SAUDI HIGHLIGHT

Day 1 : Riyadh - Arrival

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 Centro Rotana or similar

Day 2 : Riyadh - City tour

Riyadh city tour - Al Masmak - National museum - Driyia site :

First visit is 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.

We will start our day with a historical brief about the capital of Saudi, In 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 lunch break , we suggest Al Qaria Al Najdya for traditional cuisine.

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 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.

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 .

Day 3 : Riyadh to AlUla

Fly to AlUla.

Today is a free day to enjoy the resort or plan your day the way you like.

Have a walk at night in Al Jadidah Area :

The 5 squares of AlJadidah make this area of AlUla unique. From food trucks to great seating and beautiful views of the AlUla Oasis, see what's happening in each square!

Art Square :

Home to AlJadidah’s flourishing art scene, Art Square hosts the Athr Gallery and the Design Gallery. Stop by to see how AlUla is bringing together Saudi and international artists.

Gathering Square :

With plenty of shaded seating, gather your friends and family and head to Gathering Square! Located next to AlJadidah’s premier nail and hair salon.

Muayada Square :

Feeling hungry? Head to Muyada Square for a fantastic array of food trucks serving a variety of tasty treats and delicious bites. Don’t miss AlUla’s vegan hotspot, Moon Shell!

Oasis Square :

Overlooking the lush AlUla Oasis, take a seat under the shady trees of Oasis Square. With twinkling lights at night, this is the perfect hangout spot. Don’t miss out on the live music!

Qanat Square :

On the edge of AlJadidah, on the way to AlUla Old Town, find the beautiful open space of Qanat Square. Have a seat at SKLT for a tender, flavourful steak with a view!

Check in at Sahary resort.

Da y 4 : Alula - Tour

Madain Saleh (Hegra tour) :

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.

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.

Day 5 : AlUla - Tour

Old town tour :

we are starting with the old town of Al Ula 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.

AlUla Oasis Trail :

Stretching 3 kilometres from the Orange Path to the Dadan Visitor Centre, this beautiful, designated trail is free and open to visitors day and night.

With multiple entry and exit points, enjoy a long, leisurely stroll or a short walk along the Heritage Oasis Trail. Find the perfect Instagram shot, framing tall palms in a historic archway of a mud brick house or the lush green of the farms. Stop at a stall selling freshly squeezed juice, hang out on palm swings and enjoy the beautiful seating.

Harra View point :

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.

Harra is reachable by SUV car only.

Day 6 : AlUa to Madinah

Free Morning - Optional tours

Drive from AlUla to Madinah at 2 pm (3 hr 37 min (331 km).

Check in at Season star hotel or similar.

Day 7 : Madinah - Jeddah

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 where will stop for our lunch break.

After finishing our tour we will be heading to our hotel to spend the night and get some rest.

Train to Jeddah Check in at Shada AlShati or similar.

Day 8 : Jeddah - City tour

Jeddah - City tour :

Today we will start our tour in the morning with a short stop at Jeddah Corniche and Jeddah water front before we go to our next stop at Tayebat Museum.

We wil head now to The Tayebat Museum for a fascinating look into Jeddah’s long and cosmopolitan past, take an informative tour indeed the Tayebat Museum for a superbly curated representation of the city’s 2,500-year history. Located in the Al Faisaliyah district, the museum is housed in a multiroom complex that re-creates the traditional Hijazi architecture of the old city, with bay windows overlaid with intricate wooden lattice work and ornate coral masonry.

With several floors of in-depth exhibits, the museum offers a living history lesson on the foundation of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and the wider Arabian Peninsula. There is also an entire floor dedicated to the city’s rich Islamic heritage.

After our visit we will go to The house of Islamic arts, a museum specialized in Islamic arts. From the far countries of China and India to the farthest countries of the Maghreb and Andalusia of various arts, where the museum contains more than a thousand pieces of art representing 15 centuries of the history of Islamic art from all countries of the Islamic world

Before we move to the next tour we will have lunch we will suggest one of the local nice restaurants here in Jeddah that serves the famous traditional dishes in Jeddah.

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.

Day 9 : Jeddah - Departure

No Plans For This Day

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