• A 1450 piece drone show with especially composed music and a live orchestra wowed guests at a stunning opening event to Khaybar, North West Saudi Arabia.

AlUla, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – November 2022:

The ancient oasis town of Khaybar, known for ancient burial structures and striking geology is offering a sneak peek, limited season of day-trip and overnight experiences for visitors.

The event forms part of the inaugural Ancient Kingdoms Festival, which comes under the banner of AlUla Moments – the annual calendar of events for the ancient desert city of the AlUla region.

The unique sound and light show took place at the AlRawan look out point which has epic views of the Khaybar old town and oasis.

The drone show was conceived by HQWS, the same company that provided the creative for extremely popular drone show at Hegra, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the light and sound show at Tayma, and last year’s Constellations stargazing sound and light show in AlUla.

It’s the biggest drone show ever offered in the region using the latest state-of-the-art drones for maximum impact. Accompanied by cinema screens, narration and an eight piece live string

section – the story of Khaybar was unveiled from the geological wonders, the oasis and the man-made structures.

Music for the show was composed by UK composer Matt Faddy of BKP music and was inspired by the dramatic white and black volcanoes, lava fields, oasis and rolling mountain landscapes. The music was recorded with a full orchestra, the live component featuring a group of international string musicians called the Khaybar Strings. Heavy on brass, percussion and drama, the music perfectly reflected the Khaybar landscape.

Faddy, who has worked on many international events around the world said, “Quite spectacular, unlike anything else I have done before.”

The event in Khaybar is part of a drive to showcase the three linked ancient oases of AlUla, Tayma and Khaybar – unlocking exciting and immersive experiences that bring to life stories that span millennia, reaching across successive civilisations and interconnecting the great cultures of ancient history.

Visitors can see the drone show as part of The Ancient Kingdoms Festival until December 15 2023.

Khaybar Day Trip includes:

• Tethered Hot Air Balloons and Helicopter rides– a geological gem offering a unique perspective from the skies. Khaybar is revealed through tethered hot air balloon rides and helicopter excursions to give bird’s eye view of the extraordinary landscape.
• Khaybar Camp – a unique ‘off the grid’ nature and culinary experience staying in a luxury glamp site in an otherworldly landscape near the Harrat Khaybar volcanic site.
• AlRawan – an excellent vantage point interlinking the oases and overlooking the old town, the first point of entry to exploring Khaybar.
• Adventure trails through the Umm Jirsan lava tubes and caves.
• Stories From The Skies – an aerial spectacular bringing together drones, narrative and landscape as night falls.

Visitors eager for a first-glimpse of Tayma and Khaybar (Tayma 2 hours, Khaybar 3 hours from AlUla) can do so by self-drive, a hop-on-hop-off bus or luxury/VIP car service moving between the sites or can ‘Ride with a Rawi’: a journey escorted by local Rawi storytellers, who will impart their local knowledge enroute.

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