DUBAI: Well before the first visitors arrive at Hegra each morning, Saudi heritage ranger Fatimah Al-Balawi has already walked the site, making sure the Kingdom’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site is ready to receive visitors from across the globe.
Al-Balawi joined the Royal Commission for AlUla in 2023 and is one of a team of rangers safeguarding AlUla’s cultural landmarks, from the rock-cut tombs of Hegra to the ancient settlement of Dadan and the open-air inscriptions of Jabal Ikmah. Her role is a mix of protection and hospitality. “Protecting the site and welcoming visitors are not separate tasks,” Al-Balawi tells Arab News. “They are both essential parts of delivering the full AlUla experience from beginning to end.”
Her mornings begin early. “We make sure the site is fully prepared at least 30 minutes before each tour begins,” she says, checking that everything is in place “to provide visitors with the highest standards of quality and comfort from the moment they arrive.”
Much of her day is spent balancing two responsibilities at once. She works alongside a rawi — a traditional storyteller who narrates each site’s history — while she keeps the tour moving in a way that protects the archaeology. “Every stage of the tour is carefully coordinated,” she says. Each team member — “from the rawi to the ranger” — has a clear role.
On patrol among the tombs, she watches for anything that could mar the site.
“We make sure no one damages or interferes with the tombs, such as by carving or marking the surfaces,” she says. Rangers also monitor natural erosion and other physical changes across the site, reporting anything of concern to the relevant teams so they can respond quickly. Beyond that, an important part of the job is “raising awareness among visitors about the significance of AlUla’s heritage and why protecting these extraordinary sites is a shared responsibility.
“They are often curious about the stories behind the sites — who lived here, what the inscriptions mean and how these places have survived for so long,” she continues. “There is a real sense of discovery, especially when they realize just how much history is preserved in AlUla.” What she most wants them to take away is that the sites are “part of a living heritage that we all have a responsibility to protect.”
Al-Balawi was born and raised in AlUla, and her connection to the land runs deep.
“It is part of who I am, which makes protecting its heritage and sharing it with others all the more meaningful,” she says. Even after full days on site, she finds herself drawn back to Jabal Ikmah, home to thousands of ancient inscriptions, carvings and rock art. “I never tire of standing in front of the inscriptions and writings carved into the mountains, or of seeing the stories they have preserved over time,” she says. “The level of detail is extraordinary.”
Al-Balawi says she was drawn to the job through “a passion for protecting our history and cultural heritage, and the pride that comes with representing Saudi Arabia to visitors from different cultures.” She adds that she hopes to “encourage women in Saudi Arabia and around the world to take pride in their heritage and play an active role in protecting and preserving it.”
Off the clock, the ranger keeps things simple. “Interacting with visitors is something that genuinely makes me happy, so, mentally, I usually end the day on a positive note,” she says. “The work can be demanding, so I make sure to rest and get enough sleep. I also enjoy spending quality time with my family and unwinding with a good film.”
For Al-Balawi, being a ranger is a calling, more than a job. “It is a national responsibility and a source of pride in our identity and history,” she says.
