Classic Saudi

📍 Jeddah - Jeddah airport (25km): 30 mins

Jeddah is a commercial hub sitting to the west along the Red Sea with the second busiest seaport in the Middle East. It’s the principal gateway to Mecca, the holiest city in Islam, and sees over a million pilgrims a year on their way to perform the Hajj. Despite this, Jeddah is perceived to be the most liberal city in Saudi Arabia and is a popular tourist destination, offering the beauty of ancient architecture mixed with the latest luxuries.

Celebrate arrival in the Kingdom with sunset drinks on the city’s attractive corniche.  Take a stroll to admire the artworks in the ‘open air museum’ and spread out carpet and ‘takwa’, the smart Saudi picnic seat. Join the locals when the sun sets, the call for prayer sounds and the world's tallest fountain comes to life in front of the beachwalk. Complete the first day in Saudi Arabia with a welcome dinner in modern style, befitting fast-paced Jeddah.

Overnight in Jeddah.

Inclusions:

🍗 Dinner

Start the day working on the Saudi bigger picture in the Tayebat museum to gain background about Islam, Saudi Arabia and Jeddah, the city to be explored first. The Tayebat museum is ideal for this, consisting of real-live, real-size examples of Saudi and especially Jeddahwi building styles, everyday tools and utensils, art and of course details about the Two Holy Cities; Mecca and Medina. which make a good base for a first talk about Islam. After visiting a selection of what is on display, let’s head out into the real Saudi!

Jeddah’s proximity to the Red Sea puts local seafood at the forefront, unlike elsewhere in the country. The Central Fish Market is the hotspot where buyers and sellers come together. Squid, shrimp, lobster and a great variety of fish, some only native to the Red Sea, are all fresh and on display. Follow the flow of the market where customers first choose their pick. Next they move on to have it weighed and get a ticket for the cleaning section, All set? Now it can be prepared in the restaurant right in the market or taken home. To stay in style, enjoy a seafood lunch in a nearby restaurant.

After lunch, visit the House of Islamic Arts, where explore a stunning collection of Islamic art, artifacts, and rare manuscripts. This cultural gem offers a deep insight into the rich heritage and artistic traditions of the Islamic world.

Then explore the atmospheric old town Al Balad, which achieved UNESCO World Heritage status in 2014. Its traditional multi storey buildings and merchant houses are an architectural treasure trove. It is a dive back in time with the buzz of trading, pilgrims shopping and the occasional tourist mixed in. The roshan or wooden window covers are the ancient way to create shade and cool in this hot and humid climate, and they make these alleys especially picturesque. Visiting Al Balad is like a dive back in time with the buzz of trading, pilgrims shopping and the occasional tourist mixed in. In a quickly modernizing Kingdom, this area might be the last one to find that ‘real Middle Eastern mix of sights and smells’ that you can find in the old souks across the region.

Overnight in Jeddah.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Jeddah city center - Jeddah train station (20km): 25 mins Jeddah - Medina (415 km): 1 hr 45 mins by high-speed train Medina train station - Medina city center (20km): 25 mins (20km): 25 mins (18 km): 21 mins

Today is for following ‘the footsteps of prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him)’ to The Holy City of Medina. His early followers undertook this journey on foot and by camel. Present day’s pilgrims go by Haramain, Saudi Arabia’s state-of-the-art high-speed train system, which makes it a short (under two hours) hop to Medina, one of Islam’s holiest pilgrimage sites.

Medina is one of the two most sacred cities in Islam (the other is Mecca). Medina is centered around Al Masjid an Nabawi, also known as the Prophet’s Mosque, which was constructed by the Prophet himself and is also where he is buried. 

After lunch at a nearby restaurant offering a partial view of the Prophet’s Mosque, join the throngs of pilgrims, it is hard to describe the vibe. Non-muslims are welcome to enjoy exterior views of the mosque from the edge of the square. 

Visit the Museum of the Prophet's Biography and Islamic Civilization, where explore exhibits that showcase the life of Prophet Muhammad and the rich history of Islamic civilization through detailed artefacts and multimedia displays. Then visit Mount Uhud, a major pilgrimage site and viewpoint across the Holy City.

