Until 2019, Saudi Arabia didn’t issue tourist visas at all. Now it’s one of the most talked-about destinations on the planet, and most people’s mental picture is a mix of oil wealth, desert and a lot of guesswork. The reality is more surprising: Nabataean tombs to rival Petra with a fraction of the visitors, mud-brick towns, the world’s largest camel market, a Red Sea coast of coral-stone houses, cool green mountains in the south-west, and some of the warmest hospitality you’ll find anywhere. Bring an appetite for dates and cardamom coffee. You’ll be offered a lot of both.
This guide covers what travelling in Saudi Arabia is really like (what to wear, what to expect, what’s off limits) and compares our five tours, with who each suits and its honest drawback.
The quick answer
- For the most complete trip, pick the Best of Saudi Arabia (15 days).
- For three nights at a desert camp in AlUla, pick Explore Saudi Arabia.
- For farm cabins in AlUla and a mountain homestay, pick the Saudi Arabia Explorer.
- For women only, with a female leader, pick the Women’s Expedition.
- For the eclipse of the century on 2 August 2027, pick the Total Eclipse Tour.
Every Saudi Arabia tour compared
| Tour | Days | Price from | Physical rating | Group size | Flights included | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riyadh, AlUla, Jeddah and the mountains | ||||||
| Best of Saudi Arabia: Riyadh, AlUla, Jeddah & Asir – 15 Days | 15 | £6,155 pp | Low | Max 12 | No | The most complete, with glamping |
| Explore Saudi Arabia: Riyadh, AlUla, Jeddah & Asir – 14 Days | 14 | £4,390 pp | Medium | Not stated | No | Three nights at an AlUla desert camp |
| Saudi Arabia Explorer: Riyadh, AlUla, Medina & Jeddah – 13 Days | 13 | £5,919 pp | Low | Max 16 | No | Farm cabins and a homestay |
| Special departures | ||||||
| Saudi Arabia Women’s Expedition: Riyadh to Jeddah via AlUla – 12 Days | 12 | £3,762 pp | Medium | Max 12 | No | Women only, female leader |
| Saudi Arabia Total Eclipse Tour: Riyadh to Abha – 14 Days | 14 | £6,749 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | Timed for the 2027 total eclipse |
Prices are per person, twin share, live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). The lowest price can apply to a later departure, so check the dates you want on each tour page.
Ask us which Saudi tour fits →
What it’s actually like
Dress. Modest, loose clothing covering shoulders and knees for everyone. Women visitors are not required to wear an abaya or headscarf, except at some religious sites. Your leader will advise day by day.
Alcohol. There isn’t any, anywhere. Think of it as a detox with spectacular scenery.
Religious sites. Mecca is closed to non-Muslims, and in Madinah the holy core around the Prophet’s Mosque is for Muslims only, though non-Muslims can visit other parts of the city.
Getting around. Distances are huge and some drives are long, but there’s also the Haramain high-speed train between Madinah and Jeddah, and Riyadh’s driverless metro.
People. Saudis are famously hospitable, and many tours include a meal in a family home. Expect curiosity, kindness and a great deal of coffee.
The highlights every tour covers
Riyadh and Diriyah. The capital’s Masmak Fortress and souqs, and Diriyah, the restored mud-brick birthplace of the Saudi state.
Ushaiger and Buraydah. A heritage village of mud-brick lanes and palm groves, and the vast camel market at Buraydah.
Jubbah. UNESCO-listed rock carvings from a time when Arabia was green, with lions, cheetahs and aurochs.
AlUla and Hegra. The star of the show: over 100 monumental Nabataean tombs carved into sandstone at Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first World Heritage Site, plus Elephant Rock and the mirrored Maraya building.
Jeddah. The UNESCO-listed old town of Al-Balad, with coral-stone houses and carved wooden balconies, and the Red Sea.
The tours
Best of Saudi Arabia: Riyadh, AlUla, Jeddah & Asir
Best of Saudi Arabia: Riyadh, AlUla, Jeddah & Asir – 15 Days
- 15 days
- From £6,155 per person
- Max 12 people
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in January, March, October, November, December
Fifteen days for up to 12 with a leader and local guides. Riyadh, Diriyah and a home-cooked meal with a family, Al Ghat, Buraydah, Hail and Jubbah with a picnic dinner, two nights glamping among AlUla’s palm groves with Hegra guided by a local storyteller, the high-speed train to Jeddah, then a second week in the green Asir highlands by 4WD, with a Taif rose farm and mountain villages. Nine lunches are included.
Suits: curious travellers who want the whole country. The honest drawback: glamping with shared facilities, a night in a multi-share hostel, and long drives.
Explore Saudi Arabia
Explore Saudi Arabia: Riyadh, AlUla, Jeddah & Asir – 14 Days
- 14 days
- From £4,390 per person
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Departures in March, April, November, December
Fourteen days with a tour leader and local Saudi guides: Riyadh, Ushaiger, the Buraidah camel market at dawn, Jubbah, three nights at a desert camp in AlUla with Hegra, the Lion Tombs of Dadan and Maraya, Medina, a Red Sea boat trip from Jeddah, the marble village of Thee Ain in the Asir mountains and Al-Balad with a Saudi woman guide. Six dinners are included, among them a home-cooked meal with a family.
Suits: travellers who want longer in AlUla. The honest drawback: long drives, and only two lunches are included.
Saudi Arabia Explorer
Saudi Arabia Explorer: Riyadh, AlUla, Medina & Jeddah – 13 Days
- 13 days
- From £5,919 per person
- Max 16 people
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in November
Thirteen days for six to 16 with an expert leader and two high-speed train journeys: Masmak Fortress, Ushaiger and Unaizah, Buraydah’s camel and date markets, Jubbah, across the Nefud dunes to two nights in palm-shaded cabins on a boutique farm in AlUla, the volcanic Khaybar oasis, Medina’s old Hijaz railway station, Jeddah, and a night in a homestay in a historic mountain village.
Suits: travellers who like characterful stays. The honest drawback: no single rooms at the homestay, and few departures.
Two special departures: the Saudi Arabia Women’s Expedition (12 days) is led by a local female leader and built around meeting Saudi women, with three nights at an AlUla desert lodge and a Red Sea boat day; and the Total Eclipse Tour (14 days) is timed for the total solar eclipse of 2 August 2027, watched from the mountains of Al Bahah with an astronomy specialist. For more on the eclipse, see our guide to solar eclipse 2027 tours.
How to choose
By time. Twelve to 15 days for all of these. The Best of Saudi Arabia is the longest and most complete.
By stay. Glamping in AlUla on the Best of Saudi Arabia, a desert camp on Explore Saudi Arabia, farm cabins and a homestay on the Explorer, a desert lodge on the Women’s Expedition.
By budget. The Women’s Expedition and Explore Saudi Arabia are the best value; the Best of Saudi Arabia costs the most. Live prices are in the table above.
When to go
October to April is the season, with warm days and cool desert nights. Summer is extremely hot in the lowlands, though the Asir mountains stay cooler, which is why the eclipse tour heads there in August. The months for each tour are in its fact panel above.
UK visitors need a Saudi tourist e-visa, applied for online before travel. It’s not included in the tour price. Check the FCDO travel advice for Saudi Arabia before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Is Saudi Arabia open to tourists?
Yes. Saudi Arabia began issuing tourist visas in 2019, and UK visitors can apply for an e-visa online.
What should I wear in Saudi Arabia?
Modest, loose clothing covering shoulders and knees. Women visitors are not required to wear an abaya or headscarf, except at some religious sites.
What is the best Saudi Arabia tour?
For the most complete trip, the Best of Saudi Arabia. For longer in AlUla, Explore Saudi Arabia.
Can non-Muslims visit Mecca and Madinah?
Mecca is closed to non-Muslims. Non-Muslims can visit Madinah, but not the holy core around the Prophet’s Mosque.
Is there a women-only tour of Saudi Arabia?
Yes, the Saudi Arabia Women’s Expedition, with a local female leader.
Are flights included?
No, these tours are land-only, from Riyadh to Jeddah or Abha, and we can arrange flights.
Ready for Saudi Arabia?
Tell us what fascinates you most, and a Travelisto specialist will help you choose the right route.
Keep planning
- All escorted tours in Saudi Arabia
- Escorted tours in Jordan
- Petra tours compared
- Solar eclipse 2027 tours
Prices are live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). Tour details and dates can change; your specialist will confirm everything before you book.
