Itinerary
- Day 1
Riyadh
You'll arrive in Riyadh and head to your hotel to settle in. Later, take the elevator up to the Kingdom Centre's 99th floor Sky Bridge where you'll get sweeping views of the city from 300 metres above. The evening brings a welcome dinner with traditional Saudi food in a contemporary space.
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome dinner with traditional Saudi cuisine in a modern space)
Included Activities
- Visit Kingdom Centre Sky Bridge (99th floor) for Riyadh skyline views
- Welcome dinner with traditional Saudi cuisine
Landmarks Kingdom Centre 
- Day 2
Riyadh
Start your day in Ad Diriyah where you'll walk through the At-Turaif district, a UNESCO site with restored mud-brick buildings dating back to 1744-1818. You'll have lunch in a traditional mud house where your host shares insights about Saudi customs and daily life. After lunch, head to Al Masmak Fortress, which played a key role in Saudi unification, then move on to the National Museum to learn about Arabian heritage. The afternoon wraps up browsing Al Zel and Souq Bisht where you can look at spices, antiques, and local textiles.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Regional dishes in traditional mud house in Diriyah hosted by local host)
Included Activities
- Explore At-Turaif UNESCO district in Ad Diriyah
- Lunch in traditional mud house with local host
- Tour Al Masmak Fortress
- Walk through historic quarter and Justice Square
- Visit National Museum of Saudi Arabia
- Explore Murabba Palace
- Browse Souq Al Zel and Souq Bisht
Landmarks At-Turaif Al Masmak Fortress National Museum of Saudi Arabia Murabba Palace Souq Al Zel Souq Bisht - Day 3
Riyadh to Buraydah
Leave Riyadh's modern buildings behind and drive toward desert landscapes. You'll walk down 300 metres of switchbacks from the plateau edge along an ancient caravan route, thinking about camel riders who once traveled this way. After about 2.5 hours and 200km, you reach Ushaiger to see ruins of an old mud village and visit a small family-run museum. From there, it's another 2 hours and 185km to Buraydah, passing circular agricultural fields that show how farming works in the desert. Stop in Onaizah to check out a local heritage museum featuring a VR experience.
Included Activities
- Walk ancient caravan route switchbacks from plateau
- Explore ruins of ancient mud village in Ushaiger
- Visit family-run museum in Ushaiger
- Tour local heritage museum in Onaizah with VR experience
Landmarks Ushaiger Onaizah - Day 4
Buraydah to Hail
Start at a busy local wet market, one of the world's largest date markets where you'll watch buyers and sellers auction goods right from truck backs. Then board a high-speed train heading north to Hail with wide views of rocky desert. Once there, visit the hilltop A'arif Fort and check out Al Qishlah, a fort-palace built from red mud with 8-metre-high walls.
Included Activities
- Explore local wet market and date market in Buraydah
- High-speed train journey to Hail with desert views
- Visit A'arif Fort
- Visit Al Qishlah compound
Landmarks A'arif Fort Al Qishlah - Day 5
Hail to Al Ula
Drive north from Hail for about an hour into the Al Nafud desert to reach Jubbah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where massive desert rocks display Neolithic rock inscriptions from 9,000 years ago. Your guide points out the detailed carvings showing people, animals, and scenes from ancient life. Next, you'll travel through Sharaan Nature Reserve covering 1,500 square kilometres where you might spot ostriches, Idmi gazelles, and Arabian wolves. Later you arrive in Al Ula to see dramatic rock formations and canyons with pre-Arabic rock art, ending with a sunset view at Jabel Al Fil, the Elephant Rock formation.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Jubbah UNESCO World Heritage Site rock inscriptions
- Pass through Sharaan Nature Reserve for wildlife viewing
- Sunset visit to Jabel Al Fil (Elephant Rock)
Landmarks Jubbah Sharaan Nature Reserve Jabel Al Fil (Elephant Rock) 
- Day 6
Al Ula
A local storyteller called a rawee guides you through Hegra, the Nabataean archaeological site that was the kingdom's southern capital in the first century BCE. From your own jeep, you explore over 100 monumental tombs carved into rock with detailed facades showing Nabataean building skills. Later, head to Al Ula Historic City, an old crossroads of the Silk Road and Incense Route, for a sunset walk through narrow alleys that mix ancient character with modern restaurants and boutique shops. The new city section has street art and outdoor exhibits to see.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Guided jeep tour of Hegra archaeological site with personal rawee (storyteller)
- Explore Nabataean tombs at Hegra
- Stroll Al Ula Historic City at sunset
- Explore new city of Al Ula with street art and outdoor exhibits
Landmarks Hegra Al Ula Historic City - Day 7
Al Ula
Start with a 4x4 drive around towering cliffs near Al Ula, getting close to the rugged desert landscape. Then settle in the desert for a traditional Bedouin picnic lunch with Saudi and Middle Eastern food under a shaded canopy. The afternoon is yours to do what you like, whether relaxing at your hotel or choosing optional activities like helicopter or hot air balloon rides over sandstone mountains, mountain biking across dunes, or hiking to valley overlooks for wide views.
- Meals
- Lunch (Traditional Bedouin-style picnic lunch with Saudi and Middle Eastern delicacies in the desert)
Included Activities
- 4×4 desert excursion around Al Ula's towering cliffs
- Traditional Bedouin-style picnic lunch in the desert
Optional Activities
- Helicopter ride over sandstone mountains
- Hot air balloon ride to view landscape from above
- Mountain biking across desert dunes
- Hiking to valley's edge for panoramic vistas
- Day 8
Al Ula to Medina
Travel through desert and mountains to Medina following an ancient pilgrimage route through the Khaybar oasis, which has black lava stone and mountain vistas. You'll see the mud city remains and fortress. Once in Medina, explore the exterior of Al Masjid an Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) and visit Dar Al Medina Museum. End your day at Mount Uhud for views across the Holy City.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Khaybar area including mud city remains and fortress
- View Al Masjid an Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) exterior
- Visit Dar Al Medina Museum
- Visit Mount Uhud
Landmarks Khaybar Al Masjid an Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) Mount Uhud - Day 9
Medina to Jeddah
In Medina, visit the historic Hijaz Railway station, a terminus from Ottoman times that once brought pilgrims from Damascus. Walk through the central market to try Saudi sweets like ma'amoul butter cookies with nuts or dates, luqaimat crispy dumplings with honey, and kunafa sweet cheese pastry with rose water. Board Saudi Arabia's modern high-speed train for less than 2 hours to reach coastal Jeddah, traveling 420km. Once you arrive, head to the corniche for sunset drinks and watch the world's tallest fountain light up as the call for prayer sounds across the water.
Included Activities
- Visit Hijaz (Ottoman) railway terminus station
- Browse Medina central market (souk)
- High-speed train journey to Jeddah
- Sunset drinks on Jeddah corniche
Landmarks Hijaz Railway Station Jeddah Corniche King Fahd's Fountain (Jeddah Fountain) 
- Day 10
Jeddah
Take a private cruise on the Red Sea to snorkel at coral sites where you'll see Hawksbill turtles, lionfish, eels, and reef sharks. Water temperatures stay around 21°C/70°F with high salinity that's beneficial for your health. Your skipper will prepare a seafood barbecue. Later, explore Al Balad, the UNESCO World Heritage old town with traditional multi-storey buildings and roshan (wooden window covers), then have a final taste of Saudi cuisine.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Final taste of Saudi cuisine)
Included Activities
- Private Red Sea cruise with snorkelling
- Snorkelling at coral sites
- Seafood barbecue prepared by skipper
- Explore Al Balad UNESCO World Heritage old town
Landmarks Red Sea Al Balad
