Classic Saudi Arabia

Upon arrival at King Khalid International Airport, proceed through customs and immigrations. Once you exit through the arrivals area you will be met by Goway's local representative holding a signboard with your name on it and then transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Riyadh is one of the wealthiest cities in the world, 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 centers and traditional souks, public parks, and a diverse set of communities and neighborhoods.

Meet your private guide and driver and begin the day with a visit to The Line Experience. This stunning complex of halls explains how The Line, the future main city of NEOM will be built and how life inside will be for its 9 million inhabitants. It’s an audacious urban development project with the most advanced engineering and design imaginable.

Continue to the Diriyah area, the birthplace of the first Saudi state called At-Turaif which ruled between 1744 and 1818. The UNESCO World Heritage site has just been stunningly restored to its former glory and is poised to become a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s tourism offerings. Discover all about the architecture and heritage at the site. 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 common comforts.

Also visit 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 neighborhood on foot you’ll discover mud houses, just like in Diriyah, abandoned not long ago.

You’ll 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 to 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 Riyadh 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.

Today you leave the capital 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 travelers the biggest highlight of their Saudi adventure.

Head first to AlUla historic city, often called ‘the old town,’ an charismatic place that once sat at the crossroads of the Silk Road and the Incense Route, and one that rewards a leisurely stroll. Recent renovations have turned it into a magical mix of ancient alleys and trendy restaurants and souvenirs shops.

Beyond the old town in the wadi or valley are numerous farms where lush palm trees sway gently and the smell of citrus fills the fresh air, adding to the oasis-feeling that AlUla still retains. Take a walk and follow the winding and shaded Oasis Heritage Trail, pass colorful vegetable fields, hear birds and imagine how the nomads of the past found water and refuge from the desert here.

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.

The draw to AlUla is its remarkable natural rock formations and canyons, extensive and varied pre-Arabic rock art, and immaculately preserved tombs built more than 2,000 years ago by the Nabataeans.

You’ll start the day with a visit to the Nabataean site of Hegra, which was the southern capital of the Nabataean kingdom, dating back to the first century BCE. Visitors follow their ‘rawee’ or storyteller, to explore several of the more than 100 well-preserved monumental tombs, most with elaborate facades carved from rock formations scattered around the desert. Including a visit to the Tomb of Lihyan, son of Kuza, Hegra’s largest tomb and the most iconic.

Return to AlUla to visit an area called ‘Al Jadeedah’ which is also known as ‘the new or art town’ and has a colorful vibe. Street art and exhibits are spread out in its walking streets, making for a great stroll with numerous options for a drink on a terrace, watching the world go by while the sun changes the colors of the towering cliffs around.

In the late afternoon, head straight up the mountain to the Harrat Viewpoint to get an idea of the lay of the land. See the historic town deep below and Hegra in the far distance.

No trip to Saudi Arabia is complete without a 4x4 excursion into the desert. And we start this day with an unforgettable sortie around the towering cliffs that surround AlUla. Following the ups and downs of the morning four-wheel safari, guests will settle down in the middle of the desert for a delicious Bedouin-style, sheltered picnic lunch, encompassing a traditional range of Saudi and other Middle Eastern delicacies. As true navigators of the deserts, we set up camp with protection from the sun and the finest of Arabian hospitality awaits.

Enjoy your remaining afternoon at leisure. Choose to relax and enjoy the facilities at your hotel or continue your exploration of AlUla’s landscapes with an optional activity. To name a few; see the sandstone mountains from above in a helicopter or hot air balloon (in season), hop on a mountain bike and venture off the beaten path into desert dunes or climb the valley’s edge to better soak in AlUla’s expansive vistas. Your Goway destination specialist can provide more details if you like.

Travel by vehicle through the desert and mountains to Medinah, following along an ancient pilgrimage route (approx. 3.5 hour drive). Don’t expect sand dunes, this is a volcanic area with black lava stone and mountain vistas and rich in historical significance. Medinah is one of the two holiest cities in Islam (the other is Makkah, or Mecca). Medinah is centered around Al Masjid an Nabawi, also known as the Prophet’s Mosque, a 10-minaret giant mosque that can accommodate 1 million people. Walk around the outside region of the mosque and watch pilgrims visiting.

Next, visit the Madinah Art Center which is under the Madinah Region Development Authority and houses contemporary Islamic themed art. The often changing exhibitions are by Saudi and regional artists, male and female and offer lesser known artists a podium to the world.

In the afternoon, board one of Saudi Arabia’s state-of-the-art high-speed trains to make the short (under 2 hours) hop to the coastal city of Jeddah, a commercial hub sitting to the west along the Red Sea with the second busiest seaport in the Middle East. It’s the principal gateway to Makkah, the holiest city in Islam, and sees over a million pilgrims a year on their way to perform the Hajj. Despite this, Jeddah is perceived to be the most liberal city in Saudi Arabia and is a popular tourist destination, offering the beauty of ancient architecture mixed with the latest luxuries.

Celebrate your arrival in Jeddah with sunset drinks on the city’s attractive corniche. Take a stroll along the seafront, which feels like an outdoor museum with the many modern sculptures, and spread out your carpet and your ‘takwa’, the smart Saudi picnic seat to enjoy a drink. See the world's tallest fountain come to life in front of the sea front.

Accommodation: Shada Shatea Hotel

Jeddah’s proximity to the Red Sea puts local seafood at the forefront, unlike elsewhere in the country. The Central Fish Market is the hotspot where buyers and sellers come together. Squid, shrimp, lobster and a great variety of fish, some only native to the Red Sea, are all fresh and on display. Follow the flow of the market where customers first choose their pick. Next they move on to have it weighed and get a ticket for the cleaning section. Then it can be prepared in the restaurant right in the market or taken home. This is just the beginning of our food explorations today.

Ask any Saudi what they love most and good chance that they will say ‘food.’ The best way to learn about local food, is by hitting the streets doing a ‘foodie walk’ not in a touristy area. Jeddah is a port town with influences from the region and beyond, which reflects in faces and flavors. Stroll with your guide, peek into shops and houses, encounter all types of people and ask them anything while sampling bits and bites of different local dishes and drinks (all dishes together add up into today’s lunch).

After lunch, continue to the atmospheric old town Al Balad, which achieved UNESCO World Heritage status in 2014. Its traditional multi storey buildings and merchant houses are an architectural treasure trove. The roshan or wooden window covers are the ancient way to create shade and cool in this hot and humid climate, and they make these alleys especially picturesque. Visiting Al Balad is like a dive back in time with the buzz of trading, pilgrims shopping and the occasional tourist mixed in. Have your guide take you out for one final taste of Saudi cuisine before you can say ‘ma al salama’, goodbye, until next time.

At leisure until you check out of your hotel and transfer to the airport.

If you have more time to explore Jeddah we suggest an optional half day snorkeling and swimming tour on the Red Sea by private boat. Please contact your Goway destination specialist to customize the perfect itinerary for you.