Saudi Arabia is a dry country Alcohol is absolutely forbidden.
Dress is modest and women do NOT need to cover their heads and wear Abayas except in The Holy City of Madinah .
Be advised that you will be fingerprinted and undergo a retinal scan upon arrival in the country.
Be aware that most places in the Kingdom shut down between noon and 3 pm every day as well as several other times during prayer times and often the group will be returned to the hotel for some free time during these periods or replaced with other visits.
Sometimes sites can be closed for no foreseen reasons or authorities can also deny visit of certain places without prior notice, are NOT responsible for any such events/acts.
Most museums in Saudi are closed on Fridays.
The National Museum in Riyadh is closed on Sundays.
All Saudi Arabia open on Fridays after 4 pm (restaurants and cafes open after 2 pm).
Camel market in Buraydah is closed on Fridays and Sundays.
Suggested Hotel List(4 stars)
Riyadh : Grand Plaza or similar
Tabuk : Best Westren or similar
Alula : Sahari Resort ( not rated hotel)
Madinah : Season Stars or similar
Jeddah : Rotana Hotel ,Prime Hotel or similar
Price list
Price Per Person in USD
2 + 1 : 4,488
4 + 1 : 2,880
Inclusion :
Airport Pick up/Drop off
Accommodation in 4 stars hotels with BF
Activities as mentioned
Tickets and entry fees
Train ticket standard
Local site guides
Private transportation in new coaster Bus - 21 seater
1 lunch in dessa valley and 2 dinners in alula
VAT 15%
Exclusion :
International flights & Domestic flights approx cost USD 120
Visa
Insurance
Activities and meals other than mentioned
Personal expenses
Itinerary
Pick up service
Riyadh city tour - Al Masmak - National museum - Diriyah site
First visit is 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.
Next on tour we will visit the National museum you will be discovering Saudi Arabia's rich past is an amazing journey that would bring you along thousands of kilometers around the whole Kingdom. An easier way to have an insight of Saudi Arabia's rich History is to visit the King Abdulaziz Historical Center in Riyadh where artifacts from all periods are exhibited and with explanations about their historical significance.
After our historical brief we will have our lunch and then continue to visit 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 Arabia 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
Tabuk City Tour
We will take morning flight to Tabuk
We will start in a local restaurant to have lunch then start ahead.
We will start with Tabuk's early-20th-century Hejaz Railway station which is one of the best preserved in Saudi Arabia. There are 13 recently refurbished buildings spread over 80,000 sq metres and these include include a workshop, a handicrafts centre, and a building that houses a locomotive, a freight car and several Ottoman relics worth viewing.
After that we will head to Tabuk Ottoman castle. Dating to 1559, Tabuk Castle is now a museum, with several rooms housing some interesting historical artefacts from the Ottoman period and lots of signage about the history of Tabuk, its connection to the Prophet Muhammad and several famous travellers, including Ibn Battuta and Evliya Celebi. The castle features a ground-floor mosque, an open courtyard and a stairway to the castle’s 2nd-floor mosque and watchtowers. Outside are cisterns that once captured water from a spring that the Prophet Muhammad reportedly drank from.
After we finish our day we will go to our hotel to get some rest.
Wadi Dissah with Lunch
Our trip is going to be to Wadi Al Dissah, As we reach the valley we will have our lunch there where our team will be preparing you traditional delicious food. After lunch we will take you on a walking tour inside this gorgeous valley and explore Wadi Dissah which is a 15 kilometer long canyon running through the Jebel Qaraqir, a sandstone massif lying about 80 kilometers south of the city of Tabuk.
This natural wonder was for a long time a well-kept secret among explorers, before the road leading to the nearby city of Dissah was built and satellite images were available to the public, which made it quite difficult to find and reach. Let us tell you a little bit about this valley before we start our hike so you prepare your self and to get astonished ! The first striking feature of this wadi is its dimensions: at the eastern entrance of the canyon the side cliffs are already higher than 100 meters,but at the western entrance the gap between the bottom of the wadi and the tallest cliffs reaches as high as 500 meters! It is there, from the massive rocky peaks, standing on both sides of the canyon, that one can admire the most dramatic scenery of this magical place.
