After breakfast, head out to visit historic Diriyah, the ancestral and current home of the Saudi royal family and considered the birthplace of modern Saudi Arabia. The city’s mud-brick walls once fortified a flourishing desert city that stood as the region’s cultural and commercial hub – in 1745, the city was named the capital of the Emirate of Diriyah, laying the foundations for what would later become a unified Saudi Arabia.
Continue with a walk through the city’s old town, admiring its many ancient ruins, including the once-magnificent palace, houses and marketplace. At Masmak Fort, discover the history of Abdullah bin Rashid and the Battle of Riyadh. Finish your journey through Old Town by visiting Souq al Zal, famous for its colourful and luxurious textiles, before stopping for lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon visit the National Museum of Saudi Arabia, composed of eight galleries that together tell the story of Arabian history. Continue to the massive Murabba Historical Palace, built by King Abdul Aziz – founder of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – in 1939, and now one of the country’s most cherished living museums.
Finish the day with a visit to the Kingdom Tower shopping mall – including a stop at the women-only Ladies Kingdom – and the complex’s Sky Bridge, positioned on the 99th floor and offering soaring views over Riyadh.
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your economy class flight to the ancient Arabic oasis of Al-Ula (approximately 2 hours). Transfer to your accommodation, check in and enjoy lunch at the hotel restaurant before a tour of Al-Ula’s fascinating Old Town. With a heritage stretching back seven centuries, the town’s winding alleys – crammed with mosques and markets – will transport you to another time.
Visit the vibrant AlJadidah Art District, a neighbourhood that rewards exploration with an endless abundance of local bakeries, quirky murals, food trucks and artisanal coffee shops.
As dusk arrives, visit Al-Ula’s iconic Elephant Rock, a massive rock formation that’s naturally come to resemble the animal of the same name. Savour sunset as it falls across the great sandstone outcrop, itself shaped by wind and water across millions of years. As you witness the sky transform into a thousand shades of red, orange and blue, enjoy traditional oasis refreshments – local dates and a cup of Arabic coffee or tea.
Return to your hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure.
Start the day with a visit to Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage-listed site and, along with the ancient Jordan city of Petra, one of the largest conserved sites of Nabataean civilization in the world. The collection of tombs and monuments – most directly cut into the desert sandstone – display a wide range of ancient architectural influences, drawing from as far as Egypt and Greece.
After exploring Hegra, stop at the nearby Hijaz Railway station, a historic stop designed to service a line that would have travelled from Istanbul to Mecca. Due to the outbreak of World War I, the line was never completed.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and continue to the ‘lost’ city of Dadan, one of the most caravan outposts in ancient Arabia and a thriving centre of incense trade in antiquity. The oasis, built meticulously from stone, dates back to the early 8th century and its historic implications are still being explored today. Continue onward to Jabal Ikmah, a mountain whose lofty crevasse is filled with thousands of elaborate ancient inscriptions. Painstakingly etched into ancient stone, letters of Aramic, Dadanitic and Nabatean – each predating Arabic – have all been recognised, but the reason for their carving is still unknown. It’s just one of the region’s truly magical spots.
Finish the day’s tour with a visit to Harray Uairedh, the town’s highest point, and enjoy traditional Arabic refreshments – tea, coffee and dates – and panoramic views as the sun descends over the surrounding landscape.
After breakfast at the hotel, checkout and drive south toward Madinah (approximately three hours). Stop along the way in the unique oasis of Khaybar, built upon a volcanic outcrop and gifted with freshwater springs, wadis (or river valleys) and palms. Historically, the city was a flourishing Jewish community, wealthy due to the cultivation of date trees, but in 628 AD the community was conquered by Muslim forces. Embark on a walking tour of the city’s heritage, before enjoying time at leisure to explore the area on your own after a local lunch.
Continue to Madinah, considered the second holiest city in Islam (after Mecca) – it’s where Muhammed was said to have established the Muslim community, and where his body is entombed today. Enjoy the evening at leisure.
After breakfast, meet your private guide in the hotel lobby and embark on a day tour of the city’s best. Start at the International Fair and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization, a cutting-edge museum dedicated to depicting the life of Muhammed. Continue to Quba Street, a vibrant cultural landmark between two of the citys most famous mosques, the Holy Mosque and Quba Mosque, connected in between by Souq Taiba, one of the city’s most popular markets. Enjoy lunch at a local hotel.
Please note: Access to the Mosques is not permitted to non-Muslims.
At approximately 5pm, board the Haramain High Speed Railway bullet train to Jeddah. With speeds of up to 300 kilometres-per-hour, it’s an unforgettable way to cross the golden dunes of the desert.
Built on the shores of the Red Sea, Jeddah is the country’s commercial hub and has a storied history stretching back to its time as a 7th-century travel hub for Hajj pilgrims approaching Mecca. Upon arrival, check in at your hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure.
After breakfast, follow your guide on a tour of Jeddah’s traditional architecture within Al-Balad, the city’s Old Town. With houses dating back to the early days of the Ottoman empire – constructed from coral and reinforced with wooden beams – it’s a wonderful place to lose yourself for a few hours. Built during the 1850s and now a cultural centre and museum, Nasif House is one of the city’s finest examples of Turkish architecture. Enjoy time to explore and learn about the Nasif family, historically one of the most influential trading houses in Jeddah.
Continue to the House of Islamic Arts, showcasing influential religious art from countries as far-flung as China, India and Spain. With more than a thousand pieces – and a scope of more than fifteen centuries – it’s a one-of-a-kind collection that wonderfully celebrates the Islamic Golden Age.
Enjoy fresh caught lunch at a local seafood restaurant, before proceeding to the privately owned Tayebat Museum, offering an insightful glimpse into Jeddah’s long and storied past. Afterward, gaze upon the city’s Al Rahma Floating Mosque, built overhanging the northern tip of Jeddah’s waterfront. An enduring symbol of Jeddah, it’s the perfect place to return later and take in the sunset.
Nearby, visit Jeddah Fountain, the tallest water fountain in the world – it famously shoots saltwater drawn from the Red Sea sky high at a speed of up to 300 kilometres-per-hour.
Return to the hotel and enjoy your final evening at leisure before a farewell dinner at 8pm.
After breakfast, it’s time to bid farewell to Saudi Arabia. Collect your luggage and depart for King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) as your journey ends.