Highlights of Saudi Arabia Group Tour

Fly to Jeddah and transfer to a city centre hotel.

Today's city tour takes you to Al-Balad, the old city of Jeddah where grand houses built of coral stone tower over the narrow lanes with their intricate wooden balconies. In the afternoon wander along the Corniche to see the modern art sculptures and see the Floating Mosque set on the Red Sea. (B,L,D)

A drive up the Red Sea coast takes you to Yanbu from where you head out on a boat for a snorkelling trip on the Red Sea. Return to shore and explore the old town with its friendly souk. (B,L,D)

Heading inland and into the desert to Al Ula, the area is characterised by its natural landscape of red sandstone mountains sculpted by the wind and sand. With its many archaeological  sites, Al Ula is for most the highlight of the tour.

The first stop on this journey back in time is Dadan, the ancient Kingdom of the Lihyanite and Dadanite
civilisations. Next, a coach bus takes you on a 10-minute drive to Jabal Ikmah. Set in a stunning desert canyon,
this ‘open-air library’ has the most impressive collection of inscriptions, rock art, and petroglyphs in Al Ula and
is the largest of its kind in Saudi Arabia. At Sunset you will go to Elephant Rock. Set in golden desert sands, Elephant Rock, also known as Jabal Alfil. (B,L,D)

Today, you will visit Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. You'll explore over 110 well-preserved tombs in a desert landscape and learn about the ancient culture of Al Ula. The site dates back beyond the 1st millennium BC and was a Nabataean city until the 1st millennium CE. Afterward, you can walk around Al Ula Old town with its small souk, a popular stop for pilgrims heading to the Holy Cities of Medina and Mecca. (B,L,D)
 

Time to discover another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hidden in the desert is a large area of ancient rock art, the petroglyphs of Jubbah. This 39 km² open-air gallery features impressive petroglyphs dating from around 5500 BC. You'll find drawings of elephants, buffaloes and even camels and other domestic animals of that period.

Continue your journey to Ha'il where there will time to visit the  beautifully restored forts  and the local souk. (B,L,D)

It’s going to be a long, but interesting drive to Riyadh, with plenty of stops along the way. Leave very early in the morning and pass by the city of Buraydah which, every year, hosts the largest date festival. Here you will visit the world's largest camel market. Mix and mingle with the locals and observe how they haggle to get the best deals for their livestock. 

Continue your road journey and stop in the village of Ushaiger, which has been inhabited by Bedouins for over 1500 years. Its shaded streets and clay brick houses give it the air of a living museum. Its springs, olive, and palm groves have made it another popular stopover for pilgrims on their way to the holy city of Mecca.

Riyadh is a sprawling city of skyscrapers and a number of architecturally noteworthy modern buildings but is also home to the old city and the mud-brick fort where a battle gave rise to the Kingdom of Al Saud. Spend the day exploring the city and take in the bird's eye view from the Kingdom Tower. Finish the day with a trip to the souk and King Abdullah Mosque before a final group dinner. (B,L,D)

Transfer to the airport for your return flight. (B)