Wonders of Saudi Arabia

Upon arrival at Riyadh International Airport, after visa and immigration formalities, our representative will meet and escort the guests to their air-conditioned vehicle for their transfer to the hotel.
Overnight in Riyadh.

Meals Included | N/A

Breakfast at the hotel. We will start our tour of mystic Riyadh by visiting the National Museum which is the primary custodian of the Saudi national heritage and culture. The Museum is a place of learning and discovery; it offers an overview of the history of Arabian civilization from Prehistory to our modern era. We continue thereafter to the nearby Murabba Palace which is one of the historic buildings of the city. The palace was named after its square form of 400 by 400 meters. We will stop then for lunch in a typical local Saudi restaurant. Afternoon we will continue our tour of mystic Riyadh by visiting the Masmak Fort and its museum that depicts the history of the conquest of Arabia by the Al-Saud family. The palace was built during the reign of Abdullah bin Rashid in the year 1895 A.D. to serve as a military garrison for the Abdullah bin Rashid army. His Majesty King Abdulaziz, the father of the nation today, captured the fort in 1902 making this fort the birthplace of the 3rd Saudi Kingdom, the modern one we live in. We will then visit the Dira Souq, famous for buying antique carpets and other useful Saudi heritage antiques and while walking, we will smell the sandalwood fragrance. Our tour will end with a stunning viewpoint from one of the famous landmarks of Riyadh, the Kingdom Tower or Faisaliah Tower, both great architectural achievements. At the end of the afternoon, we will head back to your hotel. Dinner in Riyadh.

Overnight in Riyadh

Meals Included | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Optional: Access to Sky Bridge on Kingdom Tower: 25$ pp

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, we will depart for Riyadh’s railway station and board the fast train for Ha’il, which we'll reach in just under 5 hours. The railway link was constructed very recently and allows us to reach Ha’il in just under 5 hours. The city of Ha’il lies at the foot of the imposing Shammar mountain range whose is name also the one of a large northern Arabian tribe. Renowned for its hospitable people, Ha’il is traditionally the home of Saudi Arabia’s poets and writers. An interesting fact about Ha’il is that most of the early European explorers passed by this city during the 19th century (Charles Doughty, Lady Blunt, Charles Huber, Julius Euting, etc.). Lunch will be served on the train. Upon arrival, we will transfer to our hotel. As it will be early in Ha’il in the early afternoon, we will visit the A’Arif Fort and the nearby heritage museum (if open). Then we will have a walk at the traditional market where we will find the local delicacies. We will pass also by the Ha’il Regional Museum, and if it is open, we will drop there to admire its collections. Dinner in Ha’il.

Overnight in Ha’il

Meals Included | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, we will start our journey to Jubbah which lies on an ancient lake. Several archaeological sites of human settlement from the Middle Paleolithic period were found around the margin of the Paleolake. Jubbah is surrounded by large sandstone outcrops that are filled with ancient petroglyphs and inscriptions. Jubbah benefited from past humid phases that turned the arid Arabian Peninsula into a savannah similar to what is found today in Africa. During the last humid period that took place from the 10th to the 6th millennium BCE the African monsoon rains filled rivers and lakes where wildlife thrived. If the animals that used to live there became extinct because of the desertification that started during the 6th millennium BCE, some men fixed forever their presence in Jubbah thanks to carvings of aurochs, cheetahs, lions…Those drawings are still visible today on several sandstone outcrops like the Jebel Umm Sanman. Jubbah, the other major carving site of Hail Province, where listed as a UNESCO World Heritage in 2015 for its numerous petroglyph panels and rich inscriptions. The region between Ha’il and Al-'Ula offers some of the best desert experiences in the world. On our way; we will pass through the famous desert of Nefud Al Kabir which means the “great extent of dunes”. It is 290 kilometers long and 225 kilometers wide, with an area of 103,600 square kilometers. Lunch will be served en route. After lunch, we continue our route to the famous Al-’Ula area. Early evening, we arrive and check in at our beautifully located permanent desert resort, our base for the night. Dinner in Al-'Ula.

