THE COMPLETE OF SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about 2,150,000 km², making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the largest in the Middle East, and the 13th-largest in the world.

EF.113: PROGRAM (9 days / 8 nights)

Day 1: ARRIVAL IN RIYADH (SAUDI ARABIA)

Arriving 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

Day 2: RIYADH (SAUDI ARABIA)

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 to the history of Arabian civilization from Prehistory to our modern era.

We continue thereafter to the nearby Murabba Palace (outside visit as in renovation) that is one of the historic buildings of the city. The palace was named after its square with the 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 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. At the end of the afternoon, we will pass the kingdom tower &
the Faisaliah, back to your hotel.
Dinner at leisure and overnight in Riyadh.

Day 3: SUNDAY -RIYADH TO HA’IL by TRAIN

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning we departed for Riyadh’s railway station and boarded the fast-new train for Ha’il. 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 name is 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…). Lunch at leisure. 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.

Then we will have a walk at the traditional market where we will find the local delicacies. We will also pass by the Ha’il Regional Museum, and if it is open, we will drop there to admire its collections.
Dinner and Overnight in Ha’il.

Day 4: HA’IL – JUBBAH – AL ULA

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning we will start our journey to Jubbah that 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 thrives. If the animals that used to live there became distinct 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 and Shuwaymis, the other major carving site of Hail Province, were listed as UNESCO World Heritage in 2015 for their numerous petroglyph panels and rich inscriptions.

The region between Ha’il and AL- ULA offers some of the best desert experience in the world …On our way, we will pass through the famous desert of Nefud Al Kabir which literally means the “great extent of sand dunes”. It is 290 kilometers long and 225 kilometers wide, with an area of 103,600 square kilometer. Lunch at leisure. We continue our route to the famous AL ULA area. Early evening, we arrive and check-in at our beautifully located hotel, our base for the night.
Dinner and overnight in AL ULA.

Day 5: ALULA (SAUDI ARABIA)

Breakfast at the hotel. Al-Ula is an ancient oasis that has been inhabited for the last 7000 years as evidence of 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 rabian kingdoms that ruled over most of what is today Tabuk and Madina provinces.

During the 1st century BCE the Nabatean people coming from Petra settled 30 kilometers north of Dedan in Al-Hijr where they built 94 monumental tombs similar to the ones they dug in Petra. We will start our exciting day with the visit of two ancient carving sites in AL ULA, then will pass by the ancient city of Dedan that was an important oasis on the frankincense trade route between Southern Arabia and the Mediterranean World…

Then visit the ancient sites of Ekma where the people of the oasis wrote texts in ancient scripts that we will decipher for you, our visit will be followed by a lunch at leisure. We continue to visit Jebel Al-Fil for a relaxing time next to the “Elephant rock”. In the afternoon Dinner & accommodation in AL ULA

Day 6: AL ULA – MADA’IN SALEH – MADINAH(330 Km)

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we will start our journey with the visit of the famous Hegra (Madain
Saleh) which is the first site of 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 Nabataean Kingdom that flourished thanks to the caravan trade between the 2
nd century BCE until the Roman conquest in 106 CE.

It is the second richest Nabatean city in terms of monumental tombs with 94 decorated funeral monuments including some of the most vibrant and well conserved architectural prowess of the Nabateans 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., Our visit will be followed by a lunch at leisure, then we continue then to the Old city of Al-Ula that became at the beginning of the Islamic era an important staging post along the pilgrimageroute to Mecca. We will drive towards the city of MEDINA passing the old HIJAZ route railway. On arrival check in.
Dinner & Overnight in MEDINA.

Day 7: MADINAH – JEDDAH (415 km)

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning we will visit the holy city of Medina .In the city center, the vast
Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (Prophet’s Mosque) is a major Islamic pilgrimage site. Its striking Green Dome
rises above the tombs of the Prophet Muhammad and early Islamic leaders Abu Bakr and Umar.

The
Masjid al-Qiblatain (Qiblatain Mosque) is known as the site where the Prophet Muhammad received
the command to change the direction of prayer to Mecca. We will visit the outskirts of the city ONLY,
except the holy pilgrimage areas and we conclude the day with a short walk near Mount Uhud. We
will also visit the DAR AL MADINA museum that will relate the story of Islam and the prophet’s
biography .Then we depart towards Jeddah that we will reach after a 5 hours ride. After arriving in
Jeddah will visit Abdul Raouf Khalil Museum that presents the local and Arabian heritage, A unique
site, Check in hotel. Dinner & Overnight in Jeddah

Day 8: JEDDAH (SAUDI ARABIA)

Breakfast at your hotel. We will hit old Jeddah .We will enjoy a wonderful walking in Al-Balad, the
old part of the city .This walk 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 (from outside), one of the prominent
renovated structures in the old city, which dates back to the mid 1800’s. The five-story building
provides a rare opportunity for the visitors to experience the blend of traditional architecture with
modernity. Lunch at leisure.

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, symbolizes Jeddah’s bold storm into the modern age.
Sitting on 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. We
will then head to a traditional Saudi restaurant to enjoy our Dinner and overnight in Jeddah.

Day 9: JEDDAH – Departure

Breakfast at your hotel, Transfer to Jeddah International airport for your departure flight
VISITS & ACTIVITIES INCLUDED:
08 nights’ Accommodation, meal plan as per description
Full time guide Assistance
Airport arrival and departure transfer
Riyadh full day tour
Visit traditional village “Sadous of the Najd”
Train from Riyadh to Hail
Visit of Medina – the holy city
Experiences of Al Ula: DEDAN & the OLD town
Visit :

• Famous Hegra (Madain Saleh – Southern Petra) – UNESCO HERITAGE SITE
• Jebel Al-Fil (Elephant Mountain)
• Old Market in Jeddah

City Hotels 4*
Riyadh Crowne Plaza Palace or similar
AL ULA SHADEN hotel or similar
MEDINA Le Méridien Medina or similar
Al Hail Holiday Villa Hail or similar
Jeddah Movenpick Tahliah hotel or similar