CROSSING SAUDI ARABIA 13 DAYS
13 Days - DAMMAM - UAQAIR - AL HOFUF - AL AHSA - RIYADH - USHAIGER - BURAYDAH - HA’IL - JUBBAH - AL ULA - MADA’IN SALEH - MEDINA
Tour overview:
We welcome the guest at the airport and deliver them the self-drive car the next day. We have designed a well-planned itinerary with overnight stays in premium hotels. Our 24 hours assistance team is always at your disposal for any questions or queries, while you are on road. Discover Al-Hofuf which is the main city of Al-Ahsa a region in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Buraydah is the capital of Al-Qassim Region in northcentral Saudi Arabia in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula. Buraydah lies equidistant from the Red Sea to the west and the Persian Gulf to the east. Buraydah is located on the edge of the Wadi Al-Rummah. Our 24 hours assistance team is always at your disposal for any questions or queries, while you are on road.
Day 1 - ARRVIE DAMMAM
Arrival at DAMMAM International airport, after formalities, you will be able to direct yourself to the Car rental area at the BUDGET car rental counter , or just pick up your car in BUDGET outlet downtown DAMMAM. After the car formalities are done , you will receive the keys , and you will be ready to discover the region. Drive to your hotel. Check in at hotel . Overnight in DAMMAM .
Day 2 - DAMMAM
Breakfast at hotel .Start your tour by visiting the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture for a photo stop. It rises 90 meters from the desert, The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture also known as Ithra is situated in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. It was built by Saudi Aramco and inaugurated by King Salman bin Abdulaziz on December 1, 2016. Then you will visit the Alfan Sharqy Urban Art Exhibition Bayoniya, Al Khobar. The historic neighborhood of Bayoniya got a makeover in 2018, courtesy of a coterie of young Saudi artists who turned its streets into a giant canvas, complete with an explosion of graffiti. Then we will move on to the next visit to Taybeen Museum, It is a passion project, powered by nostalgia. The the300-square-meter museum in Al Khobar was born of Majid Al Ghamdi’s urge to preserve the vintage finds of his youth, a pastime that grew into a collection of retro toys, board and video games, posters, televisions, cameras, and branded food and drink containers 10,000 pieces are strong. With a cabinet charting the evolution of Coke bottles from the 1970s on, plush Sesame Street character toys and vintage Barbies, there is no better place to relive your childhood. At the end drive to Heritage Village in Dammam, Part museum, part restaurant, Dammam’sturret-topped. it gives visitors a glimpse into a simpler life. The five-story building houses a museum, where troves of jewelry, manuscripts, fabrics, and other artifacts are on display, and a small craft-filled market where Arabic perfumes, incense, woven palm-frond baskets, and wall hangings are sold. But the biggest draw here for many is the restaurant. Curl up on traditional floor cushions and sample delicious local fare, including delectable mezze spreads and platters of grilled meats and rice, for an experience that comes close to eating in a Saudi home. Overnight in Dammam. (B)
Day 3 - DAMMAM – UAQAIR – AL HOFUF ( 150 km )
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning we will leave, the modern capital of the Eastern Province. We will drive to the Arabian Sea at the old port of Uqair on the beautiful Half-Moon Bay. This old port that included administrative buildings, a fort, and a market, was built by the Ottomans in the 17th century has been partly renovated recently. We will then head towards the desert of Al-Ahsa to explore it , starting with a stunning viewpoint on one of the lakes located just few kilometers east of Al-Hofuf that reveal the vast water resources of the grounds of Al-Ahsa. This special one is called the Yellow Lake because of the color of the surrounding dunes. This landscape made of flat grounds rich with water in between dunes is typical of the Eastern Province and is called sabkha. They are particularly impressive 500 kilometers to the south in the vastest sand dune desert in the world called the Rub’ Al-Khali. We will drive through dunes and sabkhas, before reaching our destination in Hofuf . Set in an expansive oasis with over 2 million palm trees, Al Hofuf ranks among the world's leading date producers.overnight in Hofuf. (B)
Day 4 - AL AHSA – RIYADH ( 326 km )
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning we will discover Al-Hofuf which is the main city of Al-Ahsa a region in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Al-Ahsa is the largest oasis in the world with an area of around 85.4 km2 (33.0 sq mi), more than 2.5 million palm trees that are fed from a huge underground aquifer which allows agriculture all year round in a region that is otherwise desert. Al-Ahsa also hosts an ancient secret: the Greek geographer Strabo described an ancient Arab kingdom whose capital Gerrha had "fancy tools made out of gold and silver, such as the family gold, right triangles, and their drinking glass, let alone their large homes which have their doors, walls, roofs filled with colors, gold, silver, and holy stones". Until today this site has not been found by archeologists but one of the candidates is the modern city of Al-Hofuf where we will start our exploration of Al-Ahsa. There we will visit the Ibrahim Fort and its mosque, then the Jebel Qarah, a limestone outcrop with caves and canyons and that offers overlooking viewpoint on the huge palm tree cultivations. We will finish this first day in Al-Ahsa at the historical mosque of Jawatha. In the middle of the afternoon, you drive towards Riyadh, the capital that we will reach after 3 hours .. Check in at hotel. Dinner at leisure and overnight in RIYADH. (B)
