Saudi Highlight 7 Days Standard

Arrival to Riyadh Today we will be welcoming you at the airport as our representative will be waiting for you holding a sign with your name , we will be taking you to your hotel where you can rest for a bit Welcome to Riyadh, the birthplace of modern Saudi Arabia, where old-world charm meets 21st-century vision. Riyadh Province – also known as Al-Wosta – is home to the country’s capital: a modern metropolis with a thriving financial and business centre, and a growing cultural scene. It’s a city rich in history, boasting myriad forts, palaces and museums, and some of the country’s most colorful souks. Check in at Braira Hotel(4*) Check in at Gloria Inn Riyadh ( 3*)

Riyadh city tour - Al Masmak - National museum - Driyia site Musmak Fort and Zal Market After our historical brief we will go see some by ourselves checking out Al Masmak Fortress ,Surrounded by sand, this squat fortification was built around 1865 and is like a scene out of the movies: a big fortress representing an empire. It was the site of a daring 1902 raid by Ibn Saud, during which a spear was hurled at the main entrance door with such force that the head is still lodged in the doorway. Highlights among the exhibits include maps and fascinating photographs of Saudi dating from 1912 to 1937, in galleries converted from diwans (living rooms). The roofs are covered with painted palm-tree, taramic and ethel wood and exude an old-world charm that evokes an Arabian painting. Inside, the information panels and short, chest-thumping films on the storming of the fortress and the ‘reunification’ of Saudi Arabia are reverential towards the Al Sauds but worth watching nonetheless. In the same area and only in walking distance we will find our self in Souq Al-Zal which is one of the oldest traditional market. They sell traditional dresses, antiques, Oud " Arabic perfume" and jewelry Kingdom Tower Our last stop Kingdom Tower which is a 99-story, 302.3 m skyscraper. When completed in 2002, it overtook the 267-meter Faisaliyah Tower as the tallest tower in Saudi Arabia. It has since been surpassed and is now the fifth-tallest skyscraper in the country, It is the world's third-tallest building with a hole after the Shanghai World Financial Center Ad Diriyah , northwest of the city and the original capital of the first Saudi state is a must-see. Its Al Turaif quarter, a carefully restored mud-brick district that was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010, offers a glimpse into the country’s extraordinary heritage.

Fly to AlUla the program depend on the flight time Old town stop A nice area to have a free time In the 12th century, AlUla Old Town became an essential settlement along the pilgrimage route from Damascus to Makkah. The city gradually replaced Qurh, to the south of AlUla, and is favourably mentioned by travellers from the 12th to the 20th centuries, when modern AlUla was constructed nearby. The houses were designed to be attached to one another, providing fortification, which hints to defence being a priority for the city's early inhabitants. At one point, the city was accessed by 14 gates, which were opened in the morning to welcome travellers, pilgrims and other visitors, and closed each evening. The ancient city’s recent occupation has enabled researchers to begin to gather oral histories, painting a picture of what life was like inside its walls. These stories will one day be available to visitors who can look forward to tapping into AlUla Old Town’s living memory. Elephant Rock After we finish our tour we will take you to the Elephant Rock, also known as Jabal AlFil, one of AlUla’s many geological marvels. Unlike the ornate, hand-carved facades of nearby Hegra’s Nabataean tombs, the "trunk" and "body" of this monolithic red sandstone beast were hewn by natural forces — millions of years of wind and water erosion. The beauty of the unrefined structure is enhanced by its surroundings of a fine-sand sea studded with rocky outcrops, many of which are equally impressive in size and have interesting shapes and figures The area has very nice atmosphere with a cafe and restaurant, the seating area are build underground filled with magical lights that its just wonderful to witness the sunset. Check in at Sahary AlUla Resort Please note that this is not a 4 stars facility Furnished apartment for 3 stars package

