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Saudi Arabia, From Riyadh to Jeddah

First steps in Saudi Arabia 4*

Tour
Grouped

Deal negotiated for you

  • The small group tour of 9 days / 8 nights in a 4* hotel (local standards)
  • Half-board package
  • Flights departing from the city of your choice
  • Transport and land transfers included
  • Group return airport/hotel transfer
  • Welcome and assistance at the airport
  • A complimentary Welcome Kit
  • 24/7 assistance
  • Local taxes and VAT included
Customise your trip on the Options page.

Your stay starts here

First steps in Saudi Arabia 4*

Discover Saudi Arabia on this four-star, 9-day, 8-night tour, and marvel at the country's treasures.

Tours for groups of up to 25 people.

Your day-by-day itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival in Riyadh

Day 2: Day in Riyadh

Day 3: Riyadh to Ha'il by train

Day 4: Ha'il - Jubbah - Al Ula

Day 5: Day trip to Al Ula

Day 6: Al Ula - Mada'in Saleh - Nadinah

Day 7: Medina - Jeddah

Day 8: Day in Jeddah

Day 9: Jeddah - Return flight

Your detailed itinerary

After arriving at Riyadh International Airport, you will be met by a local representative and transferred to your hotel. Rest of the day free.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will set off on a sightseeing tour of Riyadh, starting with the National Museum, the main repository of Saudi national heritage and culture. It offers a historical overview of Arab civilisation, from prehistory to the present day. Then it's on to Murabba Palace, for a tour of the exterior of the palace (currently under renovation), one of the city's historic buildings.

In the afternoon, you will visit Masmak Fort and its museum, which traces the history of the Al-Saud family's conquest of Arabia. Return to your hotel in the late afternoon.

Lunch in a typical local restaurant, dinner on your own and overnight stay in hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will leave for Riyadh station where you will board the new fast train to Ha'il, which you will reach in just under 5 hours. The town of Ha'il lies at the foot of the imposing Shammar mountain range. Renowned for its hospitable people, Ha'il is traditionally the home of Saudi Arabia's poets and writers. On arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. In the early afternoon, you will visit the A'Arif fort and the nearby heritage museum, before strolling through the traditional market where you will find many local specialities. You can also visit the Ha'il regional museum to discover its fabulous collections, site permitting.

Own lunch arrangements, dinner and overnight stay in hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, the day begins with a visit to the town of Jubbah, which lies on an ancient lake. The town is surrounded by large sandstone outcrops filled with ancient petroglyphs and inscriptions. Jubbah and Shuwaymis, the other major sculpture site in Hail province, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015 for its many petroglyph panels and wealth of inscriptions. On the way, you will cross the famous Nefud Al Kabir desert, which literally means "the great expanse of sand dunes". It is 290 kilometres long and 225 kilometres wide, with a surface area of 103,600 square kilometres.

Own lunch arrangements, dinner and overnight stay in hotel.

After breakfast, you will spend the day in Al Ula. Al-Ula is an ancient oasis that has been inhabited for 7,000 years, as evidenced by the ancient sculptures in and around the oasis. You'll start by visiting two ancient sculpture sites at Al-Ula, before passing through the ancient town of Dedan, which was an important oasis on the incense trade route between southern Arabia and the Mediterranean world. You then continue on to the old town of Al-Ula, which in the early Islamic era became an important stop on the pilgrimage route to Mecca. In the afternoon, you will visit the ancient sites of Ekma and Abu 'Aoud, where the inhabitants of the oasis wrote texts in ancient script that are deciphered for you.

Own lunch arrangements, dinner and overnight stay in hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will begin with a visit to the famous Hegra (Madain Saleh), the first site in Saudi Arabia to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the most important southern city of the Nabataean Kingdom and the second richest Nabataean city in terms of monumental tombs, with 94 elaborate funerary monuments, including some of the most dynamic and well-preserved architectural achievements of the Nabataean builders. In the afternoon you will continue to visit the many sites around Al Ula, including the Leopard Trail and many others. Then it's on to the town of Medina, where your hotel is located.