Day 5 - RIYADH ( 50 km )
Breakfast at the hotel. We will start our tour of mystic Riyadh by visiting the National museum which is the primary custodian of the Saudi national heritage and culture. The Museum is a place of learning and discovery, it offers an overview to the history of Arabian civilization from Prehistory to our modern era. We continue thereafter to the nearby Murabba Palace that is one of the historic buildings of the city. The palace was named after its square with the form of 400 by 400 meters. Afternoon we will continue our tour of mystic Riyadh by visiting the Masmak Fort and its museum that depicts the history of the history of the conquest of Arabia by the Al-Saud family. The palace was built during the reign of Abdullah bin Rashid in the year 1895 A.D. to serve as military garrison for the Abdullah bin Rashid army. His Majesty King Abdulaziz, the father of the nation today, captured the fort in 1902 making of this fort the birthplace of the 3rd Saudi Kingdom, the modern one we live in. We will then visit the Dira Souq famous for buying antique carpets and other useful Saudi heritage antiques, while walking we will always smell sandal wood fragrance. We will finish our tour with a stunning viewpoint from one of the famous landmarks of Riyadh, the Kingdom Tower and the Faisaliah Tower, both great architectural achievements. At the end of the afternoon, back to your hotel. Dinner at leisure and overnight in Riyadh. (B)
Day 6 - RIYADH – USHAIGER - BURAYDAH (360 km)
Breakfast at the hotel. Today we need to start early to make the most of a truly unique Saudi experience., We will start our route to the highlight of our day the heritage village of Ushaiger, one of the oldest settlements in the region which boasts some stunning traditional Najdi architecture and considered one of the most attractive places in the country. Then will continue our route passing the villages of Mithnab and Al-Ghat before we reach Buraydah’s . Buraydah is the capital of Al-Qassim Region in northcentral Saudi Arabia in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula. Buraydah lies equidistant from the Red Sea to the west and the Persian Gulf to the east. Buraydah is located on the edge of the Wadi Al-Rummah. Buraydah has a typical desert climate, with hot summers, cold winters and low humidity. In Buraydah, agriculture is still the cornerstone of the economy. The traditional oasis products of dates, lemon, orange and other fruits are still important. Visitors to Al Qassim will also be drawn to its fine traditional mudbrick architecture. The beautifully restored Souq Musawkaf in Unaizah is one of the best examples and comes into its own in the evenings when locals come to relax, drink coffee and socialize. Al Mithnab and Al Khabra both present almost complete examples of traditional fortified villages, while nearby in Al Bukayriyah, vast blackberries are grown in the desert and the visitor can explore historic castles amongst the date palms. We will visit Al Bassam Heritage House Fans of heritage villages, museums, souq, historical palaces and ancient architecture will particularly enjoy visiting Al Bassam House. In Unayzah (about 30 minutes outside Buraydah), Al Bassam House was built in 1955 using traditional Najdi ventilation and lighting techniques and spans 3,500 square meters. The palatial structure’s roof incorporates traditional Najd wood carvings. (Najdi is an architectural style characterized by unfired mud-brick, which has dominated the Saudi countryside for hundreds of years.) It features 30 rooms on two floors, including bedrooms, guest rooms and storage rooms. Inside, visitors can enjoy ancient crafts, traditional foods, folk tales, poems and ancestral heritage and history. Drive to your hotel late in the evening Depending on our schedule , we will visit the lively camel market that is located just a short distance outside modern-day Buraydah but the experience may feel like stepping into a distant era of times gone by. This is the world’s largest camel market where thousands of camels, goats and sheep are traded every day and this morning is sure to be a feast for the senses. We head back into the city to stroll through the mouth- watering date market to pick some tasty treats before check in at the hotel . Our visit in the city will include also The Women’s Souq , the AL Jerredah Souq , which is an Arts & Crafts commerce .Check in , overnight in Buraydah. (B)
Day 7 - BURAYDAH – HA’IL ( 280 km)
Breakfast at the hotel. Today morning we will visit the camel Market in Buraidah. Every morning at 6am the outskirts of Buraidah are home to the world's largest camel market, where thousands of camels (as well as goats and sheep) are bought and sold, along with saddles and other accessories. Visit to the market is a truly unique Saudi experience. After the camel market visit leave Qassim, and drive further into the desert. We stop at the pre-Islamic city of Faid. This place used to be on the old caravan routes. During this 3 hour drive we will leave the sedimentary grounds of Qassim with sand dunes and oases full of palm trees for the imposing granite formations of the Jebel Aja that border the city of Hail. Along the way we will cross the easternmost lava fields of Saudi Arabia called Harrat Al-Hutaymah Drive to Ha’il. Drive to the Aja Rosy Mountains (Jabal Aja). Lunch on arrival in Hail and check in. Overnight in Ha’il. (B)
Day 8 - HA’IL – JUBBAH – AL ULA (585 km)