Madain Saleh (Hegra tour) by SIC BUS Today we are starting with the most popular historical site in Saudi Arabia, Madain Saleh is the most iconic historical site of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its one of Saudi Arabia tours that is a must do, it is the first to be listed as a UNESCO Word Heritage, Madain Saleh means the "cities of Saleh" after the name of the Prophet Saleh who tried to convert the ancient people of Thamud to Islam. But this name started to be used only during the Ottoman occupation of the Hejaz, whereas the people who built this city, the Nabateans, called it Hijra. The importance of Madain Saleh is ostensibly displayed by its 111 monumental tombs, among which 94 were decorated with majestic facades on the sandstone massifs of the area, especially the Jibal Ithlib. The smallest tomb is barely 2,7 meters tall but the biggest reaches an impressive 21,5 meters! Madain Saleh was the second largest city of the Nabatean kingdom whose capital was Petra (in today's Jordan) where the Nabatean people created more than 600 tombs. What most people dont know that there are many other fascinating archeological sites attest to the thousands of years of human occupation of the area thanks to the underground water available for millennia. Dont worry we are showing everything you need to see ! If Madain Saleh does not have as many tombs as Petra it has a special feature with the numerous inscriptions written on the monumental tombs. Dedan - Ikma mountain Let's explore the ancient capital city of Dadan and examine tombs, excavation sites, and thousands of early Arabic inscriptions. Ikma mountain or Jabal Ikmah, a mountain near to the ancient city of Dadan, the capital of Dadanite and Lihyanite Kingdoms, has been described as a huge open-air library. There is no such site that is more significant, than Jabal Ikmah, home to the highest concentration of, and most varied inscriptions, in AlUla. We hope you're ready to be blown out by this beautiful journey as we will start with The most famous oases of the 1st millennium BCE the oasis of Dedan, where excavations on extensive archeological sites have revealed the existence of large fortified cities. These kingdoms developed their own culture including a specific language and alphabet, that resulted in a mix of Arabian traditions and strong influences from the surrounding empires. About 1 kilometer south of the main excavation site of Dedan are two exceptional tombs located some 50 meters above the wadi where the ancient oasis was centred. Those are the only tombs that are decorated with two carved lions each, showing the importance of their owners, being governors or influential people. These sculptures of lions that are an outstanding example of the Mesopotamian influence, and are the proud iconic figures of this ancient oasis. Jabal Ikmah, a mountain near to the ancient city of Dadan, the capital of Dadanite and Lihyanite Kingdoms, has been described as a huge open-air library. Harra View point at sunset AlUla is blessed with numerous lookout points that offer an elevated view of the epic landscape. Scale the black lava stone terrain of Harrat Uwayrid, and you’ll be rewarded with views over Dadan, Ula oldtown, AlUla Fort and the AlUla Oasis. Stand at what feels like the edge of the world, meditate, and reconnect with nature. Arrive before sundown to soak up the sights and sounds of the golden hour, when the sky’s orange glow adds a magical touch to everything you see. Stay for sunset and watch the sky slowly fill with thousands of dancing stars.

AlUla to Madinah 3 hr 37 min (331 km) with no stop Madinah tour Today we will visit the two famous holy Mosques , the Holy Mosque and Qiba Mosque which both have significant importance in Islamic history in which the first was the house that prophet Mohammed lived and eventually it’s his grave visited by . The second was the first Mosque ever built. you will have a general overview how the city was built and shaped throughout the 1400 years. (Both mosques will be visited from the outside only) other visit Hijaz Railway -Photo stop

Train to Jeddah - 1: 50 min standard tickets Al Balad Tour ( Jeddah Historical City ) Today we will explore and understand the country through its diverse and rich culture of food and people. We will start our tour in Al Balad as local call it which means “ the town” as reference to the base of Jeddah. Al-Balad was founded in the 7th century and historically served as the centre of Jeddah. Al-Balad's defensive walls were torn down in the 1940s. In the 1970s and 1980s, when Jeddah began to become wealthier due to the oil boom, many Jeddawis moved north, away from Al-Balad Our tour will go through the history of these building including going inside one of the buildings to see the interior designs , furniture Al Balad is registered as a world heritage UNISCO site and since then the old buildings with its unique window designs and doors are being preserved along with its unique buildings which some have been built using sea shells and stones !. The old buildings once housed the famous Jeddah families and hosted the founder the late King Abdulaziz when first entered Jeddah. and life back then Will also explain the historical importance of some sites and locations while we wonder around the narrow streets to explain how merchants used to sell their goods and how pilgrims used to get their supplies of cloth and food before they head to Makkah through the Makkah Gate in Al Balad. The old Mosques is another tourist attraction where some were founded over 300 years ago and still functional as a mosque. The main attraction in this tour is the food and snacks of Al Balad where we will pass by some famous vendors known to offer the best local snacks such as the local drink made of bread “ Sobia” and the old bakery which its famous for its fresh bread. Another local snack that consist of Bean and pickles “ Balilah”. We will stop for rest in one of the local coffee open air places and try famous local tea mixed with milk and herbs We will move to visit the center of Al Balad to see the first hotel built in Jeddah influenced by Italian architecture then pass by the first school built in Saudi. We will also visit one of the art houses and museum offering its unique local art collection and antiques.  

Departure or extension Today where we say goodbye and take our flight