Make your own lunch and dinner arrangements, overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will visit the holy city of Medina, with the majestic Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (Mosque of the Prophet) at its centre, a major Islamic pilgrimage site. You will visit the outskirts of the city, before ending the day with a short walk near Mount Uhud to enjoy a delightful sunset over the city. Finally, you will visit the Dar Al Madina museum before heading for Jeddah, where your hotel is located.

Own lunch arrangements, dinner and overnight stay in hotel.

After breakfast, you will visit the Abdul Rouf Khalil Museum, a unique site showcasing local and Arab heritage. Then it's off to old Jeddah for a stroll through Al-Balad, the old city. This walking tour of the Old City will take you past all the lesser-known local must-sees, such as the hidden gems of the Old Market, the hidden galleries of Old Jeddah and many more. Afterwards, you'll discover the floating mosque, an architectural marvel with a unique dome that literally sits on the sea, symbolising Jeddah's dauntless spirit in the modern era. Situated in an enviable location, the courtyard of the mosque offers a breathtaking view of the Red Sea. Your visit will end on the Jeddah Corniche, which is the coastal resort area 30 km from the city. Situated on the banks of the Red Sea, the Corniche features a coastal road, leisure areas, pavilions and large-scale civic sculptures, as well as the King Fahd Fountain, the highest fountain in the world.

Own lunch arrangements, dinner in a local restaurant and overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will be transferred to Jeddah international airport for your return flight.

Your Accommodation

During this tour, you will stay in the four-star hotels listed (local standards) or similar:

Riyadh: Four-star Grand Plaza Hotel Riyadh (local standards) - 2 nights

Al Hail: Four-star Golden Tulip Hotel (local standards) - 1 night

Al Ula: Four-star Sahary (local standards) - 2 nights

Medina: Four-star Delights Inn (local standards) - 1 night

Jeddah: Four-star Ramada Continental Jeddah (local standards) - 2 nights

Your Accommodation

During your stay, you'll enjoy a half-board package including breakfast and dinner, except on day 2 when the half-board package will include breakfast and lunch.

USEFUL THINGS TO KNOW

Entry requirements for Saudi Arabia:

Visa

Since September 27, 2019, Saudi Arabia has been granting tourist visas to nationals of 49 countries, including France.

According to the Saudi authorities, it is possible to apply for this type of visa directly on arrival, thanks to dedicated terminals at Riyadh and Jeddah airports.

However, it is recommended that French nationals wishing to travel to Saudi Arabia apply for an electronic visa via Saudi Visa (https://visa.visitsaudi.com/) before travelling.

In all cases, on arrival, visitors must be able to present the required supporting documents, particularly in terms of medical cover.

The Saudi authorities do not issue visas to holders of passports bearing Israeli visas or stamps.

Customs regulations

On arrival in Saudi Arabia, luggage is generally inspected in detail. Import bans on certain goods must be respected, to avoid confiscation and a tedious search.

For further information, please contact the Saudi Arabian Embassy in France (https://embassies.mofa.gov.sa/sites/France/FR/Pages/default.aspx).

Customs and traditions

Certain social and religious rules must be respected:

The import and consumption of alcohol and pork is totally forbidden in Saudi Arabia. Imported cultural products (books, DVDs, magazines, etc.) must be compatible with local standards of decency.

Foreign women are no longer required to wear an "abaya" (a long dress covering the entire body). However, women are advised to wear loose-fitting clothing and avoid short sleeves and dresses above the knee.

Men should wear pants and avoid shorts or Bermuda shorts.

Islam is the only religion permitted in Saudi Arabia. All manifestations of belonging to other religions (practice, proselytism, symbols, etc.) are forbidden.

Only Muslims are authorised to visit Mecca, where access is strictly controlled. As for Medina, access to the Prophet's mosque is forbidden to non-Muslims.

During the month of Ramadan, travellers should pay particular attention to respecting Saudi customs and habits.

