Discover a Land as Old as Time
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recently opened its doors to leisure travellers after decades of discouraging, and we are delighted to introduce this ancient, exciting and enigmatic destination to you. Having explored its illustrious history dating back Ten millennia and experienced some of the natural wonders, we feel privileged to help you rediscover the magic of Arabia.
Jewels of Arabia
8 days from £3365 per person
This 8-day tour of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia traverses through some of the world’s most spectacular desert scenery and mountainous landscapes including, the ‘Edge of the World’.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
12 days from £6795 per person
Throughout the ages, abundant resources of Saudi Arabia's fertile oases attracted settlers.
Mecca
For completeness, we have included the city here, albeit non Muslims are not permitted, as city remains bustling throughout the year with devotees.
Hail
Nestled between Mount Shammer to the north and Mount Salma to the south, the city of Hail was once the capital of the entire Arabian Desert. It is home to legends like Hatim Tai, the Arabian poet whose altruism earned him his place in the “Tales of One Thousand and One Nights”.
Medina
Originally a Jewish settlement of some significance known as Yathrib, it later became known as Medina, the second most holy city for followers of Islam. Its importance comes from the role it played in establishing Islam. The Prophet Mohammed and his followers fled to Medina in 622AD after being persecuted in Mecca for their beliefs. This event marked the re-setting of the Muslim calendar back to zero and re-naming the city as the City of the Prophet, Madinah Al-Nabawiyah. It is also the location of the first mosque, The Quba Mosque, the stones laid by the Prophet himself.
Riyadh
The political and historical heart of the Kingdom, Riyadh is one of the largest, most spread out cities of the Kingdom. Yet, despite its modern exterior, it has a far more conservative outlook than others, and this should be borne in mind when venturing out for shopping or to any of its plethora of great restaurants.
Jeddah
A 3000-year-old city situated on the east coast of the Red Sea, Jeddah is Saudi Arabia's most cosmopolitan city of Saudi Arabia with millions of international visitors passing through it each year. The region has been inhabited for thousands of years, as indicated by Bronze Age tombs found nearby at Harrat Al-Jabriya, Harrat Nuqrah and the 2000-year-old inscriptions carved into stone amongst the Wadis. Legends also suggest that Eve descended from heaven here and is buried in the city at Maqbart Ummana Hawa’a, the Cemetery of our Mother Eve.
AlUla
Al-‘Ula, the undiscovered hidden gem of Saudi Arabia, was the capital of the ancient Kingdoms of Dadan and Lihyan. It controlled the caravan trade along the famous incense-trading routes between Southern Arabia, Egypt and beyond. As caravans passed through they took advantage of its abundant resources and enjoyed much-needed respite along their journey in return for taxes.
Ras Al-Khaimah National Museum
The Ras Al-Khaimah National Museum housed in an ancient fort, home to the Qawasim royal family until 1964, does an excellent job of explaining the long-reaching history if this Emirate, with evidence of continuous settlements dating back 3-millennia from prehistoric times to the 19th century brick fortifications. It also brilliantly showcases the lifestyle of the farmers, Emirati pearl divers and fishermen before the oil boom
