special journey.
11. Garden Mall
Garden Mall is the largest shopping mall in Hail, located near Fahad Ali arafi street, with shops including Lifestyle, Shoe Mart, Babyshop, H&M, Giordano and Iconic. Samah Center is the second largest shopping centre in Hail, and the third is the Hyper Panda shopping mall.
Useful in the heat of the day or if you need a break from the historical sights.
12. Tuwarin Oasis
Tuwarin Oasis is a remote desert oasis outside the city.
It is a desert excursion rather than a city sight, so plan it as a separate outing with your own transport.
13. Al-Rajhi Masjid mosque
Al-Rajhi Masjid is a mosque in Ha'il.
It is a place of worship rather than a sight, so visit outside prayer times and dress and behave accordingly.
14. The grave of Hatim al-Tai
Hatim al-Tai was a famous Arabian poet who lived before the preaching of Islam and whose extreme generosity made him an icon to Arabs, as in the proverbial phrase "more generous than Hatim". His grave is in Ha'il.
Combine it with Samra Mountain, where the fire he lit to welcome guests is reproduced each night.
15. Hail Desert Life Festival and Hail Rally
The Hail Desert Life Festival is an annual festival held in the province of Hail to celebrate and exchange experiences about desert life and culture around the world. The Hail Rally is the first car rally in Saudi Arabia, which started in 2006.
Both are events rather than fixed sights, so check whether your dates coincide with either before you book.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Hail Museum, both for the museum itself and to buy a permit if you intend to see the Jubbah rock carvings or organise a Nafud desert tour. Then walk to Qishlah Fortress in the centre and see the mud-brick fortress and its inner courtyard.
Afternoon: Have a traditional lunch at At-Turathy Restaurant, then look in at the Barzan Souk nearby. If it is Friday, go on to Friday Market. If the heat is at its worst, spend the middle of the day at Garden Mall.
Evening: Drive up Samra Mountain by the asphalt road to see the fire lit at the summit and the illuminated Emblem of Saudi Arabia on the mountainside, then cross the city to Aja Mountain to see the Saudi flag of electric lights. If you have time before dark, stop at Airif Fort for the view from the main watchtower.
Frequently asked questions
How do I arrange a visit to the Jubbah rock carvings?
Buy a permit at Hail Museum, or at Ateeq Naif al-Shammari's Jubbah Palace of Heritage museum just off the main street in the town of Jubbah itself. The carvings are about an hour and a half from Ha'il city by car.
When is the best time to see the fire on Samra Mountain?
At night. A natural gas-powered fire is lit on the summit at night, and the Emblem of Saudi Arabia on the side of the mountain is made from electric lights that are turned on at night.
Can I visit Aja Palace?
No. Aja Palace on the outskirts of the city, where the former governor of Hail province Prince Saud bin Abdulmohsen lived, can only be seen from a distance, from the main highway nearby. It is a residential compound and is not open to the general public for sightseeing.
What is there to see outside the city?
The Jubbah rock carvings and the Tuwarin Oasis, a remote desert oasis. Tours to the Nafud desert can be organised at Hail Museum.
Work out which of these fit your dates, check whether the Hail Desert Life Festival or the Hail Rally falls in them, and start planning your trip to Ha'il.