There are adventures that test your limits, and there are journeys that transform the way you see the world. The Hijrah Trail, officially opening in November 2025, belongs firmly in the second category. Stretching 470 kilometres from the Cave of Thawr in Makkah to the Quba Mosque in Madinah, it traces one of the most important migrations in human history.
This is no ordinary trek – it is a living narrative of faith, resilience, and discovery. For modern-day travellers, the Hijrah Trail blends the physical challenge of crossing Saudi Arabia’s desert wilderness with immersive cultural encounters and the chance to step back into a story that has shaped civilisations.
Ala Khotah: In the Prophet’s Steps
At the heart of the experience is Ala Khotah (In the Prophet’s Steps), a six-month immersive journey launching this November. Inaugurated by Prince Salman bin Sultan, Governor of the Madinah Region, the programme allows adventurers to walk, ride, and engage with the route much as it would have been experienced centuries ago.
The initiative is far more than a long-distance trek. Along its route are 59 historical and enrichment stations, 41 restored landmarks, and 5 pivotal event sites, each carefully curated to bring the Hijrah story to life through interactive storytelling, reenactments, and cultural workshops. It is, quite literally, history underfoot.
Travel As They Once Did
For those drawn to the wild, the Hijrah Trail is an expedition through varied and often untouched landscapes. The route veers away from traditional caravan roads, winding instead through rugged valleys, sweeping dunes, and stark rocky escarpments. The silence of the desert, broken only by footsteps or camel hooves, lends an intensity to the experience that is hard to replicate elsewhere.
You won’t just be sightseeing – it is a journey of endurance. On foot, the Ala Khotah covers 305 kilometres, demanding grit and stamina. Saudi adventurer Badr Al-Shaibani famously completed the trek in just 12 days, averaging 40 kilometres daily, proving that the challenge is as real as it is rewarding.
To walk the Hijrah Trail is to retrace history, but to ride it by camel is to live it. Camel caravans were once the arteries of Arabia, and Ala Khotah integrates authentic camel riding guided by locals who keep alive the traditions of desert navigation. It is less a novelty than a connection to a way of life that has endured for centuries.
Capturing the Unforgettable
Adventure alone is only part of the story. Along the trail, travellers can immerse themselves in hands-on cultural workshops – learning traditional crafts, engaging in augmented reality experiences of historical events, or joining in storytelling circles that evoke the spirit of the past.
And when the day’s challenges are over, the desert sky becomes entertainment. Free from urban light pollution, nights spent in camp reveal the clearest constellations in the Middle East, a celestial canvas that has guided travellers across millennia.
For photographers and dreamers alike, the Hijrah Trail is a natural canvas. Dawn breaking over sand dunes, silhouettes of camels at sunset, or restored landmarks bathed in desert light – these are the moments that transform a journey into a lifelong memory.
Plan Your Journey
For modern explorers, the Hijrah Trail stands in conversation with world-renowned pilgrim paths like Spain’s Camino de Santiago or Peru’s Inca Trail. Yet it remains distinctly its own: a desert epic layered with history, spirituality, and raw natural beauty.
To walk it is not simply to complete a journey. It is to step into a story of resilience and renewal, and to discover one’s own along the way.
The Hijrah Trail officially launches in November 2025, with the Ala Khotah programme beginning this November. To learn more and plan your own desert expedition, visit Visit Saudi and General Entertainment Authority – Ala Khotah.
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