Elephant Rock

Elephant Rock, known in Arabic as Jabal AlFil, is a natural sandstone formation in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. It stands 52 metres tall and has the unmistakable outline of an elephant, with a distinct trunk and body. Most visitors arrive in the late afternoon, settle in to watch the sun go down, and stay on into the evening. The site is laid out for lingering. Sunken seating is scattered around the base so you can look up at the rock in comfort, and fire pits take the chill off cooler desert nights. A cafe and a restaurant, open for most of the year, serve food, drinks and shisha late into the evening, and the rock is lit up after dark. A wooden path runs from the car park to the entrance, and parking is free. Photos are welcome from the marked viewing areas, but climbing is not allowed, to protect the formation. There is no minimum age. Many group tours include a stop here, or you can drive yourself along Highway 70. No one shaped this rock by hand. Wind and water have worn away at the sandstone for millions of years, leaving the form you see today. At dusk the low sun turns the whole animal shape a deep red, which is why the evening visit is the one most people choose.