Home Tours Saudi Arabia Rock the Kasbah Tour

Saudi Arabia Rock the Kasbah Tour

Start
Nov 10, 2024
Riyadh
End
Nov 18, 2024
Jeddah
Duration
9 days
Price
US$2595.00

TOUR OVERVIEW



Beginning in the cosmopolitan Red Sea city of Jeddah and ending in Saudi Arabia’s vibrant capital, Riyadh, this tour is your opportunity to see Saudi Arabia at a unique point in its history. We'll head north to the city of Tabuk from where we'll be able to see both the beauty of Saudi nature as well as its incredible history, with visits to Wadi Al Disah, Al-'Ula and Mada’in Salih. Heading south towards Riyadh we'll try some local cuisine, enjoy amazing vistas, gape at pre-modern rock paintings, and experience Saudi life, for better and worse. We'll stop at the 'Edge of the World' before wrapping up our trip in the ultra modern capital, albeit with a recent dark history, as we go to the former Execution Square.

View the full itinerary



This tour can be done on its own, or if you'd like to see more of the Middle East while you're here, it can be done in conjunction with our Iraq Winter Tour in the Saudi Arabia and Iraq Winter Combo Tour .



If you like the look of this tour but the dates don't work for you, or you'd like to do part of the tour, please get in touch and let us know. All our tours are able to be split into smaller sections, we're always scheduling new tours and your dates might work for one of them, or we can always organise an independent tour.




INCLUSIONS:

✓

Accommodation in twin share at roughly 3 star hotels/guesthouses, breakfast included

✓

Transport, beginning in Jeddah and ending in Riyadh

✓

Entrance fees to all sites mentioned in the itinerary

✓

Welcome dinner and farewell dinner

✓

SAIGA guide and local guides


SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $495



EXCLUSIONS:

⨯

Visa fee

⨯

Meals other than breakfast and two dinners

⨯

Transport to Jeddah and from Riyadh

⨯

Accommodation and any other services before or after the tour

⨯

Personal expenses such as souvenirs or any optional activities

⨯

Any COVID related expenses



TOUR HIGHLIGHTS


Explore the vibrant old city of Jeddah

Take in the spectacular natural wonder of Wadi Al Disah

Explore the sister city of Petra, the ancient Hegra

Get a first hand view of how Saudi Arabia is modernising


Itinerary
Day 1Sun Nov 10
Riyadh
  • You will meet your Saiga guide in the hotel lobby and then begin your city tour of Riyadh.
  • We will take in the sites of Riyadh, the amazingly modern capital of the Kingdom. Here we will visit Masamak Fort and the infamous 'Chop Chop' Square, as well as the local Souq which is a heaven for collectors of cool antiques and souvenirs.
  • After a quick lunch, we will head out to view the ‘Edge of the World’, out in the desert. The Edge of the World is a viewpoint that sits at the top of a mountain range outside of Riyadh. This is possibly one of the most incredible views of the entire journey.
  • We will have a dinner, weather permitting, and then return to Riyadh where we will have the night to unwind and look forward to our week ahead.
  • There may also be a chance to go up to the Kingdom Tower viewing platform which offers bird's eye views of Riyadh.
read more read less
Day 2Mon Nov 11
Riyadh, Tabuk
  • We will head to the airport in the morning to catch a domestic flight to Tabuk, which lies in the far north of the country near the border with Jordan.
  • We will then drive to the awesome Wadi Al Disa where we will check into our farmstay. Along the way we will have a chance to stop and see some awesome desert scenery.
  • We will explore some of the surrounding areas in time for an epic sunset over the mountains.
  • Dinner and overnight at farmstay.
read more read less
Day 3Tue Nov 12
Wadi Al Disah
  • We will be up early for a journey into the wilderness of Saudi Arabia to see Wadi Al Disah. This is one of the most spectacular sights in all of Saudi Arabia and is still relatively unknown by outsiders. This amazingly beautiful area is home to canyons and palm trees and provides for some unreal photo opportunities.
  • Here we will learn about the amazing history of the region, which shares close links with other sites such as Wadi Rum and Petra in Jordan.
  • After a full day of exploring the valleys, we will arrive back at the farmstay where you will have a free evening.
read more read less
Day 4Wed Nov 13
Wadi Al Disah, Al-'Ula
  • Leaving Wadi Al Disah we'll head to Al-'Ula, which will take approximately 3.5 hours, through stunning rocky landscapes. We'll arrive and settle into our accommodation before heading out to visit Al-'Ula.
  • The walled city of Al-‘Ula was founded in the 6th century BC, an oasis in the desert valley, with fertile soil and plenty of water. It was located along 'Incense Road', the network of routes that facilitated the trading of spices, silk and other luxury items through Arabia, Egypt and India.
  • Walking along the narrow passageways of Al-'Ula, you'll feel like you're stepping back in time. It's phenomenal to think the last residents moved out in the 1980s! This maze of densely built mudbrick houses, many of which are more than 2000 years old, will amaze you. Sadly it won't be here for long though as it is slowly disintegrating.
  • In the evening we'll do some stargazing in the remote desert where we will also enjoy a group BBQ dinner. (Note: be sure to bring warm clothes for stargazing as the desert can be very cold at night.)
  • Around 11pm we will arrive back at our accommodation where we will rest up for the night.
read more read less
Day 5Thu Nov 14
Al-'Ula
  • Today we'll visit the Hegra. Possibly the most famous archeological site on the Saudi peninsula. The site is similar to that of Petra in Jordan, due to them both being built during the Nabatean Empire, however, until recently was much harder to get to due to visa restrictions.
  • Visiting the Nabatean tombs of Hegra as well as the many wonderful rock formations in the area such as Elephant Rock, this ancient city carved into solid rock is definitely a highlight of Saudi Arabia.
  • For sunset, we will head out to an amazing lookout that gives a great view over the region including part of the old town of Al-'Ula as well as amazing rock formations.
  • In the evening you will have free time to roam around Al-'Ula town where you can enjoy a sunset dinner and explore Al-'Ula old town.
read more read less
Day 6Fri Nov 15
Al-'Ula, Medina
  • In the morning we will drive to Medina (approximately 3.5 hours), the second holiest city for all of Islam.
  • We will begin a city tour where we will learn about the history of Islam and get close to the second-largest mosque in the world.
  • Non-Muslims are not allowed inside the mosque, but any Muslim guests will be allowed to visit.
  • At sunset, we will head towards the mosque to watch people file in for the evening prayer. On any day there can be easily over 200,000 people entering the mosque at the same time.
  • Free evening for group dinner.
  • Overnight in Medina.
read more read less
Day 7Sat Nov 16
Medina, Jeddah
  • In the morning we will take the high-speed rail from Medina to Jeddah which will take approximately 2 hours.
  • The high-speed rail connects Medina to Mecca and has become vital for transporting pilgrims between the two holy sites. Non-Muslims can only ride the train from Medina to Jeddah.
  • We will arrive in Jeddah and check into our hotel.
  • We will head out for an afternoon walk along the corniche where we can taste some of Jeddah's amazing seafood for dinner.
  • Overnight in Jeddah.
read more read less
Day 8Sun Nov 17
Jeddah
  • We start today with a city tour of Jeddah, showing you both the old and new of this vibrant city.
  • We will visit the Jeddah Corniche which runs along the Red Sea, as well as introduce you to the old part of Jeddah, the Al Balad District, where we will see some of the most iconic historical architecture in Jeddah. This area is host to numerous cafes and small museums as well as the old Souq.
  • A quick photo stop by the world's second largest flag pole ! (It overtook the Baku flagpole in 2014 and then was overtaken by a flagpole in Egypt in 2021.)
  • We will also see the distant Jeddah Tower, which is eventually to be the world’s tallest building. Later, we will finish up at the Floating Mosque, another one of Jeddah’s must-see attractions.
  • Afterwards, we will return to the hotel where you will have the afternoon and evening to explore Jeddah. We'll probably head back to the Al Balad District at night, as it comes alive (as does most of the country) once the sun goes down.
read more read less
Day 9Mon Nov 18
Jeddah, End of Tour
  • After breakfast in the hotel, we will say our goodbyes and finish the trip.
  • Transfer to airport to continue your journey or head back home.
  • If you wish to stay longer in Saudi Arabia, please let us know and we can organise travel to many of the other amazing destinations this country has to offer.
read more read less

image/svg+xml Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Afghanistan Kazakhstan
Extensions
Saudi Arabia and Iraq Winter Combo Tour
Journey across Arabia and Mesopotamia where we will explore the highlights of these two Middle Eastern countries.
Nov. 10, 2024
17 days
US$4995.00
VIEW DETAILS
Saudi Arabia and Iraq Winter Combo Tour
Completed
Iraq Winter Tour
From Baghdad to Basra we will explore and experience the wonders of Mesopotamia throughout the Republic of Iraq.
Nov. 19, 2024
8 days
US$2495.00
VIEW DETAILS
Iraq Winter Tour
Completed
Other Tours
Syria New Year Budget Tour
New Year in Damascus, how cool's that! We'll throw in Bosra, Palmyra and Krak for you too, in this whirlwind tour of Syria.
Dec. 30, 2024
5 days
US$895.00
VIEW DETAILS
Syria New Year Budget Tour
Bookings closed!
Syria New Year Tour
What better way to bring in the New Year than with the bustling nightlife of the Damascus old town? But that's not all, we'll still take you to all our favourite spots around the rest of the country too!
Dec. 30, 2024
8 days
US$1495.00
VIEW DETAILS
Syria New Year Tour
Bookings closed!
The Real Yemen Tour
Yes, that's right, this tour isn't Socotra - this is the real Yemen. Starting and ending in Seiyun, we'll be flying to and from Cairo to embark on this pretty epic roadtrip through one of the trickiest countries to travel in.
Jan. 23, 2025
6 days
US$3100.00
VIEW DETAILS
The Real Yemen Tour
North Korea Day of the Shining Star Short Tour
This is your chance to get a quick snapshot of North Korea in the winter, during the Day of the Shining Star.
Feb. 14, 2025
5 days
EUR1295.00
VIEW DETAILS
North Korea Day of the Shining Star Short Tour
send subscription request

SAIGA Tours. Straight to Your Inbox.

ABOUT US
TOURS
DESTINATION GUIDES
OTHER
Email address: [email protected]
© SAIGA Tours

Filter

Type
Image alt text
{article_type}

{title}

{description}

Image alt text
{breadcrumb}

{title}

{description}

Image alt text
{detail_type} > {region} > {destination}

{title}

Image alt text
Tours

{title}

{description}