Saudis are strict about fasting. It is absolutely forbidden to eat, drink or smoke in public, on risk of arrest and deportation. Women must be particularly careful about their dress code.

Certain aspects of private life are considered indecent offences (adultery, homosexuality, etc.) and are severely punished. The consumption and trafficking of alcohol and drugs are also severely punished.

Transport included
This price includes :
  • Small group tour of 9 days / 8 nights in a 4-star hotel
  • Half-board package
  • Welcome and assistance at the airport
  • Transport and land transfers included
  • A complimentary Welcome Kit
  • Local taxes and VAT included
  • Flights departing from the city of your choice
  • Mandatory airport taxes
  • Group round-trip airport/hotel transfer
This price does not include :
  • Personal insurance (unless taken out at time of booking)
  • Personal expenses and gratuities
  • Excursions not included in the booking or purchased separately
  • Meals and drinks not mentioned in the description
  • Visa fees
  • And, more generally, everything not mentioned in the "This price includes" section above

Useful information

Useful information

Practical details

If you are travelling alone, you will be asked to pay a surcharge for a single room. This additional charge will be automatically included in your quote.
Child rates will be applied for children from 2 to 12 years old in the case where the child shares the room with two adults. If the child is travelling with just one adult, the surcharge may be applied on an adult basis. If your child or children do not fit into the age group mentioned above, the rate will be communicated to you at the time of processing your order. If the room is equipped with a bunk bed, the bed height is not suitable for children under 6 years of age.
For safety reasons, the wellbeing facilities of most establishments are not accessible to children under 16 years old. Similarly, it is possible that some amenities or services require an additional charge or are unavailable for exceptional reasons.
Unless otherwise stated in the service description, activities and any additional services available at destination are provided in the language of the destination country and in English.
The opening times and hours of the activities, restaurants and bars are provided as an indication only and may be subject to change. Contact the reception desk in order to be informed of any changes.
Appropriate dress is required. We remind you that gambling may involve risks of isolation, indebtedness, and dependency...
Any additional special requirements the traveller may request which are not included in the travel service description will be communicated to our service provider. Sending this information does not imply acceptance and PerfectStay.com cannot be held responsible for the fulfilment of these special requests. Only the service provider of PerfectStay.com can access this request on location and any additional costs may be paid locally by the traveller.
Unless expressly stated in the description of the services and accommodation, the hotel is not suitable for people with reduced mobility.

Travel documents

Once your reservation has been made, you will receive a confirmation e-mail before your travel documents are sent.
Regarding the transport documents (in the case of a reservation with transport included), we will provide you with all the information relating to check-in and luggage in the "Your travel documents" email, allowing you to leave with peace of mind.
To take advantage of all your reserved services (hotels, transfers, activities, etc.), you will receive one or more exchange vouchers to be presented to each supplier.
The contact details of the establishment will be specified in these documents, to help make your arrival at your destination as straight-forward as possible.

Transportation

Choose an offer and, according to your preferences, opt for a seat in economy, business or first class.
See the 'View flight info' section for details on each trip.
In order to best organise your time in the airport, we advise that you arrive 2 hours before boarding for a medium-haul flight, or 3 hours before boarding for a long-haul flight (more than 5 hours). Take advantage of your early arrival to pass through security and check your luggage.
You will be informed whether or not luggage is included at the time of your booking.
You will have the opportunity to add additional luggage for a fee.
There are several different cities that are typically offered as departure points. Your arrival destination will show in your travel documents.
Depending on the flight schedule, some arrivals or returns may be made at night with early arrival or late departure. You will not always be able to have your room available immediately and will need to refer to the check-in and check-out conditions of the hotel.
In the event that your transfer is not included in your hotel reservation, it may be offered at the time of your reservation as an additional option. Unless specifically mentioned, transfers may be made in groups of 15 to 55 people.
Important: the modification or the cancellation of a booking is only possible within the limits and including the fees outlined in our general conditions of sale.
Thank you for kindly taking note of the CO2 emissions produced by your means of transport: http://eco-calculateur.aviation-civile.gouv.fr

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