The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia …
has been difficult to access for travellers until recently. It is only in recent years that the kingdom has been opening up more and more to tourists and is undergoing rapid change in politics, economy, culture and society. Old, sometimes medieval-looking structures stand in stark contrast to ultra-modern cities and development plans. The country's fortunes were once determined exclusively by the arch-conservative Wahhabis. Today, it is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Agenda 2030, which seems revolutionary from a Saudi perspective, in which women are to be given access to all areas of society and the economy.
Saudi Arabia is the largest country on the Arabian Peninsula, covering almost 2 million square kilometres, with an astonishing variety of different natural and cultural areas.Multiple grandiose desert landscapes with bizarre rock formations characterise the image of the desert state. But there are also the imposing mountain worlds with their glorious wadis and steep flanks that border directly on the sandy shores of the Red Sea. Here, the vibrant harbour city of Jeddah impresses with an old town that has grown over the centuries. In the interior, the impressive traces of ancient cultures range from the simple rock paintings of the Stone Age to the fantastic grave facades of the Nabat. The modern architecture of the capital Riyadh is also fantastic, including the metro stations from the office of the Iraqi architectural icon Zaha Hadid. Just around the corner, the beautiful museums in the lavishly restored mud city of Diriyah provide information about the origins of the kingdom.
Henning Neuschäffer shows you all of this on this exciting journey and also provides insights into Arab-Islamic culture. He has lived in Damascus and Oman, among other places, and has also written travel guides about other Arab countries in addition to the Trescher book.
Upon landing in Jeddah, your tour guide, Henning Neuschäffer, will be there to welcome you. You will then be transferred in the evening through the city on the Red Sea to your hotel.
We explore Jeddah – the pearl of the Red Sea. The Islamic Museum gives us an overview of the Kingdom’s religious culture. We visit the fish market and stroll through the alleyways of the famous old town, which was almost destroyed and now has UNESCO status. We have time to haggle in the souk. We have dinner at a popular fish restaurant on the Corniche, overlooking the famous King Fahd Fountain.
Saudi Arabia has a railway too, and we’re giving it a go – we take the high-speed train from Jeddah to Medina, Islam’s second holiest city and the burial place of the Prophet Muhammad, which has only recently been opened to non-Muslims. We marvel (from the outside!) at the Grand Mosque, which has been adapted to meet modern requirements with the help of German engineering, and learn more about the Prophet’s history at the As Safiyyah Museum.
We travel to Al Ula along a scenic country road, passing time and again the remains of the famous Hejaz Railway, the line for which was laid here with the help of German engineering expertise. In the afternoon, we begin our first explorations of what is arguably the most famous oasis in Arabia.
Flourishing civilisations and ancient empires left their tombs on the towering rock faces of Al-Ula, rock paintings and inscriptions, making it one of the most significant sites in the Kingdom. Today, the mirrored Maraya Hall bears witness to Saudi Arabia’s modern cultural aspirations. Mada’in Salah, a branch of the famous Nabataean city of Petra, was situated very close by, and its inhabitants also carved magnificent tomb facades and temple frames into the soft sandstone.
Our route takes us further north-west to one of the most beautiful wadis in the whole of Arabia – Wadi Dissah. Between its towering rock faces, a small stream babbles all yeara small stream, making the valley glow with a magnificent green of reeds and palm trees amidst ochre-coloured rock formations. After a leisurely picnic, we explore this natural paradise at our own pace, discover prehistoric inscriptions and enjoy the evening in a simple but cosy guesthouse nestled amongst palm and citrus trees.
We set off early for the regional capital, Tabuk, with its restored Hejaz railway station and ancient fortress. We stroll through the souk and then cross a magnificent desert landscape – the foothills of the northern Nafud Desert with its rock formations and wind-blown sand dunes. This slightly longer journey requires a little patience, but you’ll be rewarded by the magnificent scenery. In the late afternoon, we reach the historic town of Dumat al-Jandal.
After a leisurely breakfast&, we’ll marvel at the enigmatic stone pillars of Rajajil and, with a bit of luck, catch a glimpse of the larger-than-life camel reliefs at Sakaka. We then head to the UNESCO-protected rock art and inscriptions at Jubbah, where we allow plenty of time to explore. In the soft light of the afternoon sun, we reach our desert camp near Jubbah.
Just a few kilometres south of our camp lies the town of Ha’il with its picturesque fortresses, the most beautiful of which we intend to visit. Before that, we’ll go on a hike to explore the lovely Wadi Iqdah with its large, gently rounded rocks, which even the German traveller Julius Euting was so taken with. We’ll spend the evening exploring the souks of Ha’il.
Today we can look forward to a delightful mix of history, culture and architecture. We’ll start with the well-preserved ruins of the ancient caravan town of Fayd on the famous Darb Zubayda, the pilgrimage route from Iraq to Mecca. Our next stop is the largest camel market on the Arabian Peninsula in Buraida, where up to 1,000 camels can change hands every day. After the hustle and bustle of Buraida, we look forward to the peaceful oasis of Shaqra, where we’ll admire the historic mud-brick architecture on a stroll and spend the night in a lovingly restored mud-brick house.
What a contrast: from the tranquil oasis night, we travel in just over two hours to the global metropolis of Riyadh, which has developed at breathtaking speed from the mud-brick village of Shaqra into the ‘Los Angeles of Arabia’. After checking in and a short rest, we set out to explore the historic heart of Riyadh: we begin at Masmak Fortress, whose legendary conquest marked the beginning of the rise of the Al Saud dynasty. We’ll spend plenty of time browsing the bustling Souq al-Zal and take a look at the fascinating architecture of the Qasr al Hoqm metro station.
To gain even a basic understanding of a country, it helps to know its history. A visit to the excellent National Museum is a great way to do this. A brief journey through time then takes us, via the new metro, to Riyadh’s most modern district, the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), before we explore the religious foundations of Saudi Arabia in the mud-brick oasis of Diriyah. We’ll enjoy our farewell dinner on the magnificent Bujairi terraces, overlooking the oasis of Wadi Hanifah.
With new impressions and fewer preconceptions, we bid farewell to the new Saudi Arabia early in the morning.
Optional extensions (Jordan, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Red Sea cruise) available on request.
The trip is currently being planned in detail.
The exact itinerary, dates, and terms and conditions will be finalized by the end of July.
► However, you are welcome to add your name to the list of interested parties now, with no obligation.
Your contacts for travelling with Arabia Felix:
Maria Popp and Karin Nowack
Phone: +49 (0)89 / 30 77 92 00
info@oman.de
ARABIA FELIX Synform GmbH
Treffauerstraße 18
81373 München
Germany
Tel: +49 89/30779200
E-Mail: info@oman.de
VAT-ID: DE201885274
