Riyadh and AlUla

Ramadan: 10 March - 08 April 2024 and 28 February -31 March 2025 Rates on application Private Holiday 6 Days ex Riyadh - Ends in AlUla Daily Departures You’d be forgiven for thinking you were encountering a mirage upon witnessing Riyadh for the first time. Saudi Arabia’s capital rises out of the desert as a dream-like vision of gleaming skyscrapers. Indeed, it can be difficult for first timers to imagine that the city was once a humble mud-brick way station along desert trading routes. The modern city is a fascinating place with some of the Kingdom’s best hotels, museums and cultural attractions. Al Ula is another of Saudi Arabia’s big tourism draws. Its old-town ruins are among the best examples of traditional northern Arab architecture, and it serves as a gateway to the UNESCO-listed Nabatean relics at Hegra. Highlights:

- Experience Riyadh’s contemporary culture: a blend of the old and the new, a showcase for modern Saudi Arabia
- Discover ancient desert civilizations near AlUla: explore remarkable rock formations with giant tombs from the nabatean era carved into the cliff faces
- Hop into a 4x4 for a sand dune adventure topped off with a bedouin-style, desert picnic, resting on traditional takwa, sampling local delicacies

- Itinerary
- Accommodation
- Important Information Day 1: Riyadh (D)

Welcome to Saudi Arabia. On arrival you will be met by a representative of our local operator and transferred to your hotel for a two-night stay.

One of the wealthiest cities in the world, Riyadh is a showcase for modern Saudi Arabia. Once a walled, mud-brick way station along desert trading routes, the capital is now a hyper-contemporary metropolis with the best hotels and restaurants in the country. Its organized grid layout is lined with more than 4,000 mosques, numerous busy shopping centres and traditional souks, public parks, and a diverse set of communities and neighbourhoods.

On this first day in the Kingdom, you will get to discover the pulse of the city by taking the high-speed lift to the 99th floor of the iconic Kingdom Center for access to Riyadh’s best urban panorama. Suspended 300 meters above the city, the tower’s curved Sky Bridge offers spectacular views across the Riyadh skyline and beyond. Your welcome dinner will be a representative embodiment of Riyadh’s spirit, traditional Saudi cuisine in a modern space. Day 2: Riyadh (BL)

Discover the wealth of contrasts that distinguish Riyadh. Begin the day with a visit to Ad Diriyah, the birthplace of the first Saudi state called At Turaif which ruled between 1744 and 1818. The UNESCO World Heritage site has been restored to its former glory and is spectacular! Discover more about the architecture and heritage at the site and find out how the mud-brick houses were built; how homes were cooled during the hot summer days; and how people lived without electricity and creature comforts.

Continue to explore other pointers toward Saudi’s charismatic past. You’ll find Al Masmak Fortress in the heart of the old town. A large clay and mud-brick citadel that witnessed the birth of a kingdom, the 150-year-old edifice stands as a reminder of Saudi’s storied past. Justice Square is another reminder of the past. Roaming this ordinary neighbourhood on foot you discover mud houses, just like this morning, abandoned not long ago. Learn more about Saudi history at Murabba palace and at the fantastic National Museum of Saudi Arabia. Towards the end of a busy day head for Souq al Zel and Souq Bisht, two of the most characteristic traditional marketplaces in town and uniquely atmospheric hubs of Arabian commerce. This is the perfect place to purchase an Abaya for use during your travels. Naturally, as a foreigner the use of an Abaya is completely voluntary. Complete the Riaydh feeling by mingling with the locals in one of the city parks or squares that come alive with socializing activities once the sun rays disappear. Day 3: Riyadh - AlUla (BL)

Leave the coastal city by air for AlUla, home to Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, which sits deep in the desert in the northwestern region of the country. It is an area rich in historical and geographical significance and for most travellers the biggest highlight of their Saudi adventure. To appreciate this, let’s first climb up to the Harrat Viewpoint before diving into all the history around. The road snakes up sharply, away from the red rocks and onto a black and seemingly endless plateau. Discover the viewpoint towering over the old city and let your guide put things into perspective. Closer to sunset it is time for a pilgrimage to Elephant Rock. Set in golden desert sands and climbing into the blue Arabian skies, the rock (also known as Jabal Alfil) is one of AlUla’s most impressive geological marvels. Overnight in AlUla. Day 4: AlUla (BL) DOU