Highlights of Saudi Arabia

DAY 1: DAY 1: ARRIVAL RIYADH (SUNDAY)

Arrival at Riyadh airport, after visa and immigration formalities our representative will meet and escort the guests to their air-conditioned vehicle for their transfer to the hotel.

Dinner on your own. Overnight in RIYADH.

DAY 2: RIYADH (MONDAY)                                  

Breakfast at your hotel. We proceed into old Riyadh, starting in the downtown area, visiting the traditional Dirah Souq (famous for buying antique carpets and other useful Saudi heritage antiques). The walk is infused with the aromas of sandalwood fragrance and other scents of the orient. The Souq is known for men’s clothing and it is entertaining to watch the auction which takes place every Friday. After this, we visit the Masmak Fort which is just walking distance from the Old Souq and whose importance is linked to the creation of the 3rd Saudi Kingdom, the modern one we live in. The fortified palace was built during the reign of Abdullah bin Rashid in the year 1895 A.D. to serve as a military garrison for the army of Abdullah in Rashid. His Majesty King Abdulaziz, the father of the today’s nation, captured the fort in 1902, marking the beginning of the reconquest of Arabia by the House of Saudi. Lunch on your own. We drive for 30 minutes to Ad-Diriyah, located on the western bank of the Wadi Hanifah, a dry riverbed where water flows only after big rains. Ad-Diriyah used to be the capital of the Najd (the central plateau of the Arabian Peninsula) from the 15th century until the beginning of the 18th century. It is the birthplace of the first Saudi Kingdom and its importance in

the history of the Arabian Peninsula was highlighted when it was listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site, in 2010, as the most brilliant example of Najdi architecture. The history of Ad-Diriyah goes back thousands of years as it was on an ancient trade and pilgrimage route, acting as a meeting point for those travelling to or from Asia, Africa and Europe. Our visit to the site allows us to admire its incredible architecture before returning to downtown Riyadh. As we drive towards the city, we have the opportunity to admire the rapid development of this cosmopolitan capital, planned by the Saudi government to become the biggest metropole in the Middle East in the next 10 years. Return to hotel. Dinner on your own. Overnight in RIYADH.

DAY 3: RIYADH – ALULA: BY FLIGHT (TUESDAY)                                                                                                        (B)

Breakfast in the hotel & check out. Depending on the flight time, transfer to Riyadh airport for your flight to Al Ula. Arrival at Al Ula airport, after visa and immigration formalities our representative will meet and escort the guests to their air-conditioned vehicle for their transfer to the city. Upon arriving, we shall get a glimpse into AlUla’s not-so-distant past on the AlUla Old Town Tour. A Rawi (guide) will lead you through AlUla Old Town, where pilgrims, travellers and permanent settlers congregated through the ages. Inhabited from before the 12th century up until the early 1980s, AlUla Old Town offers researchers unique oral histories and living memory that the area’s other heritage sites cannot. With 900 houses, 500 shops and 5 town squares, you can explore a maze of remnants of original stone and mudbrick buildings and enjoy views of an AlUla Castle dating back to the 10th century. Guest will learn about Old Town’s settlers and pilgrims, as well as their motives and methods in the city’s construction. Head towards the hotel & check in. Lunch & dinner on your own. Overnight in AL ULA.

NOTE: Preferred flight: SV 1574 – RUH 0915 HRS/ ULH 1100 HRS | Flight ticket included. Flight times are subject to change

DAY 4: ALULA (WEDNESDAY)                                                                                                                           

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we will start our journey with the visit Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the largest preserved site of the Nabataean civilization south of Petra. Home to more than 110 tombs carved from giant rock formations, this ancient site is open for visitors to explore and learn about the culture, traditions, and history of its

people. Lunch on your own. Then we depart on a journey through time to discover the ancient and powerful civilizations of the Dadanite and Lihyanite kingdoms, that have built and shaped AlUla. After exploring the ruins, a bus service takes you on a 10- minute drive to Jabal Ikmah, an open library of inscriptions, rock art and petroglyphs set in a stunning desert canyon. Below, you’ll find tour details, planning tips and what to expect when visiting these extraordinary heritage sites. Before heading back to the hotel, we will visit Jebel Al-Fil (Elephant rock) for a relaxing time. Set in Golden Desert sands and climbing their storeys into the Saudi Arabian Sky, is the awe-inspiring elephant rock one of Al ula’s many geological Marvels. Unlike the ornate, hand-carved facades of nearby Hegra’s Nabataean tombs, the "trunk" and "body" of this monolithic red sandstone beast were shaped by natural forces — millions of years of wind and water erosion.The beauty of the unrefined structure is enhanced by a landscape of golden sands, studded with rocky outcops, many of which are equally impressive in size and have interesting shapes and figures. Dinner on your own. Overnight in ALULA.

DAY 5: ALULA (WEDNESDAY)                                             

Breakfast in the hotel & check out. Depending on the flight time, transfer to Al Ula airport for your flight to Jeddah.Arrival at Jeddah airport, after visa and immigration formalities our

representative will meet and escort the guests to their air-conditioned vehicle for their transfer to the hotel. Check in at the hotel. Lunch & dinner on your own. Overnight in Jeddah.

NOTE: Preferred flight: SV 1631 – ULH 1150 HRS/ JED 1315 HRS Flight ticket included. Flight times are subject to change.

DAY 6: JEDDAH (FRIDAY)                                         

Breakfast at the hotel. We will start our tour by visiting the Old Jeddah.Our guide will tell you the amazing stories about Jeddah and its surroundings.We will enjoy a wonderful walk in Al-Balad, the old part of the city. This walking tour of the old Town will take you along all the less known must-see local spots: Old Market hidden gems, Old Jeddah hidden galleries, local Jeddah food only for locals. While visiting Al-Balad, visitors will be taken to see Beit Nassif (exterior), one of the prominent renovated structures in the old city, which dates back to the mid 1800's. The five-story building provides a rare opportunity for the visitors to experience the blend of traditional architecture with modernity. We will see also the Baghdadi house. We will also visit the Old gold market in Gabel Street and the Ukash Mosque. We will end our tour driving towards the Jeddah Corniche which is the 30 km coastal resort area of the city of Jeddah. We will pass by the Jeddah sculptures museum, the corniche features a coastal road, recreation areas, pavilions and large-scale civic sculptures as well as King Fahd's Fountain, the highest fountain in the world. Lunch on your own. In the afternoon we will start our tour with the visit of House of Islamic Art Museum. A unique site. After that, we will

visit Jeddah Waterfront. Return to hotel. Dinner on your own. Overnight in Jeddah.

DAY 7: DEPARTURE - JEDDAH                                                                                                                                  

Breakfast in the hotel. Check out time 1200 hrs. Depending on the flight time, transfer to Jeddah airport for your departure.