The second - and most unexpected - amazing feature of Wadi Qaraqir is a water stream that runs through the western part of the canyon towards the city of Dissah. While you are exploring Wadi Qaraqir from the eastern entrance will find abundant palm trees growing naturally along the wadi bed. But once half-way through the canyon underground water tops up all year long. As a result, lush vegetation made of 3 meter high grass, numerous palm trees and bushes, flourishes in between the majestic cliffs of the canyon!
Hegra tour - Madain Saleh
Today we are starting with the Madain Saleh or Hegra , which is a remarkable archaeological site in Saudi Arabia that combines natural beauty, historical significance, and cultural heritage, making it a truly beautiful and mesmerizing destination to explore. Here's why :
Stunning Architecture - Hegra boasts impressive rock-cut tombs and facades that showcase the exceptional craftsmanship of the Nabateans. The intricate details and intricate designs on the facades are awe-inspiring.
Scenic Landscape -The site is set amidst a captivating desert landscape with sandstone cliffs, rocky outcrops, and serene surroundings. The combination of ancient architecture and the natural beauty of the desert makes it a unique and breathtaking place.
Cultural Heritage - Hegra holds significant cultural and historical importance, serving as a testament to the ancient Nabatean civilization and their trade networks. It provides a glimpse into the past and allows visitors to connect with the rich history of the region.
Unique Heritage Site - Being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hegra is recognized and protected for its outstanding universal value, ensuring its preservation for future generations to enjoy.
Serenity and Tranquility - Visiting Hegra can offer a sense of peace and tranquility as you wander through the ancient ruins and marvel at the beauty of the surroundings.
Connection to Ancient Trade Routes - Hegra was a key stop along the ancient trade routes, and its architecture reflects a blend of various cultural influences from the region.
Maraya
Maraya is a stunning piece of art set in the desert canyon of Ashar Valley. Designed to blend into the surrounding landscape, it rises from the sand like a mirage. The state-of-the-art structure is covered in 9,740 mirrored panels reflecting AlUla's beauty, making it the largest mirrored building in the world, according to Guinness World Records.
Maraya, meaning mirror or reflection in Arabic, celebrates AlUla's significant role in history as a crossroads of cultures for centuries.
Maraya building is only accessible for residents of Habitas hotel, another way to go to Maraya is to book for lunch at Tama restaurants.
Old town tour
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
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.
AlUla to Madinah
3 hr 37 min (331 km)
Madinah tour
The first place visited is The Prophet mosque expansion exhibition which is located right in the area of the Holy Mosque where you can take pictures of it before we move to our next stop.
Next we will go to Qiba Street which connect two 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 visit from the outside only)
In the same street which is a nice pedestrian street for walking , there are many traditional food shops and snacks
Local lunch with a family in Madinah OPTIONAL
It's time to get access to one of the local houses where they will give you the chance to experience the Saudi hospitality.
Despite growing leaps and bounds from its humble origins, Medina still retains its historic character as an oasis town. Medina's cuisine is all about locally grown produce, be it the dates, herbs, or even the famed mint leaves.
The city's cuisine uses these ingredients in different recipes, in one way or another like the Buff ! The Buff is a semi-circular samosa that is stuffed with different fillings but the most popular being minced meat. It is a staple on the Ramadan table and often eaten upon breaking one's fast.
Train and Luggage
luggage should not exceed 25KG inside train. otherwise we need to ship them by Bus which its arrival are expected to be 4 to 6 hours after the train. Cost per luggage is USD 25
Train from Madinah to Jeddah
the trip is in bullet train ( 1 hr and 50 min )
Luggage must be 25 Kg or less
Al Balad Tour - Jeddah Historical City
In the evening 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.
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 UNESCO 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 !.
We 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.