25 Unforgettable Places to Go in 2026: Bajdah Wildlife Reserve

That timing is the first reason 2026 matters for travelers looking for a different type of wildlife-focused trip. Bajdah is new, only open to visitors since 2024, meaning a trip in 2026 is still early enough to be ahead of mass tourism yet the reserve is established enough that early opening kinks have been worked out.

Photo: Maddie Gwinn

The second reason is ecological: NEOM’s Nature Reserve team says it is actively restoring habitats and wildlife populations across the wider region, with more than 1,100 animals across six species reintroduced in 2025, including Arabian oryx, sand gazelles, mountain gazelles, Nubian ibex, and red-neck ostriches, alongside monitoring for wildlife such as Arabian wolves and striped hyenas.

Outside of animal viewing, the reserve is filled with cultural history. In Hisma, the sandstone mountain Jabal al-Safinah west of Tabuk has Thamudic inscriptions dating back more than 2,600 years, plus other early writings that mark the region’s role as a caravan corridor.

Getting there typically starts with Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport (TUU) in Tabuk, which the airport guide describes as an international airport about 3 miles from the city center, with car rentals and taxis available for onward travel. Most visitors reach Bajdah via guided 4×4 trips (day tours or overnight camps) arranged through Tabuk-based operators. This is desert travel where local navigation, weather awareness, and reserve access rules are part of the draw.