Saudi Arabia: A Kingdom Revealed

Arrive in Riyadh, original homeland of the ruling Al Saud family and now the nation’s capital city, where you are met and privately transferred to your hotel.

After a morning at leisure, travel outside the city to a camel farm and enjoy the opportunity to Ride Like a Local, on camelback, before lunch. Return to the city and venture to the top of Kingdom Tower, taking in expansive views of the city. This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Explore the National Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that tells the complete story of Arabian history. Continue to Masmak Fort, in Riyadh’s old quarter, and then stroll through Dirah Souk, a market renowned for colorful textiles, from silk to luxurious pashminas. Enjoy a traditional lunch of Saudi specialties, served family-style, on a palate-pleasing Chef ’s Table demonstration. This afternoon, visit UNESCO-listed Diriyah, the original home of the royal family. Walk the old town to admire its palace, houses and marketplace. Then, meet with a local expert from the antiquities or creative sectors to hear about recent changes in Saudi society.

Fly into the Arabian Desert to AlUla and transfer to your hotel. Set in a spectacular valley, with date palm groves that line the banks of a wadi (dry riverbed) and red sandstone cliffs rising on either side, AlUla was once a trading hub on the historic Incense Route. Later, view iconic Elephant Rock, shaped by erosion to resemble a massive pachyderm, and sip a Scenic Sundowner of juice or tea.

Today, explore Hegra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site only open to the public since 2020 that features a towering carved façade revealing its Nabatean connection to Petra in Jordan. Also discover the Nabatean Well, Qasr Al Bint, Diwan Tomb and Al Farid Palace. After lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy your afternoon at leisure. This evening, you may choose to explore AlUla’s Old Town to view its architecture and wander among its cafés and shops.

Journey overland to Jabal Ikmah, situated in a stunning desert canyon. This “open-air library” has an impressive collection of inscriptions carved into its stone cliffsides, most dating to the first millennium BC. Continue to nearby Dadan, once the capital of the ancient kingdom of the Lihyanite and Dadanite civilizations, to learn about the treasures uncovered from excavations at this active archaeological site.

This morning, stop for photos at Maraya, a dazzling concert hall rising out of the desert that is the world’s largest mirrored building, and take in panoramic views of AlUla at Harratt view point. Then, fly to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s commercial capital and the main gateway to Mecca, the holiest city in Islam.

Head to Al-Balad, Jeddah’s old quarter, a bastion of traditional architecture. Visit some of its Hejazi houses, constructed from coral and reinforced with wooden beams, including the beautiful Nasif House, built in the 1850s. After lunch, stroll the Corniche, a waterfront promenade beside the sparkling Red Sea, and behold the extraordinary array of modern sculpture on display. View King Fahd’s Fountain, and then enjoy and A&K-exclusive visit to Al Makkiah House, a striking example of traditionally preserved Hijazi architecture. Gaze upon the “floating mosque,” which appears to drift on the water’s surface. This evening, savor your farewell dinner.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your departing flight.