Overnight in Al-'Ula

Meals Included | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast at the hotel. We depart for Dedan/Ikmah tour. Al-'Ula is an ancient oasis that is inhabited for the last 7000 years as testify ancient carvings in and around the oasis. During the 1st millennium BCE, the city of Dedan developed thanks to its strategic location on the frankincense trade road to become one of the oldest Arabian kingdoms that ruled over most of what is today Tabuk and Madinah provinces. Continue to Jebel Ikmah which, with its amazing and numerous rock inscriptions, looks like an open-air museum. Then we will pass by the ancient city of Dedan which was an important oasis on the frankincense trade route between Southern Arabia and the Mediterranean World. Lunch in the city. Then we get a glimpse into Al-'Ula's not-so-distant past on the Al-'Ula Old Town Tour. We will go through Al-'Ula Old Town, where pilgrims, travelers, and permanent settlers congregated through the ages. Inhabited from before the 12th century up until the early 1980s, Al-'Ula Old Town offers researchers unique oral histories and living memory that the area’s other heritage sites cannot. Before heading back to the hotel, we will visit Jebel Al-Fil (Elephant Rock) for a relaxing time. Dinner in Al-'Ula.

Overnight in Al-'Ula

Meals Included | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we will start our journey with a visit to the famous Hegra (Madain Saleh) which is the first site in Saudi Arabia that was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Madain Saleh, whose original name was Al-Hijr or Hegra in Greek, is the southernmost important city of the Nabatean Kingdom that flourished thanks to the caravan trade between the 2nd century BCE and the Roman conquest in 106 CE. It is the second richest Nabatean city in terms of monumental tombs with over a hundred decorated funeral monuments including some of the most vibrant and well-conserved architectural prowess of the Nabatean builders. We will lead you through this fascinating site and reveal to you the secrets of its tombs, ancient inscriptions, stone structures, and many others. Lunch in the city, and then we depart to the holy city of Madinah which we will reach after 4h30. At the end of the day, arrive at the hotel, and check in. Dinner in Medina.

Overnight in Medina

Meals Included | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast at the hotel. Morning half-day Medina visit. Considered one of the three holiest cities in Islam, Madinah is special to Muslims because it's where Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was given refuge after his exile from Makkah. Originally known as Yathrib, Madinah was once an oasis city with a history that dates back to the 6th century BCE. Muslims have always had a special attachment to this city because it is where the Prophet lived, fought crucial battles, built his famous mosque, and also where he was finally laid to rest. It is centered around the Prophet's Mosque and other monuments that attract pilgrims from all over the world. During the day we will pass by Al Madinah Province, Al-Masjid a Nabawi, Jannatul Baqi, Grave of Hamzah, Al Noor Mall, Rashed Mall, Dar Al Madinah Museum, Al-Madina Museum, Masjid Al Ghamamah, Abu Bakar Masjed’ Lunch in the city. Departure to Jeddah we will reach after 5h30. On arrival, check in hotel. Dinner in Jeddah.

Overnight in Jeddah

Meals Included | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast at your hotel. We will start our tour with a visit to Abdul Raouf Khalil Museum which presents the local and Arabian heritage. A unique site. We will continue to hold Jeddah. We will enjoy a wonderful walk in Al-Balad, the old part of the city. This walking tour of the Old Town will take you along all the less-known must-see local spots: Old Market hidden gems, Old Jeddah hidden galleries, local Jeddah food only for locals… While visiting Al-Balad, visitors will be taken to see Beit Nassif (exterior), one of the prominent renovated structures in the old city, which dates back to the mid-1800s. The five-story building provides a rare opportunity for visitors to experience the blend of traditional architecture with modernity. Lunch in the city. Then we will pass by the Al Rahmah Mosque also known as the Floating Mosque, this single-domed architectural marvel that sits literally on the sea, symbolizing Jeddah’s bold storm into the modern age. Sitting in an enviable location, the mosque’s courtyard offers unencumbered views of the Red Sea. Our tour will end with the Jeddah Corniche which is the 30 km coastal resort area of the city of Jeddah. Located along the Red Sea, the corniche features a coastal road, recreation areas, pavilions, and large-scale civic sculptures as well as King Fahd's Fountain, the highest fountain in the world. Dinner in Jeddah.

Overnight in Jeddah

Meals Included | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast at your hotel. Transfer to Jeddah International Airport for your departure flight.

Meals Included | Breakfast.