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning we will start our journey to Jubbah that lies on an ancient lake. Several archaeological sites of human settlement from the Middle Paleolithic period were found around the margin of the paleolake. Jubbah is surrounded by large sandstone outcrops that are filled with ancient petroglyphs and inscriptions. Jubbah benefited from past humid phases that turned the arid Arabian Peninsula into a savannah similar to what is found today in Africa. During the last humid period that took place from the 10th to the 6th millennium BCE the African monsoon rains filled rivers and lakes where wildlife thrived. If the animals that used to live there became instinct because of the desertification that started during the 6th millennium BCE, some men fixed forever their presence in Jubbah thanks to carvings of aurochs, cheetahs, lions…Those drawings are still visible today on several sandstone outcrops like the Jebel Umm Sanman. Jubbah, the other major carving site of Hail Province, where listed as UNESCO World Heritage in 2015 for their numerous petroglyph panels and rich inscriptions. The region between Ha’il and Al-Ula offers some of the best desert experience in the world …On our way, we will pass through the famous desert of Nefud Al Kabir which literally means the “great extent of sand dunes”. It is 290 kilometers long and 225 kilometers wide, with an area of 103,600 square kilometer. We continue our route to the famous Al Ula area. Early evening, we arrive and check-in at our beautifully located permanent desert camp, our base for the night. Overnight in Al-Ula. (B)
Day 9 - AL ULA
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning we propose to discover Al-Ula which is an ancient oasis that is inhabited for the last 7000 years. During the 1st millennium BCE the city of Dedan develops thanks to its strategic location on the frankincense trade road to become one of the oldest Arabian kingdoms that ruled over most of what is today Tabuk and Madinah provinces. Continue to Jebel Ikmah that, with its amazing and numerous rock inscriptions, looks an open-air museum. We continue then to the Old city of Al-Ula that became at the beginning of the Islamic era an important staging post along the pilgrimage route to Mecca. Then we will visit the ancient sites of Ekma and Abu ‘Aoud where the people of the oasis wrote texts in ancient scripts that we will decipher for you. We can finish this special day on top of the Harrat Al-Uwayrid for an amazing viewpoint of the oasis of Al-Ula. At the end of the afternoon, drive to hotel. Accommodation in Al-Ula. (B)
Day 10 - AL ULA – MADA’IN SALEH – MADINA
Breakfast at the hotel. Today we will start our journey with the visit of the famous Hegra (Madain Saleh) which is the first site of Saudi Arabia that was listed as UNESCO World Heritage site. Madain Saleh, whose original name was Al-Hijr or Hegra in Greek, is the southernmost important city of the Nabatean Kingdom that flourished thanks to the caravan trade between the 2nd century BCE until the Roman conquest in 106 CE. It is the second richest Nabatean city in terms of monumental tombs with 94 decorated funeral monuments including some of the most vibrant and well conserved architectural prowess of the Nabateans builders. We will lead you through this fascinating site and reveal to you the secrets of its tombs, ancient inscriptions, stone structures, and many others. In the middle of the afternoon, drive towards the holy city of Medina and reach by early evening. Check in at the hotel and overnight in Medina. (B)
Day 11 - MEDINA to JEDDAH by road ( 420 km )
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning half day Medina visit. Considered one of the three holiest cities in Islam, Madinah is special to Muslims because it's where Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was given refuge after his exile from Makkah. Originally known as Yathrib, Madinah was once an oasis city with a history that dates back to the 6th century BCE. Muslims have always had a special attachment to this city because it is where the Prophet lived, fought crucial battles, built his famous mosque and also where he was finally laid to rest. It is centered around the Prophet's Mosque and other monuments that attract pilgrims from all over the world. During the day we will pass by Al Madinah Province, Al Masjid an Nabawi, Jannatul Baqi, Grave Of Hamzah, Al Noor Mall, Rashed Mall, Dar Al Madinah Museum, Al-Madina Museum, Masjid Al Ghamamah, Abu Bakar Masjed’ Lunch in the city . Departure to Jeddah that we will reach after 4h30. On arrival ,check in in hotel and overnight in Jeddah. (B)
Day 12 - JEDDAH
Breakfast at your hotel. From the 7th century CE Jeddah was established as a major port for Indian Ocean trade routes, channelling goods to Mecca. It was also the gateway for Muslim pilgrims to Mecca who arrived by sea. On arrival, we will check in at the hotel. In the afternoon we will start our tour by visiting the Old Jeddah called Al-Balad which was listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. This walk tour of the old Town will take you along the narrow streets whose shade is provided by elegant tower houses made with coral stone and decorated by large wooden structures called Roshan. Most of those houses were built in the late 19th century but some of them are more than 400 years old. There we will visit the Bait Nassif, one of the prominent renovated houses of the old city which dates back to the mid 1800's, the Old Market and the old 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 Al Rahmah Mosque also kown as the floating mosque since it is built on piles above the water. Located along the Red Sea, 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. Overnight in Jeddah.(B)
Day 13 - DEPART JEDDAH
Breakfast at your hotel. Transfer to Jeddah International airport for your departure flight . You can return the car in the airport,go to the car rental RETURN parking , handover your car to the BUDGET team , and direct yourself to the departure area. (B)