Jeddah and AlUla

Start the day working on the Saudi bigger picture in the Tayebat museum to gain a background about Islam, Saudi Arabia and Jeddah, the city to be explored first. The Tayebat museum is ideal for this, consisting of real-life, real-size examples of Saudi and especially Jeddahwi building styles, everyday tools and utensils, art and of course details about the Two Holy Cities; Mecca and Medina, which make a good base for a first talk about Islam. After visiting a selection of what is on display, head out into the real Saudi!

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, All set? Now it can be prepared in the restaurant right in the market or taken home. To stay in style, indulge in a seafood lunch in a nearby restaurant.

Find out that things are equally convivial on dry land in 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. It is a dive back in time with the buzz of trading, pilgrims shopping and the occasional tourist mixed in. 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. In a quickly modernizing Kingdom, this area might be the last one to find that ‘real Middle Eastern mix of sights and smells’ that you can find in the old souks across the region.

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.

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.

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 will 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. Today, you will follow your ‘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.

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. Walk the winding, shaded Oasis Heritage trail through the fields that provide fresh herbs and vegetables to AlUla’s restaurants. Hear the birds sing and imagine how the nomads of the past found water and refuge from the desert here. Leave the valley and enter an area often called ‘the art city’ which has a colourful vibe with street art and exhibits 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 colours of the towering cliffs around. Overnight in AlUla.

A trip to Saudi Arabia is not complete without a 4x4 excursion into the desert. Start this day with an unforgettable sortie around the towering cliffs that surround AlUla. Following the ups and downs of the morning’s four-wheel safari, settle down for a delicious Bedouin-style picnic lunch encompassing a traditional range of Saudi and other Middle Eastern delicacies. As true navigators of the deserts, a camp set-up with protection from the elements and the finest of Arabian hospitality awaits.

In the afternoon there will be time at leisure. Experience the facilities of your hotel or continue your exploration of AlUla’s landscapes with an optional activity (supplements apply) Some of the optional activities available include: see the sandstone mountains from above in a helicopter or hot air balloon, 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. Overnight in AlUla.

At leisure until you check out of your hotel and transfer to Al Ula airport for your onward flight.

• Airport arrival transfer during daytime hours (NOTE: for flights arriving before 6.00am and after 10.00pm and departures before 8.00am and after 11.00pm, surcharges will apply)
• 5 night’s hotel accommodation with private facilities
• Meals as mentioned in the itinerary (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
• Transfers and tours by private air-conditioned vehicles, unless otherwise mentioned
• Domestic Flight Jeddah/AlUla
• English speaking local guide (often station guides: 1 guide per location)
• Bottled drinking water (1L per person per day) during touring days
• All entrance fees as indicated in the itinerary
• Exclusive corniche experience with soft drinks & local snacks in Jeddah
• Exclusive 4x4 desert trip with bedouin-style lunch in the desert of AlUla
• 15% VAT tax & up to 5% municipality tax (where applicable) are included for all services mentioned in the program
• 24/7 support in Saudi Arabia
• Assistance of local representatives
• Saudi Arabia Travel Notes – issued by Innovative Travel

• International and domestic airfares, unless specified otherwise
• Supplements for early/late transfers if required
• Meals other than mentioned above
• Beverages with meals
• Camera/video entrance fees
• Optional tours and excursions
• Porterage
• Tipping/Gratuities (please refer to tour notes for a recommended guideline)
• Personal Expenses
• Departure taxes
• Hotel charges for minibar or any extra charges
• Visas (unless specified)
• Any other services not clearly mentioned in the inclusions above