Saudi Arabia

Riyadh: A Glimpse of Tradition and Modernity

We stayed at the Gloria Inn – large rooms, great food and location was great for the 1-night stay.

First We began with a guided tour of Riyadh, exploring:

• Deera neighbourhood, we visited justice square where traditional souqs and mudbrick architecture offered a glimpse into old Najd life.
• The National Museum, an insightful introduction to Saudi Arabia’s history, from prehistoric eras to unification under King Abdulaziz.
• Kingdom Tower, where we ascended to the sky bridge for panoramic views of Riyadh’s growing skyline.
• Diriyah, the birthplace of the Saudi state, walking through At-Turaif district with its beautifully restored mudbrick palaces along Wadi Hanifa.

Ushaiqer Heritage Village & Buraidah Camel Market

Here we stayed at the Hotel Golden Tulip Buraidah Located in the center of Buraidah, the Golden Tulip Buraidah offers a smart and welcoming base for us to explore the capital of Saudi Arabia’s Al Qassim region.

We visited the Ushaiqer Heritage Village, with narrow alleys and traditional Najdi houses reflecting centuries of life in central Arabia. From there, we drove to Buraidah and visited the largest camel market, witnessing the energetic trade and deep Bedouin heritage of the region, this was interesting listening to locals trading and the sales of their camels, here it is advised to cover up which we did do although it’s not obligatory.

We also had a date tasting which was nice and although I didn’t think I liked dates these were tasty and I recommend you try them..

Next stop we Stayed at the Holiday Villa which was really nice.

Ha’il: Rock Carvings at Jubbah was our next stop on our tour..

In Ha’il, we explored the UNESCO-listed rock carvings at Jubbah, depicting humans, animals, and hunting scenes dating back thousands of years – a remarkable prehistoric art gallery, here we also had the opportunity in attempting to carve into a rock which was not as easy at it looks! But I did manage to carve my name at least – and we got to take this home.

AlUlA: Desert Wonders

Our journey continued to AlUla, staying in a desert Bedouin Camp accommodation under starry skies which was remote and different to our hotels but stunning in scenery – once I removed the spiders from inside my camp!

We stayed at Arch Mountain Camp – situated an hour from Alula town, nestled in a sandstone canyon lies right beside the iconic arch (rainbow rock) great for stargazing and great isolation as no wifi available!

Here the Highlights included:

• Hegra (Madain Saleh), Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO site, with monumental Nabatean tombs carved into sandstone cliffs.
• Lion Tombs of Dadan, remnants of a civilisation dating back to the 9th century BCE.
• A guided tour of the Maraya Theatre, the world’s largest mirrored building reflecting the stunning desert landscape.

·       We also visited the luxurious Banyan Tree AlUla for and I managed a short site inspection whilst I was there, this hotel was stunning...

Beautifully integrated into the canyons, we explored AlUla Old Town, we wandered round it’s alleyways with time to shop for handicrafts and dates & other souvenirs.

Driving past the Sarawat Mountains, we reached Medina. There, we visited:

• Archers Hill (Jabal al-Rumah) near the Uhud battlefield.
• Explored Medina city and experienced its serene spirituality, we were not allowed to enter the Medina enclosed city as non-Muslims are not allowed in, but we viewed from the entrance
• Shared a traditional meal with a local Saudi family, experiencing their generosity and authentic Hejazi hospitality, they talked about their traditions and answered any questions we had the younger family members talked to us about their views on the changes in Saudi which was insightful.
  
  

We headed to Yanbu Red Sea adventure, where we:

• Enjoyed a boat trip for snorkelling in the Red Sea, swimming among colourful corals and marine life, followed by a seafood lunch set up in the sea in shallow waters!
• Explored Yanbu Little Souq and we viewed TE Lawrence’s house from the outside, reflecting on his role in Arabian history.

We stayed in the Canary Beach Hotel

Ta’if, Al Bahah & Shada Mountains

Here we stayed In National Park Hotel - The National Park Hotel in Baljurashi, Al Baha province, Saudi Arabia, this is a modern 4-star hotel known for its comfortable rooms, scenic views of the Sarawat Mountains, and a range of amenities.

Our road trip continued to Ta’if, driving through the scenic 25 tunnels road, leading to Al Bahah and the Shada mountains. Here we:

• We Rode up in 4x4 vehicles right up to mountain-top villages great experience!
• Stayed at the caves resort, carved into granite cliffs,
• Hiked scenic trails with panoramic valley views,
• Explored grottos and caves, enjoying their cool, silent beauty, we were then treated to a lovely lunch with fresh baked bread and local cuisine! And more coffee and dates!

Jeddah: Heritage and Seafood Finale

We stayed in the Rosemond Al hamara
Finally, we reached our final stop - Jeddah and here we visited the following:

• The Islamic Museum, displaying rare manuscripts and artefacts, this was much better than I expected or envisaged and well worth a visit.
• The lively fish market, with an array of fresh Red Sea catch, this was busy and was great to see the local traders coming to get their fresh fish.
• UNESCO-listed Al-Balad, its coral stone houses and wooden balconies telling centuries-old stories, founded in the 7^th century. We also had free time to explore the maze of narrow streets that lead into the souk al alawi section of Balad - this transforms into a busy network of shops selling rugs, herbs silver and perfume.
• We ended our day with dinner at a popular seafood restaurant, tasting the region’s signature grilled fish and this was our farewell dinner with the group so an opportunity to thank our guide who was great throughout the trip.

Reflections on my trip:

Saudi Arabia is a country of contrasts – ancient civilisations, deep Islamic heritage, and a bold modern vision. Its hospitality, landscapes, and history left me enriched, inspired, and eager to inspire others to visit, it’s a fast-paced tour so not for the feint hearted as you are constantly on the move, not great if you have mobility issues due to a few hikes with uneven surfaces.  I would say most of the people on my trip were solo travellers except for a few and majority were over 50 years, most travellers I would class as well travelled.  I would say the hotels were of a high standard so for value of money I would say it’s worth the money paid.

In 2017 things changed due to the Crown Prince Mohammed changed the rulings so that women were able to work, drive and leave the house and go into education.  Women also now have a choice as to whether to wear the burqa or niqab, while the abaya & headscarf which was previously mandatory is no longer the case but women are expected to dress modestly, and given the choice whether to wear a head covering.

In 2019 Saudi opened for tourists - Frankincense is still used as an antibiotic.