Riyadh to Al Ula - Road Trip Along the Qassim Caravan Route

📍 Riyadh - Ushaiger (200km): 2 hrs 30 mins Ushaiger - Buraydah (185 km): 2 hrs

Leaving Riyadh's glittering skyscrapers and bustling streets behind, it’s time to experience the first of Saudi’s many wild and rugged landscapes. The plateau on which the capital sits ends abruptly, allowing a panoramic view over the ancient sea bed 300m below. The drop leaves the cars of today at a halt while the camels of yore find their way down a steep trail of switchbacks. Walk a short distance in their footsteps and marvel at this ancient caravan route and the talented camel riders who used it.

Once down, travel through your first section of desert plain to the town of Ushaiger. Here the ruins of an ancient mud village tell the tale of a Saudi very different from the one you’ve seen so far in Riyadh. Wander the dusty alleys and visit a family-run museum to dig deeper into the town's history.

Continue your journey through time by taking the backroads to your next destination of Buraydah. Avoiding the highway, it is easy to imagine the hundreds of thousands of camels and traders that have made their way across these deserts for centuries. The dry desert dunes, as far as the eye can see, also hide a secret: this is one of the most important food-growing regions in the area. As you near the market town of Buraydah, the fascinating circular fields tell of the ingenuity of Saudi’s desert farmers. 

Passing Onaiza city together with Buraydah the twin capital of the Qassim region, stop by a local heritage museum where a fantastic VR experience can give you a glimpse directly into the past.

Overnight in Buraydah.
 

Inclusions:

🥘 Lunch

📍 Buraydah - Hail (260km): 2 hrs by high-speed train

Buraydah is with Onaiza the twin-capital of Qassim province, also known as the ‘food basket’ of Saudi Arabia. Where better to understand this than at your first stop, a local wet market. Watch as the buyers and sellers do business by auctioning from the back of their trucks. Then, wander through what is probably the largest date market in the world. In season, the  stalls are piled high with tropical fruits and vegetables and, if the time is right, don’t miss the opportunity to sample Qassim’s famously succulent dates. Even outside the season, the scale of this market is enough to realize that Saudi Arabia is not just about oil. 

Swap four wheels for the local train to Hail, with magnificent views over the rocky desert landscape. Hail was an ancient Arab capital, and the hilltop A’arif Fort speaks of the city’s prominence in this desert region. From the top of the fort to the center of the city, your next stop on the historic circuit of Hail is the Al Qishlah compound. Built with the same red mud as A’arif, the 8m high walls of this huge fort palace show the power of the local rulers.

Overnight in Hail.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Hail - Jubbah (125km): 1 hr 30 mins Jubbah - Al Ula (500km): 5 hrs 30 mins

An hour north of Hail takes you into the Al Nafud desert, to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Jubbah. Rising up from the windswept plains, these desert rocks feature some of the Arab World’s finest Neolithic rock inscriptions. The detailed drawings of people, animals, and daily activities are as visible today as they were when they were created over 9,000 years ago. Follow your knowledgeable guide as he takes you on a tour of some of the best-preserved drawings.

Your final leg of the journey takes you west past the Sharaan nature reserve. Keep your eyes peeled for ostriches and Idmi gazelles among the dry desert grasses. Conservation efforts in this 1,500 square kilometer reserve have benefitted many native populations, including the elusive Arabian wolf. 

As rich in natural beauty as it is in history and cultural heritage, Al Ula is a highlight of any trip to Saudi. The draw to Al Ula 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. Get in the mood with a sunset visit to Jabel Al Fil, or Elephant Rock, set in golden desert sands and climbing into the blue Arabian skies. Elephant Rock is one of Al Ula’s most easy to remember geological marvels.
Overnight in Al Ula.
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Al Ula - Al Ula airport (45km): 30 mins

At leisure until you check out of your hotel and transfer to the airport or continue the next leg of your journey. (transfer without guide) 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast