From Jeddah to Riyadh by Road & Rail

After breakfast at the hotel, you will depart for a tour of Jeddah, a historic port city and long-time gateway to Mecca. The tour begins at the Abdul Raouf Khalil Museum, which showcases both local and Arabian heritage. Following this, you will head for Historic Jeddah to enjoy an immersive walking tour through Al-Balad, Jeddah’s fascinating historic quarter. See intricately designed merchant houses hundreds of years old, wander through aromatic markets to glimpse local food, and take in Al-Balad’s charming streets and hidden galleries. While in Al-Balad, you’ll visit Beit Nassif, one of the most prominent renovated structures in the old city which dates to the mid-19th century and is a stunning example of the blend of traditional and modern architecture.

Following lunch in the city, you will pass by the Al Rahmah Mosque, also known as the Floating Mosque, which is a single domed marvel of architecture that sits on the sea, symbolising Jeddah’s bold march into the modern age. The tour concludes at the Jeddah Corniche, a 30-kilometre coastal resort with a picturesque coastal road, recreational areas, pavilions and large civic sculptures. Also at the Jeddah Corniche is King Fahd’s Fountain, the highest fountain in the world which projects water to a height of 312 metres.


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Following breakfast at your hotel, you will begin the day with a visit to Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. An ancient city of the Nabataean Kingdom, Hegra was the Nabataeans’ second most important city after Jordan’s Petra, flourishing during the the kingdom’s zenith from the 2nd century B.C. until the Roman Conquest of 106 A.D. At Hegra, you will find 94 decorated funeral monuments, some of which are amongst the most impressive left by the Nabataeans. Explore Hegra’s intricately carved tombs, ancient inscriptions, massive stone structures and more, learning about the role it played along the ancient caravan trade route.

After lunch, you will continue to AlUla - which comprises Dedan and Ikmah - an ancient oasis city whose origins stretch back some 7,000 years, as testified by the ancient carvings that can be found etched into the surrounding rockfaces. The city developed during the 1st millennium B.C. as it became an integral location along the frankincense trade route, and now comprises a cluster of abandoned mudbrick- and stone-built houses cradled within the rugged desertscape.

En route back to your hotel, you will stop at the dramatically formed Elephant Rock, a massive monolith whose distinct shape resembles an elephant.


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After breakfast, you’ll check out of the hotel and depart for an orientation of Hail, which lies at the foot of the imposing Shammar mountains, named after one of Arabia’s largest tribes.

The insightful tour will see you visit the A’Arif Fort, which was erected in the 17th century, and visit the nearby heritage museum if it is open on the day. You will then enjoy a walk through the traditional market, where you can browse some of the local delicacies. You’ll also pass the Hail Regional Museum, whose collection of artefacts you can admire if it is open on the day. After lunch in the city, you will head to Hail’s railway station and board the fast train to Riyadh, a journey of approximately five hours.

When you arrive in Riyadh, you will transfer to your hotel in time for dinner.


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