10 Days in Saudi Arabia: Riyadh & Diriyah (At-Turaif), AlUla & Hegra (Madain Saleh), Jeddah & Historic Al-Balad & Red Sea Coast, Umluj & Yanbu
Our most popular 10-day route combining Riyadh & Diriyah (At-Turaif), AlUla & Hegra (Madain Saleh), and Jeddah & Historic Al-Balad, optimized for Haramain High-Speed Railway (HHR — Jeddah Airport, Jeddah, King Abdullah Economic City, Madinah & Makkah at 300 km/h) & SAR North/East Railway schedules and open-jaw flights.
Route Overview: Riyadh & Diriyah (At-Turaif) (3N) → AlUla & Hegra (Madain Saleh) (3N) → Jeddah & Historic Al-Balad (3N)
Budget Estimate: ﷼6188–﷼10688 ($1,650–$2,850 USD per person)
Arrive via King Khalid International Airport (RUH — Direct Riyadh Metro Yellow Line 4 to KAFD & Downtown!), transfer to Riyadh & Diriyah (At-Turaif) Historic Center & Old Quarter, and settle in with an evening walk.
Tour Diriyah UNESCO World Heritage Site (At-Turaif District) & Bujairi Terrace — Book the Diriyah Pass (50 SAR — fully redeemable as dining credit at Bujairi Terrace!) on `diriyah.sa` to walk among restored Najdi mud-brick palaces overlooking floodlit Wadi Hanifah. and The National Museum of Saudi Arabia & Murabba Palace (King Abdulaziz Historical Centre) — Trace Arabian Peninsula history from prehistoric petroglyphs and Nabataean kingdoms to modern unification (15 SAR). with pre-booked morning slots.
Day trip to Red Sea Coast, Umluj & Yanbu (Umluj & The 100 Islands Boat Excursion — Charter a local marina boat from Umluj port (~350–500 SAR) out to powder-white sandbars and shallow turquoise lagoons teeming with dolphins.) via Riyadh & Diriyah (At-Turaif) Central Station.
Morning Haramain High-Speed Railway connection to AlUla & Hegra (Madain Saleh); afternoon walk through AlUla & Hegra (Madain Saleh) Historic Center & Old Quarter.
Visit Hegra (Al-Hijr / Madain Saleh — UNESCO World Heritage Site) — Book your timed coach or vintage Land Rover tour on `experiencealula.com` (Day Tour 95 SAR / ~$25; Vintage Land Rover 700 SAR per car) to stand before the solitary 22-meter Tomb of Lihyan Son of Kuza (Qasr al-Farid), Jabal Banat, and Jabal Ithlib., Maraya ('Mirror' in Arabic — Wadi Ashar) — The Guinness World Record largest mirrored building on Earth (9,740 m² of reflective glass panels) vanishing into the surrounding sandstone cliffs., and sample Jareesh (Crushed Wheat with Yogurt).
Explore AlUla Old Town, Incense Road Market & Oasis Heritage Trail (45–75 mins by regional transit) and enjoy dinner in AlUla & Hegra (Madain Saleh) Waterfront & Cultural District.
Transfer to Jeddah & Historic Al-Balad (Jeddah & Historic Al-Balad Central Station / Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED — Terminal 1 Has Built-in Haramain High-Speed Rail Station!)) and check into Jeddah & Historic Al-Balad Historic Center & Old Quarter.
Full day discovering Historic Jeddah (Al-Balad — UNESCO World Heritage Site) — Wander atmospheric lanes between 18th- and 19th-century houses built from Red Sea coral block and intricate teakwood Rawasheen lattice balconies (Beit Nassif, Beit Matbouli & Beit Sharbatly; best from 16:30 to 22:00 when historic bakeries and art galleries come alive). and Jeddah Waterfront Corniche, Al-Rahmah ('Floating') Mosque & King Fahd's Fountain — White-marble mosque built on stilts over the turquoise Red Sea, plus the world's tallest water fountain jetting 312 meters into the night sky., with Kleija for lunch.
Relaxed morning at TeamLab Borderless Jeddah & Tayebat Museum — Immersive digital art complex on Culture Square (from 150 SAR) and the multi-winged Tayebat City Museum of Hejazi architecture (80 SAR). followed by a farewell dinner in Jeddah & Historic Al-Balad Waterfront & Cultural District.
Connect to Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED — Terminal 1 Has Built-in Haramain High-Speed Rail Station!) or express transit for your onward flight.