Overnight in Medina 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Medina - AlUla (390 km): 4 hrs 30 mins AlUla - Jabal AlFil (Elephant Rock) (5 km): 10 mins

There’s much more to Medina than its primary holy site. Guests will get the chance to visit the terminus station of the Hijaz or Ottoman railway, which once brought pilgrims to Medina from as far away as Damascus in Syria. Guests will round out their time in Medina with some browsing time at the city’s central market. Saudis are known for having a sweet tooth and the stalls at this bustling souk are ideal snaffling territory for goodies.

After lunch, a fascinating road trip from Medina to AlUla, home to Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, awaits. These destinations sit deep in the desert in the northwestern region of the country. Don’t expect only sand dunes, this is a volcanic area with black lava stone and mountain vistas and rich in historical significance. 

Arriving in AlUla before sunset leaves ample scope for a pilgrimage to Elephant Rock. Set in golden desert sands and climbing into the blue Arabian skies, the rock (also known as Jabal Alfil) is one of AlUla’s most impressive geological marvels.

Overnight in AlUla

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 AlUla - Hegra (20 km): 20 mins Hegra - AlUla Historic Town (20 km): 25 mins

The draw to AlUla is its remarkable natural rock formations and canyons, extensive and varied pre-Arabic rock art, and immaculately preserved tombs built more than 2,000 years ago by the Nabataeans. You’ll start the day with a visit to the Nabataean site of Hegra, which was the southern capital of the Nabataean kingdom, dating back to the first century BCE. Today, visitors follow their ‘rawee’ or storyteller, to explore several of the more than 100 well-preserved monumental tombs, most with elaborate facades carved from rock formations scattered around the desert.

Next, head for the green zone that is AlUla oasis, and enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant, situated beautifully amid the date farms. Take a stroll where lush palm trees sway gently and the smell of citrus fills the fresh air, adding to the oasis-feeling that AlUla still retains. Follow the winding, shaded Oasis Heritage Trail through the orange grove, hear birds and imagine how the nomads of the past found water and refuge from the desert here.

Exit the lush oasis at AlJadeeda, an area known also as ‘Art City’ which has a colorful vibe with street art and art exhibits spread out in its walking streets. Continue exploring AlUla historic city, often called ‘the Old Town,’ a charismatic place that once sat at the crossroads of the Silk Road and the Incense Route, and that rewards a leisurely stroll. Recent renovations have turned it into a magical mix of ancient alleys and trendy restaurants and upmarket souvenirs shops.

Overnight in AlUla. 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Flight AlUla - Riyadh: 1 hr 30 mins Riyadh airport - Riyadh city center (35 km): 45 mins

Enjoy a leisurely start in the hotel before a midmorning departure to Riyadh, the Kingdom’s modern capital.

Arriving in Riyadh you’ll immediately see how rapidly the city is modernizing. From towering skyscrapers to long boulevards, shopping centers, mosques and luxury hotels, this is a city that is set to surprise you. Put things in perspective by taking the high-speed lift to the 99th floor of the iconic Kingdom Center for access to Riyadh’s best urban panorama. Suspended 300 meters above the city, the tower's curved Sky Bridge offers spectacular views across the Riyadh skyline and beyond.

Overnight in Riyadh.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast

Let’s begin with some pointers toward Saudi’s charismatic past. Find Al Masmak Fortress in the heart of the old town. A large clay and mud-brick citadel that witnessed the birth of a kingdom, the 150-year-old edifice stands as a reminder of Saudi’s storied past. Justice Square is another reminder of the past. Modern Saudi shop in supermarkets but a few old market areas remain, like  Souq al Zel and Souq Bisht, two of the most characteristic traditional marketplaces in town. Learn more about Saudi history at beautiful Murabba palace and at the modern National Museum of Saudi Arabia.

After lunch at a traditional restaurant, across town and pointing high into the sky as a symbol for power is KAFD, or King Abdullah Financial District, the strikingly modern heart of business of the Kingdom and more and more the wider Gulf region. Explore the mosque's striking design, followed by a coffee break in the financial district.

It is time to explore Ad Diriyah, the birthplace of the first Saudi state called At-Turaif which ruled between 1744 and 1818. The UNESCO World Heritage site has just been restored to its former glory and is poised to become a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s tourism offerings. Discover more about the architecture and heritage at the site. Find out how the mud-brick houses were built; how homes were cooled during the hot summer days; and how people lived without electricity and creature comforts.

Overnight in Riyadh.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Riyadh city center - Riyadh airport (35 km): 45 mins

Leisure time until hotel check-out, followed by transfer to the airport.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast