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8 cheapest countries to visit from Saudi Arabia

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If you are living in Saudi Arabia, there are many countries/destinations around which you can visit in the cheapest possible way. Here is a list of them;

Travel Budget

We are covering only those countries you can visit for one week at a cost of SR 5,000/person from Saudi Arabia. The budget includes flight ticket prices, hotel for a week, visa costs, and two meals a day. We are not budgeting for shopping or transportation inside the country.

• 10 visa-free countries for Saudi Iqama holders .

If you ask even a child about the cheapest country to visit from Saudi Arabia, he would say Dubai or the UAE. This is how you can stay in Dubai for a week for just SR 3,800.

• Apply for UAE/Dubai Visa for GCC residents .
• Ticket Price: SR 1,000.
• Hotel: SR 250 X 7 = SR 1,750.
• Two Meal: SR 30 X 7 X 2 = 420.
• Visa Cost: AED 260.
• Public Transport: 50 X 7 = 350.
• Total: SR 3,800 .

The flight ticket from Riyadh and Dammam to Dubai is even cheaper than this. If you plan to go to Dubai by road , it will cost you even cheaper than this.

If you are living in Dammam or Khobar, visiting Bahrain is probably the cheapest destination from Saudi Arabia as it is just an hour drive from these two cities. Even if you are living in Jeddah, cheap flights are available to Bahrain throughout the year. This is how you can stay in Bahrain for a week for just SR 4,300.

• How to get a Bahrain on-arrival visa?
• Ticket Price: SR 1,200.
• Hotel: 250 X 7 = SR 1,750.
• Two Meal: 30 X 7 X 2 = SR 420.
• Visa Cost: SR 250.
• Rent a car: 100 X 7 = SR 700.
• Total: SR 4,300 .

If you travel to Bahrain by road, you can easily save the flight ticket, rent a car, and visa costs, as the on-arrival visa by road is free.

With the depreciation of the Lira currency, Turkey has become one of the cheapest countries to visit from Saudi Arabia.

In Turkey, y ou will see a mixture of Islamic and European cultures. You will find girls in skirts, hijab, and scarf. You will find beautiful mosques and impressive churches. This is how you can stay in Turkey for a week for just SR 4,200.

• Apply for Turkey Visa from Saudi Arabia .
• Two Meal: 25 X 7 X 2 = SR 350.
• Visa Cost: SR 900.
• Public Transport: 30 X 7 = SR 210.
• Total: SR 4,200 .

Malaysia is a beautiful country to visit. I love their food; it is delicious and cheap. You can find hotels in Kuala Lumpur far cheaper than Saudi Arabia. This is how you can stay in Malaysia for a week for just SR 4,500.

• Apply for a Malaysia Visa from Saudi Arabia .
• Ticket Price: SR 2,200.
• Hotel: 200 X 7 = SR 1,400.
• Visa Cost: SR 150.
• Public Transport: 50 X 7 = SR 350.
• Total: SR 4,500 .

Since Georgia started issuing visa-free entry to Saudi Iqama holders and GCC residents, people have added it to their travel list. Being near Saudi Arabia, it is undoubtedly one of the cheapest countries to visit. This is how you can stay in Georgia for a week for just SR 4,100.

• How to get a Georgia visa for Saudi residents?
• Ticket Price: SR 1,500.
• Two Meal: 35 X 7 X 2 = SR 490.
• Visa Cost: Free.
• Public Transport: 100 X 7 = SR 700.
• Total: SR 4,100 .

Oman is the most underrated country in the GCC region, which most people don’t explore. If you want to see the beautiful natural landscapes while living in GCC, Oman is the cheapest destination from Saudi Arabia. This is how you can stay in Oman for a week for just SR 4,100.  

• Get Oman e-visa for GCC residents.
• Visa Cost: SR 50.
• Rent a Car: 100 X 7 = SR 700.

If you are interested in history, there is no better place to visit among Muslim countries than Egypt. You will often find cheap tickets because it is not far from Saudi Arabia. This is how you can stay in Egypt for a week for just SR 4,000. 

• Get Egypt visa for Saudi Iqama holders .
• Ticket Price: SR 800.
• Visa Cost: SR 350.
• Taxi: 100 X 7 = SR 700.
• Total: SR 4,000 .

If you are interested in Islamic history, Jordan probably has the most Ziyarat places to visit after Saudi Arabia. For example, the graves of Prophet Noah , Prophet Harun , Prophet Al-Yasa , and Prophet Yusha bin Nun are in Jordan.

If you plan to go to Jordan from Saudi Arabia, it is better to visit there in your car as renting a car is expensive. This is how you can stay in Jordan for a week for just SR 3,000. 

• Get Jordan Visa for Saudi Iqama Holders .
• Petrol: SR 800.
• Visa Cost: SR 55.
• Total: SR 3,000 .

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Find deals on flights from Saudi Arabia from 157 ﷼

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a kayak user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from saudi arabia to anywhere departing on 6/24. fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. click the price to replicate the search for this deal., search hundreds of travel sites at once for cheap international flights from saudi arabia.

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Flights from Saudi Arabia - Travel Insights & Trends

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from saudi arabia to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more., which are the most popular places to fly to from saudi arabia, based on kayak flight searches, the most popular place to fly from saudi arabia is jeddah king abdulaziz intl (43% of total searches). the next most popular destinations are riyadh king khaled intl (16%) and medina mohammad abdulaziz (11%)., what are the most popular international flights out of saudi arabia, there are many international destinations you can fly to from saudi arabia. the most popular international destinations among kayak users are manila , bangkok and dubai ., what are the most popular countries to fly to from saudi arabia, based on kayak flight searches, the most countries to fly to from saudi arabia is egypt (27% of total searches). the next most popular destinations are united arab emirates (20%) and türkiye (10%)., which cities can i fly to direct from saudi arabia, there are loads of places you can fly direct to from saudi arabia. the most popular destinations for direct flights among kayak users are sharurah, bisha, riyadh , dammam and jeddah . on average, the cheapest of these destinations on kayak over the last 2 weeks for a return flight was gassim at 343 ﷼, while the most expensive was sharurah, at 546 ﷼., which international cities can i fly to direct from saudi arabia, there are many international destinations you can fly to non-stop from saudi arabia. the most popular international destinations from kayak users are addis ababa , milan , lahore , istanbul and manila . on average, the cheapest of these destinations on kayak over the last 2 weeks for a return flight was milan at 460 ﷼, while the most expensive was manila , at 1,764 ﷼., what is the longest direct flight from saudi arabia, the longest direct flight you can take from saudi arabia is to los angeles, with a duration of 16h 15m. the next longest is toronto at 13h 20m, followed by a flight to washington, d.c. at 13h 20m., good to know, faqs for booking saudi arabia to worldwide flights, where can i fly to for cheap from saudi arabia.

• Jazan from 860 ﷼ round-trip
• Abha from 866 ﷼ round-trip
• Al-Baha from 1,067 ﷼ round-trip
• Taif from 1,072 ﷼ round-trip
• Wadi Ad Dawasir from 1,078 ﷼ round-trip
• Tabuk from 1,091 ﷼ round-trip
• Ha'il from 1,110 ﷼ round-trip
• Nejran from 1,119 ﷼ round-trip
• Hanak from 1,175 ﷼ round-trip
• Qaisumah from 1,193 ﷼ round-trip

How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Saudi Arabia?

KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Saudi Arabia.

How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Saudi Arabia?

KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from Saudi Arabia is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Saudi Arabia?

Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to your destination with an airline and back to Saudi Arabia with another airline.

What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Saudi Arabia?

Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying from Saudi Arabia up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Top 5 airlines flying to Anywhere

No towels or tissue and chocolate and mint provided before arrival

For a short flight, Qatar Airways offers very good onboard service.

The flight was good but my neighbor had the vent open full power for the whole flight and because the air was blowing from the side instead of from the top and I got very cold and ended up with a sore throat.

Wore experience due to delay and took me 3 days to reach my destination.

It was pretty good overall. I just wish the crew didn't have to interrupt you every five seconds to ask you if you wanted anything, I mean that's what the help button is for. When someone is tired and sleepy and still getting their bearings, turning on DND button is maybe not the first thing on their mind.

Very very poor service. Authorities must take action against this airline immediately. Total failure to follow the rules and regulations of an international airline

It was the terrific, I was promoted to businessman class, and the service was amazing.

There was not enough staff during boarding which had created big problems . Another thing once you enter gate area there’s no way to use bathroom and you have to be in that area 2 hours before boarding which is too much.

The boarding process was unpleasant. We had hardly any checked baggage, but they insisted on weighing the cabin baggage. While the weight of our cabin bag was well within limit, it seemed petty! The food was pretty disgusting. I had such awful food on the way over, that I brought some snacks of my own for the flight back. Glad I did. Qatar was consistent in that food was just as terrible on the way back as it was on the way over. The flight attendants were super-nice, though. If I had an option I would not take Qatar Airways again.

professional crew god service good entertainment need choices for diabetic meal

This booking was as a result of stolen identity and hacking my debit account. I reported it to my bank. The thief tried to book two flights, maybe more. Hopefully, Kayak will be able to block fraudulent bookings and charges better in the future.

Food could be better. Bread should be warm served with butter. Bread quality is bad and cold served.

Entertainment for non Arabic speakers is very limited. Seats were comfortable. Seat map while booking showed 2-2-2 config, but the flight had 1-2-1..

It’s like two different companies managing fligh from DC and totally horrible company between Jeddah and Cairo

Good variety could have been better; crew not as friendly

Since it leaves at 2:00am you sleep through most of it.

The best way to fly is saudia airlines flight Every thing is better (Number one 🫶) Thank you

Much better than our first flight. Perhaps healthier food options and more food.

Pegasus is not a very comfortable airline. They’re not in any way hospitable

It was like moving cattle around. Very abrupt, uncomfortable and not much hospitality

All good but air not give the pasing er any food even glase of water

Flight delayed by 1hr when we already boarded because someone had to get off. Leg room is terrible for 6ft people like me.

I used the airline 5-6 times for the last year and every flight have had perfect timing and I like it. Despite catastrophic absence of space for my legs 😁

The crew was utterly non helping and non courteous.I asked for a water. The air hostess could have said it's paid . She informed me that I will come later after serving but never turned up. The seats were never comfortable.My first and last flight with Pegasus.I am not taking again

The plane left Istanbul 1 hour late and the AC was not really working great it was so hot inside and no air. This was my worst flight in a long time since I had a flight with Ryanair.

Cheap and cheerful. It’s a super cheap, no frills flight. Very professional and as it’s an A320 relatively spacious. Seats do not recline. Happy with the service. You get what you pay for. Can’t complain

I had 4 flights for less than a week and there were no delays and issues. Thanks to the crews and for perfectly organised service.

There is no usb for charging the phone you should provide the water

It was hot inside as the air conditioner was not working and the crew members were not courteous

the seat you book will always be taken by someone else..…

Nothing The flight delayed for more than 3 hours as usual

In the future, it is preferable to provide free snacks

I like the price of the ticket. I do not like the waiting, waiting, waiting to drop off luggage. I do not like the waiting, waiting, waiting to board. I liked that the flight was on time.

Very poor Customer service…the girl at the check in desk was horrible. her service was not even close to world standard but I think Flynass can improve and learn to treat their customers better

The flight delayed. No screen, no charge for mobile devices. The portion of food is very small. The food is not delicious and no sweet just 3 pieces of fruit mostly apple. If you want coffee or tea you have to buy even you buy ticket at higher price than airlines that offer drinks, snacks and meals for free.

Mother had a wheel chair (WC), left at the gate, at boarding I told the person we need a WC. Didn’t care much, opened boarding, not priority for elder or traveling with kids. The person boarding told me it is “my fault”, “I didn’t tell them” (which I did, plus it is on their system). In short, rude boarding personnel at gate, racists, and careless. I am not sure they are airline personnel or Jeddah airport personnel, to be honest. Regardless that messed up our experience.

There cancel my flight less than 24 hours.i lost my train money to airport because their late cancellation. Poor and awful Disgrace

This is not the first time this has happened to me, and the flight date has changed, and I was informed only 24 hours before it. It was a very bad experience, and I will not book with this company again, as it affects my plans.

تم الغاء الرحلة بدون سبب ومع معرفتهم بعدم وجود رحلات أخرى قبل يوم الرحلة ونفس اليوم ويومين بعدها مع الخطوط الاخرى

ألغيت الرحلة دون أن يعلمنا أحد، حتى موظف الطيران المدني في المبنى ما كان يدري حتى سأل. The flight has been canceled and they didn't inform us before, also the civil aviation employee in the terminal wasn't known until he asked.

The flight is delayed more than 3 and half hours, we were on the gate but no body told us about the delay and there wasn't a screen right there to shows us the delay, the staff came late also for boarding. We were lost 😕

Flyadeal was nice surprise. It was excellent airline affordable 👍 big thumb up . I wish you more success

Boarding staff is changing passenger locations regardless of the money you pay during reservation. They do not respect women and specially when pregnant. Very bad airlines and bad staff. It will be on my blacklist onwards!!

They took our bags at the door of the plane stating that the cabin was full. Then we waited over 39 min for getting the bags from baggage claim. Flight was late This is usual for flyadeal . Very bad experience again

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Cheap Flights Deals from Saudi Arabia

Find the best flight deals and offers to all your favourite destinations with Travelwings. Be it a quick weekend getaway, a last-minute holiday, or a luxe vacation, our flight deals from Saudi Arabia offer it all! So, book now to explore the world with our affordable flight ticket offers from Saudi Arabia!

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Finding flight deals? Frequently asked questions

How can i find the best flight deals .

You can avail the best flight deals from Saudi Arabia with Travelwings. All you have to do is input your departure and arrival cities as well as your desired dates of travel. Click on the Search button and voila! Our smart engine works its magic to show you the best flight ticket offers from Saudi Arabia in real-time.

How can I stay updated on flight deals and low fares?

Can't wait to travel? Don't let expensive flights hold you back! With Travelwings you can book cheap flights from Saudi Arabia to anywhere in the world. Wondering how? Well, all you have to do is sign up for our weekly emails and be privy to our exclusive discounts and offers on flights and holidays sent straight to your inbox. So, fly with Travelwings and never overpay for a flight again.

How can I avail domestic flight offers on Travelwings?

At Travelwings, we have partnered with some of the best airlines to offer you the best flying experience on your domestic flights. We also run numerous domestic flight offers from Saudi Arabia.

How can I avail international flight offers on Travelwings?

Plan your next holiday with Travelwings' cheap flights deals from Saudi Arabia and redefine your international flying experience. Travelwings has partnered with multiple esteemed airlines to offer the best in-flight experience on your international flights at budget-friendly prices!

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To cancel or modify your flight booking, Call us at +971-45561000 or email us at [email protected] for further assistance.

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Travel is among life's greatest pleasures and we want everyone to experience the joy and freedom of exploring the world. This is why we're always hard at work to make your booking experience as smooth, easy and straightforward as possible. We offer the best prices and the most flexibility to choose what's right for you. Our team of experts go the extra mile to offer the best flight deals from Saudi Arabia. Explore now to find cheap flights deals from Saudi Arabia to all your favourite destinations.

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Find cheap flights to Jeddah from $314

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a kayak user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight to jeddah departing on 5/26. fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. click the price to replicate the search for this deal., search hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to jeddah.

Save 22% or more Compare multiple travel sites with one search.

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Cheap flight deals to Jeddah

Flights to jeddah - travel insights & trends, get data-powered insights and trends for flights to jeddah to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more., what is the cheapest flight to jeddah.

In the last 3 days, the cheapest flight deal to Jeddah was found on the route from New York , at $314 one-way and $719 return. The most popular connection is from Washington, D.C. to Jeddah and KAYAK users have found round-trip deals for as low as $904 in the last 3 days.

How much is a flight to Jeddah?

On average, a flight to jeddah costs $712. the cheapest price found on kayak in the last 2 weeks cost $235 and departed from washington, d.c. dulles intl airport. the most popular routes on kayak are washington, d.c. to jeddah which costs $960 on average, and new york to jeddah, which costs $1,014 on average., see prices from:, what is the cheapest day to fly to jeddah, based on kayak data, the cheapest day to fly to jeddah is tuesday where tickets can be as cheap as $1,061. on the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is saturday, where prices are $1,173 on average., what is the cheapest month to fly to jeddah, the cheapest month for flights to jeddah is september, where tickets cost $842 on average for one-way flights. on the other hand, the most expensive months are june and july, where the average cost of tickets from the united states is $1,792 and $1,280 respectively. for return trips, the best month to travel is september with an average price of $800., what is the cheapest time of day to fly to jeddah, the cheapest time of day to fly to jeddah is generally at night, when flights cost $918 on average. the most expensive time of day to fly to jeddah is generally in the afternoon, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $1,178., what is a good deal for flights to jeddah, if you’re looking for cheap airfare to jeddah, 25% of our users found tickets to jeddah for the following prices or less: from washington, d.c. dulles intl airport $299 one-way - $728 round-trip, from new york john f kennedy intl airport $405 one-way - $756 round-trip, from los angeles $421 one-way - $1,029 round-trip., how far in advance should i book a flight to jeddah, to get a below average price, you should book around 1 week before departure. for the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 82 days before departure., which airline offers the most flights to jeddah, of the 4 airlines that fly to jeddah, saudia offers the most flights, with around 508 per week, followed by flynas with 259 flights per week., how long is the flight to jeddah, the duration of your flight to jeddah depends on your departure and arrival airports. obviously any flights that include a layover will also be longer. the most popular routes to jeddah on kayak are from new york , which takes 11h 40m, los angeles , which takes 15h 20m, newark , which takes 16h 45m, and miami , which takes 18h 20m., how many direct flights to jeddah are there each day, there are around 2 direct flights from within united states to jeddah every day. most flights depart in the morning, with 7:00 pm the most common departure time and 33% of flights departing in the morning., how many direct flights to jeddah are there each week, each week there are around 12 direct flights from within united states to jeddah. the most common day for departures is sunday, with 17% of flights taking off on this day., how many long-haul flights are there to jeddah each week, there are not any medium-haul (3-6 hour flight duration) or short-haul (up to 3 hour flight duration) flights to jeddah. instead, there are 12 long-haul flights (6-12 hour flight duration), with the most arriving from los angeles., how many cities have direct flights to jeddah, from the united states, there are direct flights to jeddah from 3 cities. the city with the most direct flights is los angeles, with 4 direct flights each week., good to know, when to book flights to jeddah, faqs - booking jeddah flights, does king abdulaziz international airport provide adapted services for limited mobility passengers.

JED is dedicated to ensuring that differently-abled guests arriving at the airport can access all their facilities. The airline hub provides lifts, elevators, ramps, dedicated washrooms, and accessible parking lots. JED also provides wheelchair and deplaning assistance on request, plus priority services like priority baggage handling and security screening.

What are the passport and visa requirements for flying from the U.S. to Jeddah Airport?

All U.S. citizens landing at Jeddah Airport must be armed with a passport left with at least six months of validity. Additionally, all foreigners must apply for visas left with 90 days of validity based on the nature of their trip. U.S. citizens are permitted to procure visas on arrival.

Where are the car rentals at King Abdulaziz International Airport?

For those planning a road trip across Jeddah and neighboring cities, consider obtaining a car rental at the airport. Major car rentals providers like Budget, Avis, and Hertz have car rental counters in Terminal 1 and the South Terminal, Arrivals Hall. Be sure to carry proof of identity and your driver’s license.

What are the policies for flying to Jeddah with pets?

For those planning to fly to Jeddah with their pets, you should know that only dogs and cats are allowed. If you have a special certificate, rodents, parrots, and turtles are welcome. In addition, all pets should be microchipped and their vaccinations up to date with evidence in their pet passports.

What restaurants are there at the airport?

There is a wide variety of cuisines available in KAIA Airport from local Middle Eastern fare to Italian and Japanese. For full meals, Safari Burger, Piatto, and Al Jadeed Modern are all great options. If you are looking for more of a quick bite, Fadan Indonesian, Manakeesh Baalbek, and Kanun Al Shawarma are all sure to please.

What hotels offer complimentary transport from the airport?

As the largest airport in Saudi Arabia, it is no surprise that many hotels offer free transport from KAIA Airport. Some of the hotels offering such services include Centro Shaheen by Rotana, InterContinental Hotel Jeddah, and Crowne Plaza Jeddah.

How do I get from the airport to Jeddah proper?

Taxis, buses, private shuttles, and cars are all available to take travelers into Jeddah from the airport. Travelers should note, however, that the taxi fares must be negotiated and change in price depending on the season. For instance, taxi prices during the high season can easily double. Buses are also available, but they are a less popular option. Thus, it may be more convenient to take a shuttle or taxi.

What shopping options are there at the airport?

The main shopping options are the various duty-free stores at the airport, many of which are quite large. They feature a wide range of fashion and accessory brands such as Givenchy and Swatch. There is one notable difference at the duty-free stores, though; there is no alcohol on sale. Aside from that, you will have no problem finding all the chocolates and designer items you would also find elsewhere.

How far is Jeddah from central Jeddah?

You’ll need to travel 9 miles to reach the Jeddah city center from Jeddah.

What is the name of Jeddah’s airport?

There is only 1 airport in Jeddah, called Jeddah (JED). It can also be referred to as King Abdulaziz Int or King Abdulaziz Intl.

On average, a flight to Jeddah costs $712. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost $235 and departed from Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport.

How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights to Jeddah?

KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights to Jeddah.

How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket to Jeddah?

KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Jeddah is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

What is the Hacker Fare option on flights to Jeddah?

Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Jeddah with an airline and back with another airline.

What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight to Jeddah?

Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Jeddah up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Jeddah

• Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Jeddah flight deals.
• King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) is a pet-friendly airport with pet-friendly policies. Those traveling with their pets or service animals will find animal relief spots outside the North and South Terminals, close to the parking garage.
• Jeddah Airport serves as a major hub for Saudia, Flynas, and Flyadeal. Those booking flights to Jeddah Airport should consider booking with these carriers for easier connections to other domestic cities.
• Tired after your flight to Jeddah? Luckily for travelers landing at King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED), the main airport serving Jeddah, the Crom Airport Hotel Jeddah is located right within the airport’s grounds. The hotel offers a variety of amenities such as an inhouse restaurant and a beauty salon.
• Looking to relax and enjoy a bit of luxury during your time in the airport? If so, why not head on over to the First Class Lounge in the airport? Though the name includes first class, the lounge is open to all passengers; you simply have to pay at the door for entry. In the lounge you will find TVs, magazines, and newspapers as well as complimentary drinks and snacks.
• Heading to Mecca after your flight to Jeddah? After all, Jeddah is often the first stop for many travelers on their way to Mecca and neighboring cities. The easiest and most common way for travelers to get to Mecca from the airport is actually by taxi. Buses are available from within Jeddah, but travelers landing at the airport typically will take a taxi straight from there.
• Travelers wishing for a quiet space to meditate or pray in are recommended to visit the large mosque that is within the airport. Travelers should note though, that the mosque is gender segregated.
• If you didn’t have a chance to properly plan your trip in Saudi Arabia, perhaps you could stop off at one of the travel agency desks available in the airport. Altayyar has desks in both the North and South Terminals of the airport, and their trained professionals are happy to help you answer any questions you may have along with planning all the last-minute details of your trip.

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Jeddah King Abdulaziz Intl to United States

Top 5 airlines flying to jeddah.

Operated by American Airlines. Very chaotic and the crew was bit rough responding any enquiries. Restricted leg space.. Qatar would have been better

Qatar airways from Doha to guangzhau was excellent big bird Boeing 777 more room and smoothly flight, I Love it

It was good no problems made it on time for the next flight overseas!

The made us waiting and held our passports and boarding pass making us miss our flights

Not impressed. Only allowed one carry on on such a long flight.

The flight was good but my neighbor had the vent open full power for the whole flight and because the air was blowing from the side instead of from the top and I got very cold and ended up with a sore throat.

Bad experience with the delay n long wait time for connecting flight after missing the connection flight from Doha.

Wore experience due to delay and took me 3 days to reach my destination.

All over with Qatar airlines my experience was really bad due to delays and then putting me on different airlines and after 8 hours of wait I had to listen to their is no plane to fly for another 24 hours. Wore experience ever.

Excellent will be flying again in May with Qatar. to Botswana.

Very friendly and efficient staff. Would definitely fly Saudia again.

Entertainment on all 4 business class seats were terrible audio and could barley hear. The 11 hour layover in Riyadh was a nightmare and no one told us that nightmare matter what we do or what we were willing to pay there were no places to rest or sleep and nine of the lounges allow you to enter them no matter what unless you are 4 hours or less from flight time. With a 78 yearold mother with me this is ridiculous. The employees of the airline in Riyadh and of the lounge treated us like servants or lower class people. Never again

I wonder why checking carry on bags while the checking process was done by Moroccan security. Is it question of trust or Morocco security system is not qualified enough?

J’ai mon carte de fidélité Sky team gold À Dubaï je me sui présenté avec mon carte je sui rentré dans le louange Maintenant arrivé à Riyadh on m’a refusé que je rentre que parce que c’est la carte de Air France Et pourtant il y’a le partenariat bon brefs Tout ça c’est du racisme parce que je suis un africain

Thw pla e was freezing by dar the cildest flight i’ve been on. The seats are comfortable the leg room is spacious and the seat is in leather very confy. Unfortunately old plane so no plugs the entertainment is limited the inflight internet is very expensive 20$ per hour for 50mb on a 17h you will take 2 times to contact your family and work. At this cost it goes very quick very high. The food is very mediocre A breakfast tastless A snack A meal super spicy A lot of improvement are to be made

The seats’ reclined like premium economy seats, ie, not much.. but leg space was a lot l, so it did not feel cramped. Crew was very friendly and helpful.

Route from DC was ok nothing special or bad From Jeddah to cairo horrible First flight got delayed by 3 hours no explanation so what ever Arrived in cairo to find lock on my bag Saudia crew in cairo didn’t know who did could not open had to break my bag zipper to open my luggage

Flight was delayed, but there was no explanation why. Seats were comfortable and service was good. Food was good and there were more snacks than I expected.

my screen did not work properly. I couldn't watch any movies nor the flight information. I can see the flight info on the remote only. the toilet is very small and tight actually it is the smallest toilet I've ever seen in a business class. ( I'm not a big body person) in Jeda airport the first bus broke down so we transferred to a second bus and it took a long time to move. the seat spacing was good in 2 by 2 configuration. the food and the service was OK for a short flight.

My baggage was not with the same flight I travelled

Nothing really was great as such. Seen other no name airlines perform better.

Quality of service on board was very inconsistent. FA service primarily seemed robotic and they barely engaged with passengers

I’m unclear why I had to pay extra for assigned seats as Turkish airlines did not honor the seating. We were placed across the aisle from each other on TK 34, and were seated behind one another on TK 694. Because my name was misspelled on e-ticket (Klawiter, instead of Klawitter) I could not log onto website to get the connection gate number in Istanbul. The monitors in the airport were a jumbled mess 1/2 Arabic and 1/2 English.

On line check in needs a lot of improvement. I tried and gave up.

Food not good, flight attendants not the best, not accommodating very ruff

the female flight attendant was racist towards me. I could tell she treated the two other passengers next to me with more softness.

Oh my god! For an13 hour flight they serve you food just one time. Also don’t be thirsty they give you a little small cup of soda to drink. They seem like their goal is to feed you one so they don’t have to be bothered with you. It quite surprise for such a long flight there are several times to eat at least three and the food was well lackluster. The food and lack of offering drinks which were always hot no ice provided.

We were traveling first class. Checkin counter lady and her manager, both were in bad mood and did not treat us well about checking in the handbag. The gate agent took care of it right away. I travel Turkish twice a year in first class. No one has ever refused to check in the hand bag. Not sure, why this agent and her manager refused. Everything else was excellent.

The 787 economy was a disaster for long haul. The space was too little compared to 777 or 747. Also the extremely low tray table behind the seat made any dining effort a nightmare. However, the movies were up to date, and the food taste was good, despite of terrible serving process caused by small space.

A little bit more comfort. It’s tight space around the seats. But all else is great and a smooth flight!

Boarding was a nightmare. Still the B773s don’t have WIFI and are a something from the 90s in terms of comfort.

Cairo airport has probably the most stressful and overcomplicated security system in the world. Can't really blame Egypt Airlines.

I have been traveling for over 30 years, and this was THE worst experience ever. The guy that was checking in at Dubai, didn’t have any professionalism or curtesy. During the flight, You had to wait a while just to get something to drink. They didn’t transfer all my luggage, even after they made me pay $155 extra for one small gallon of Zamzam water, and that luggage is still missing after three days of my arrival. NEVER AGAIN..,

I had 1:50 hrs to change planes in Cairo and my suitcase was delayed from Cairo to Casablanca. I was one of several passengers that faced this issue coming from various locations into Cairo and onwards to Casablanca, with a transit time of two hours or less. (I was told 16 suitcases were delayed). The transit time of 1:50 hrs is obviously not enough for EgyptAir to transfer baggage, why sell tickets with such short transfer time if they can't handle it? Moreover, they would not reimburse me for expenses I incurred because of delayed luggage. I will not be taking EgyptAir again.

Comfortable flight, departed and landed on time, crew were polite and courteous. The food was really good considering it was an aeroplane meal. I would travel on Egypt Air, again

The crew in Business class for me departure and return were very pushy and rude. They would place the food in front of you and majority of the time remove your meal and toss it without asking if you were done. At one point on the return flight one of them crew members completely missed my sister and when I told another crew member who told that person in their language, she got an attitude and didn't offer her some of the other options they had like yogurt. They need to also take into account that not everyone can eat nuts and that shouldn't be on everyone's plate. Also the plane is dirty! I had to thoroughly wipe down every inch of my area and it was just nasty. The reclining seat struggled to fully extend. For the amount of money I paid for business class I expected better.

Flight was supposed to take off Saturday at noon. Bumped for unknown reasons until 2 am, then 9 am, then noon, then we don’t know. Not weather related. Dismal and non existent customer service. No 24/7 relations. Couldn’t get my bag back to attempt to get on another flight until 5pm Saturday. Will never take this airline again!

I had a great experience with EGYPTAIR. They offered me to check in my handbag which made it very easy since I use a cane. Thank you to EGYPTAIR crew for making sure everyone is receiving the right services.

Too difficult to indicate and receive vegetarian food. And staff was rude about it. Other passengers felt sorry for me.

Egypt air needs to improve its crew; they're not polite.

Very nice staff. organized check in and good food. Bit cramped and tired looking plane inside

Was so surprised that for a short flight we were served a sandwich lunch

I didn’t like anything. I fly about 40 times per year and this is by far the worst airline I’ve even been on.

In business class and attendants acted like bothering them when asking for water. Which they didn’t even offer at all during the flight.

Worst flying experience ever. Both kids fell sick from food afterwards. In flight Service was missing. Same food served for all meals and that too stale which made us sick.

I had bad experience, the first flight was delayed for 4 hours & the second flight was delayed for 40 hours!!!!! The staff on the flight from Amman to Detroit are rude . The food was not good at all.

Regarding the boarding: it needs more efforts to make it more convenient

Entertainment content is outdated. Food; I chose the chicken meal with rice, I would like to know the thought process of serving rice and chicken to be eaten with only a fork?! I don't eat spicy food for health reasons, I found out that the rice is very spicy after the first bite, so I didn't eat.

Some entertainment would have been appreciated on a 5 hours+ flight, the aircraft was quite old, even trays kept falling down with each minor turbulence. Meals were also bad.

It was okey overall but disappointed for the price I paid

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SAUDI ARABIA ITINERARY

16 Sep 2023   ||    MIDDLE EAST    |    SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Arabia was, only a few years ago, almost completely inaccessible to tourists outside of Islamic religious visits. It has long been a country of myths, folklore, trade routes and rumours. Heavily talked about but seldom seen; it is a hidden, sand swept and pious kingdom. Visions of caravans from antiquity, roving through mysterious and untouched ruins juxtapose against images of high-rise metropolises, modern malls and more Dunkin’ Donuts than you can count. Which parts would you want to include on your Saudi Arabia Itinerary?

We spent an utterly surprising month in Saudi Arabia. From the stereotypical sand dunes to vast volcanic craters and ancient mountain towns, we explored all corners of this enormous, rarely visited country yet still have so much more to return for. It was a fascinating trip from beginning to end, so if you’re looking for a safe but adventurous, exciting, new destination – look no further because this is it.

This Saudi Arabia itinerary and guide has absolutely everything we learned over our month in the country, including transport options, our personal highlights, prices, food, safety and visas. Plus, a full one-month itinerary that can be split into sections depending on how much time you have.

IN THIS GUIDE //

Saudi Arabia Itinerary

Arriving in saudi arabia, highlights of saudi arabia.

HOW LONG IS THIS SAUDI ARABIA ITINERARY?

VISAS FOR SAUDI ARABIA

Best time to visit saudi arabia, language in saudi arabia, hotels in saudi arabia, is saudi arabia expensive.

TRANSPORT FOR THIS SAUDI ARABIA ITINERARY

Food IN SAUDI ARABIA

IS SAUDI ARABIA SAFE?

What to wear in saudi arabia, can non-muslims visit madinah or makkah, saudi arabia itinerary map, saudi arabia itinerary overview.

 – Central EAST SAUDI ARABIA

 – CENTRAL WEST SAUDI ARABIA

 – SOUTH WEST SAUDI ARABIA

 – NORTH WEST SAUDI ARABIA

FINAL THOUGHTS – SAUDI ARABIA ITINERARY

Almost every visitor arriving into Saudi Arabia comes via air. There’s a whole bunch of international airports, including Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Abha. Where you choose to arrive will depend on flight routes from your departure point as well as which region you might want to explore.

We book every flight via Skyscanner . Along with showcasing the cheapest routes to a destination country, it has prices for all the regional budget Saudi Airlines, such as Flynas and Flyadeal (which you can use to get around Saudi Arabia if you don’t like driving long distances).

Other methods of arriving in Saudi Arabia involve bus or even boat. Common overland routes into Saudi Arabia are from Bahrain into Dammam, Abu Dhabi to Riyadh and from southern Jordan to Tabuq (as far as I’m aware there are no organised buses for the latter). For information on the Bahrain and Abu Dhabi buses, check out Saptco , the national bus service in Saudi Arabia. The website is easy to use and gives details of the trip including price (in Saudi riyals, SAR), travel time, and any stops. 

There are boats from Egypt and Sudan, servicing various Red Sea cities within Saudi Arabia. I’ve heard of people having their camera gear confiscated via these routes but have yet to take them ourselves.

You can also drive to Saudi Arabia from other Gulf states if you are a GCC resident.

FLIGHTS FOR Your SAUDI ARABIA ITINERARY

We exclusively book our flights through Skyscanner . It’s the cheapest way to book flights from anywhere in the world.

If you book your flights to Saudi Arabia through our link below, we make a tiny commission that helps to keep this site running, at zero cost to you. Thank you!

After a month driving around Saudi Arabia, we have a huge list of highlights! We wrote about our 11 most beautiful moments in Saudi Arabia if you’re looking for a little bit of inspiration for your trip. Some of our favourite places include:

♦ Al Balad, Jeddah

♦ Al Wa’bah Crater

♦ Al Ula’s scenery

♦ ‘Asir Mountains and the Al-Qatt Al-Asiri art

♦ Al Hada Mountain

During our experience, and this may sound cliché, it was often the residents of Saudi Arabia who were a highlight. Saudi Arabia gets relatively few western visitors, especially outside the main cities, but we were always welcomed with incredible grace and hospitality. This was universal, in every region, across the country.

We always had help when we needed it, many people spoke surprisingly great English and, although we often felt ‘out of place’ (I didn’t wear an abaya, for example), it was never in a negative way.

HOW LONG TO SPEND ON THIS SAUDI ARABIA ITINERARY

Saudi Arabia is huge. You can spend up to three months of a year in the country, which would be ideal! In reality though, two to four weeks would be an adequate amount of time to see some of the highlights.

Two weeks would give you enough time for several regions, while four would give you a speed tour through all the highlights. We personally recommend driving wherever possible, which gives a little more flexibility than flying (we’ve mentioned driving distances where we feel it is helpful).

Since 2019, a Saudi e-visa has been available for more than 50 countries. It costs 300 SAR (plus 140 SAR for health insurance) and provides access to the country for up to three months (with multiple entries) for one year.

This visa also has health insurance, which is excellent since some governments advise against travel to the southern border with Yemen. Government advisories like this are problematic since they often significantly over-represent the dangers of a region while also invalidating most standard insurance policies. Southern Saudi Arabia is a lovely region to visit (our favourite in fact) and it would be a shame to otherwise miss out because an insurance policy wouldn’t cover you to travel there.

11 BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN SAUDI ARABIA    |    SAUDI ARABIA’S GINGERBREAD VILLAGE

Saudi Arabia is huge and so is its range of weather; the nation sees 40-degree summers, snowy mountains, extreme rain, blanketing fog and more. If you only intend on visiting a specific region, it is worth checking the regional forecasts since the weather varies wildly across the country. We saw all the above weather conditions, as well as a small tornado, in March-April while driving around the kingdom!

In general, however, it is worth avoiding visiting in the height of summer, between May and September. Most places in the country (bar the southern mountains) are uncomfortably hot. We visited in spring, when, even in the desert lowlands, it was mostly not too hot.

The ‘Asir mountains in the south are lovely in summer, however, they are also a popular spot for Saudi Arabian residents escaping the heat of the summer. We visited ‘Asir in March, and although the temperatures were fine, it was so incredibly rainy. We’re talking flooded roads and extreme, dangerous fog in the mountains. We even saw some snow in the mountains, while driving through a village.

Also, if you are not Muslim, do not book a trip to Saudi Arabia during the Hajj season (at least not to the central west coast!). Flights to Jeddah are usually only allowed for Hajj pilgrims during this time and it is a super busy, hectic period to travel around Makkah, Taif and Jeddah.

Arabic is the language of Saudi Arabia but we don’t speak much Arabic! Despite this, it was easy to get around as quite a lot of people spoke some English and Google Translate worked a charm with the camera/photo option.

Most small, local shops do not have signs in English, unlike places like Oman (where every shop sign is translated into at least rudimentary English). However, in larger supermarkets like Lulu and Carrefour, food is labelled in both languages and prices are written in English numbers.

It is useful to speak a few polite words, like greetings and ‘thank you’, as well as learning to read some rudimentary numbers (especially useful if you are driving – a lot of the speed signs are only in Arabic numerals in Saudi Arabia).

In the major cities, Saudi Arabia has a whole slew of hotels of all standards. In places like Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, there are high-end Western options, all the way to budget apartments and guesthouses. Hostels are not really a thing in Saudi Arabia.

We personally found the accommodation options to be generally of high quality in Saudi Arabia. However, in comparison, they were more costly than in the neighbouring countries of Jordan and Oman.

Be careful if you don’t want a smoking room – smoking is a popular pastime in Saudi Arabia and often many rooms will have had smokers in before you. Ask in advance – this happened to us several times even though we requested non-smoking options.

Couchsurfing is not only popular but a fantastic option in Saudi Arabia – definitely consider this if it is something you’re comfortable with. Hospitality is next level in Saudi Arabia and Couchsurfing is an incredible way to experience this! We know several solo female travellers who have Couchsurfed Saudi Arabia in 2023 and had nothing but positive experiences.

⋅ CAN UNMARRIED COUPLES SHARE HOTEL ROOMS IN SAUDI ARABIA ⋅

To respond to the elephant in the room – foreign men and women can share a hotel room, even if they are not related. Legally, as a foreigner, you do not need to be married or brother-sister. We were never asked, even once, for a marriage certificate and didn’t even get a passing comment.

Everybody was just friendly and happy to speak with us!

From our experience, Saudi Arabia was moderately pricey. However, it depends on what choices you make with respect to transport, food, accommodation and sightseeing. 

It also depends how far in advance a reservation is made, which regions are visited (some are pricier than others) and if you fly excessively.

From our experience, we definitely would not describe it as a backpacker budget-friendly country, although it is possible to travel very cheaply if you hitchhike, Couchsurf and have a flexible schedule.

We’re writing a full budget of everything we spent during a month in Saudi Arabia at the moment (currently tallying it all up!). Sign up for our mailing list to be notified when it is written if you’re interested.

TRANSPORT ON THIS SAUDI ARABIA ITINERARY

There are several options for getting around Saudi Arabia. Firstly, it depends on which regions you want to visit. The second factor is whether you are able (or want to) drive.

The country is well connected by long distance buses, provided by Saptco . These are reliable and affordable, linking the larger cities.

Saudi Arabia has lots of regional flights and this is the most popular way to get between the big cities. Saudia, Flynas, Flyadeal and others connect the cities – check Skyscanner for all the route options.

Another popular and safe option is to hitchhike. We have known several people to do this and would absolutely take this option if we had a flexible schedule and were on a tight budget.

⋅ LOCAL TRANSPORT IN SAUDI ARABIA ⋅

The above options connect the main hubs, but Saudi Arabia’s cities themselves are notoriously difficult (sometimes impossible) to navigate by foot. They have few public transport options, so taxis, Ubers or private drivers are often the only way to get around. However, as part of the Saudi Vision 2030 mission, Riyadh has just opened a pretty cool looking metro that links the city in a way that finally makes it easy to get around! Generally speaking though, a car is essential for getting around in Saudi Arabia.

Although the country is huge, it is entirely possible to drive all around Saudi Arabia without taking any flights (we chose this option). There are definitely a few long drives involved, but I can say from personal experience that we always enjoyed these journeys. The roads and infrastructure in Saudi Arabia are high quality and it’s easy to navigate. We are currently writing a guide to driving and renting a car in Saudi Arabia – stay tuned.

This Saudi Arabia itinerary is based on driving, however for each leg, there are options for flying and taking buses too.

⋅ SHOULD YOU DRIVE IN SAUDI ARABIA? ⋅

We loved driving around Saudi Arabia – absolutely loved it. The scenery, freedom and ease made all the huge distances worthwhile. We are currently writing up a detailed report on driving in Saudi Arabia with everything we learnt – subscribe to find out when its written!

Whilst we fully endorse this method of travel, it is possible to rent a vehicle in each region and fly the longer distances in between. 

CAR HIRE FOR THIS SAUDI ARABIA ITINERARY

We always rent our vehicles all over the world, including our recent trip in Saudi Arabia, with Discover Cars . They’re often the most affordable, plus they paid out immediately on an insurance claim we made when our car took some heavy damage in Sicily. We fully recommend them.

If you book through the link below, we make a small profit, at zero cost to you, which helps us write these posts with no advertising! We only endorse products and companies we *actually* use regularly. For more information, read our position on affiliates .

TAKE A LOOK BELOW OR  CHECK CAR RENTAL  

FOOD IN SAUDI ARABIA

As vegetarians, actually we found it quite difficult to source (healthy) food outside of supermarkets in Saudi Arabia. There were some international fast food type places that sell fries and lots of pizza restaurants around. Whilst Middle Eastern places do sell falafel, overall, Saudi Arabia is a pretty meat-heavy place!

There are multiple apps, such as Hungerstation, to order delivery food from (we did this a couple of times, with mixed results).

If meat is okay with you, then it’ll be fine – there’s so much in the way of goat, camel and chicken that you’ll never go hungry. There is, of course, no pork allowed in Saudi Arabia.

In terms of food prices, we found them to be moderate. For Western food like pizza, it’s reasonably pricey (similar to England), and for more local food it’s still not particularly cheap – supermarket food was also middling.

Something we noticed was that there were not so many Indian subcontinent type foods – like curries. In meat-heavy places like Oman, vegetarian curries are ubiquitous and were always a healthy-ish, affordable alternative to the goat barbeques available everywhere! 

Saudi Arabia was completely safe, for us.

When considering safety in Saudi Arabia, there are several things to consider: personal safety such as theft, road and traffic safety and lastly, political safety.

♦ For us as cis, white British citizens, we felt perfectly safe the entire time in Saudi Arabia – possibly the safest we’ve felt in any other country apart from Oman . Risk of theft is extremely low, harassment/scamming is zero, and we felt comfortable enough to consider wild camping on our next visit (we were going to on this trip but had our car breakdown on the way).

♦ I never felt unsafe, even when alone, as a female in Saudi Arabia. People knew I was a visitor to their country and I was always treated with respect by everyone I met, despite the less than positive women’s rights issues in the country.

♦ Road safety in Saudi Arabia is something we are going to talk more about in our ‘driving in Saudi’ post, but to put it bluntly, driving in Saudi Arabia can be a little erratic. It’s not awful, but people *love* to speed. That doesn’t necessarily mean dangerously, but it’s worth being aware nonetheless if you’re a more cautious driver. If you’re comfortable driving in Italy or Dubai, for example, you’ll be okay in Saudi Arabia.

♦ I cannot speak for anyone in the LGBTQ community about how it would feel to travel in Saudi Arabia. Being gay and trans is criminalised and potentially prosecutable. I know of cases where people have been imprisoned for expressing pro-LGBTQ views, however they were all Muslim and prosecuted under Sharia law. It is unclear how the country would respond to a western, non-Muslim tourist. If you want to visit, personally I’d feel safe enough not drawing attention to my sexuality and dressing appropriately (just as I wouldn’t draw attention to my religion, if I had one). Having said that, I’m not really able to advise as this is just an opinion from my experiences. 

I’ve written an entire post on the dress code for Saudi Arabia , especially for women. To summarise:

♦ There is no legal requirement to wear an abaya or headscarf/hijab

♦ Do not wear clothing which shows offensive or controversial slogans

♦ Men should wear trousers and a t-shirt – do not show shoulders or lots of leg

♦ Women should be as covered as possible – think high-neck tops, long sleeves, ankle-length skirts or loose-fitting trousers

♦ Do not wear religious jewellery or anything with religious symbolism

It’s not *that* strict really, despite the points above. It’s more about not drawing attention to yourself or offending a resident.

Non-Muslims are allowed to visit the holy city of Madinah, but may not enter Al Masjid Al Nabawi, the resting place of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). Although it is not strictly necessary, as a woman, I would choose to wear an abaya and head covering in this city, whilst in proximity of holy sites.

Conversely, non-Muslims are not allowed to enter the holy city of Makkah (the border is many miles from Masjid Al-Haram, the Ka’bah and clocktower). There is a lot of coverage nowadays of non-Muslims entering anyway, but I wouldn’t do it personally. We drove to the boundary where we were allowed as non-Muslims and then turned back (they are all well-marked).

It is clearly indicated on your visa that no entry to Makkah is permitted to non-Muslims. Some Saudi Muslims claim that it is okay to enter – there are apparently contradictory interpretations of the Quran that mean it is a bit of a grey area. Nevertheless, not wanting to offend anyone I wouldn’t go (even though I’d absolutely love to).

Makkah is not included on this itinerary – if you are Muslim and want to visit as part of your Saudi trip, the best way is either from Taif (it’s really close), or a fast train from Jeddah.

Below is a saveable Google Map of everything mentioned on this Saudi Arabia itinerary, including main towns and cities, attractions and transport hubs.

♦ To save the map to your Google Maps, click on the star icon by the title.

♦ Select the screen icon in the top left to show or hide the breakdown of sections for this Saudi Arabia itinerary.

♦ Click on a tick box to hide/show a section.

This is a complex itinerary, but flexible for different time frames. We’ve illustrated the general plan on the map below – which is similar to the route we took in March/April.  It is obviously possible to fly between the (crazy) long driving stints and use Tabuk, Riyadh, Abha and Jeddah as hubs instead.

Visitors can arrive into different international airports, but for this Saudi Arabia itinerary, we chose Riyadh as a starting point. It’s one of the more popular arrival locations for international tourists and a central place to begin. However, if you enter via Jeddah or Dammam, just change the order of the trip based on the route below. (On our trip, we arrived into Dammam and left via Riyadh).

All regions can be visited independently of the others – we’ve advised how many days are needed for each one in the individual sections below. This Saudi Arabia itinerary is written as a month-long road trip, for those who really want to explore, however it is easy to cut off the longer drives in exchange for a flight and save some time.

THIS SAUDI ARABIA ITINERARY

⋅ overview of saudi arabia's regions ⋅.

Saudi Arabia is absolutely vast. Spanning over two million square kilometres, it is naturally diverse as a result. The above map is a loop (of sorts) that swings by a lot of the sights in the country via four main regions – the centre and east , the northwest (near Jordan ), the southwest and the central west coast. There are local maps below for each region.

It is possible to fly between these areas and use each local, regional map as individual itineraries too. The stars on the maps denote the main flight hub for each region.

All the regional sections offer fabulous views, incredible heritage spots, intriguing cities and welcoming residents.

⋅ CENTRE AND EAST SAUDI ARABIA ITINERARY ⋅

The centre-east of Saudi Arabia is pretty sparse. There are some pretty mountains and red sand dunes, but it’s mostly a dusty, flat region with minimal in the way of nature-offerings. Despite that, it does have a lot of heritage sites, museums and historically significant places.

Most things to do in the central and east region of Saudi Arabia are based out of Riyadh, but there are several worthwhile stops nearby to Dammam on the Persian Gulf. Dammam, to the east, is around 400 kilometres away from Riyadh along easy, fast highways. This route is pretty sparse, but there’s a short section where you are driving through immense red sand dunes!

Both Riyadh and Dammam are popular international hubs, which have everything you could possibly ask for in the way of tourist facilities.

Around Riyadh (3 Days)

Riyadh is the conservative, yet strangely cosmopolitan, capital and birthplace of Saudi Arabia. From rows of soaring, hyper-modern skyscrapers and the shiniest malls, to ancient, mudbrick historic districts and forts, there is something for everyone in Riyadh. The city has a newly opened metro system which means you may even be able to avoid some of the traffic insanity we experienced in the city (it is so busy!).

We spent a week in Riyadh and here some of the things we suggest:

♦ Ad Diriyah District: At Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site – the first Saudi capital, with renovated royal residences from the 15th century, lots of exhibits and some beautiful restaurants (that we could not afford!).

♦ Masmak Fort and old town Riyadh  – built in the 19th century, and now a museum, this clay and mudbrick fort is near the clocktower at Al-Safat Square and the Grand Mosque.

♦ Ad Dilam Pigeon Towers – an intriguing set of over a dozen mud and wood constructed towers in the desert.

♦ Red Sand Dunes – lying south west of Riyadh is an expanse of rust-coloured sand dunes. If it’s your cup of tea, quad bikes can be rented to explore here.

♦ Edge of the World – great hiking, off-road driving and some pretty spectacular views from the Tuwaik mountain range.

♦ Heet Cave – located in the south east outskirts of Riyadh, this limestone cave has a 30 meter deep underground lake.

♦ Al Manjour Trail and Tuwaiq Escarpment – not too far from the Edge of the World (but without the need for a four-wheel drive) are multiple options, including historic camel trails, with epic vistas.

♦ The Skybridge at Kingdom Tower – almost a thousand feet up in the air, this is a great place to view the city from (if you’re not afraid of heights).

♦ Check out a mall like Riyadh Park – explore one (or many) for a different slice of life, some super-modern restaurants and expensive shopping!

♦ Ushaiqer, Shaqraa Heritage Villages and Al Ghat – easily visited when driving between Riyadh and Hail, these areas feature some partially restored historic mud-brick built villages. Ushaiqer is particularly tourist friendly.

Optional Loop from Riyadh to Dammam

Dammam itself is not all that interesting, however the historic region of Hofuf (full of waterways) and the Al Hasa Oasis area which surrounds the city (a UNESCO designated site) are very much worth visiting. Al Qatif and Al Khobar, just outside Dammam, both have some cool spots to explore too.

Here are a few highlights:

Ithra Cultural Centre (in Dharan/Al Khobar) – opened in 2018 to celebrate human creativity. There are individual museums for adults and children, as well as exhibits, seminars and a library. Reminiscent of a cluster of pebbles, the metal clad building stands proudly above. Entry and library access is free but entry to the cinema and events require tickets.

Tarout Castle (Al Qatif) – Portuguese 16th century castle ruins located atop a hill on Tarout Island. The castle base boasts a history going back over 5000 years. Entrance is free and there are guides available if you want to know more about the local history.

Ibrahim Palace – a 16th century castle and fort constructed by the Ottomans. It is noted for the combination of both Islamic and military architecture. The palace covers a huge area, some 16,500 square meters, and the domed mosque is part of the Al-Ahsa Oasis UNESCO Cultural Landscape. Free entry. 

Jabal Qarah – a mesa about 75 meters high, north-east of Hofuf, located within the Al Hasa Oasis. It’s been prepared for tourism with cave systems, shops and various entertainment put on throughout the year, but does have a pretty incredible 360-degree panoramic view of Al Hasa below. Entry fee SAR 50 for adults.

SAUDI ARABIA DRESS CODE    |    HEGRA VS. PETRA

⋅ CENTRE-WEST SAUDI ARABIA ITINERARY ⋅

The central-western region of Saudi Arabia is a place of visual and cultural contrasts. Soaring mountains, volcanic craters and turquoise beaches compliment each other, while a relatively liberal metropolis, Jeddah, nestles up against one of the most significant, conservative religious sites in the world, Makkah. These paradoxes are a constant fascination to me and we loved our time spent exploring here. Further north is Al Madinah, the second most holy site in Islam, the resting place of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).

Jeddah is the major hub of the area – lots of international flights arrive here. There are many rental car companies , lots of western hotels, Cheesecake Factories and shiny malls with McDonalds. 

Taif (2 Days)

Taif is a smaller, less touristy city, surrounded by pretty mountain scenery. There are camping and picnicking opportunities everywhere – it’s a genuinely lovely place. Our highlights:

♦ Al Hada Mountain – this was our primary reason to visit Taif. Al Hada, out towards Makkah, has some impressive views of the surrounding region. We were told by a lovely guy on the top of the mountain that you can see the clocktower in Makkah from there in good weather (we had hail and lightning though!). There’s an expensive cable car with epic views too.

♦ Al Wa’bah Crater – an   extraordinary crater, despite seeing very few visitors, which is absolutely spectacular! You can hike all around it and camp for free on the rim. It’s stunning and has paved roads the entire way.

♦ Ash Shafa – a mountainous, rocky region south west of Taif, often in the clouds, with winding roads and more picnic spots and hiking trails than you can count. We loved this particular area, especially around Jabal Qarnayt. Note: Ash Shafa itself is actually a little touristy village perched on the edge of a cliff. It’s not really my cup of tea but does provide a fascinating insight into Saudi domestic tourism and what residents enjoy doing in their downtime!

Jeddah (3 Days)

The cosmopolitan, relatively liberal city of Jeddah is a fascinating change from the rest of the country. Here, there are modern malls, hotels and restaurants, you’ll see women driving Ubers and it’s just got a super-friendly, progressive vibe. It’s probably the craziest place to drive in Saudi Arabia in our opinion though! There are so many lovely restaurants too. In central Jeddah, our highlights included:

♦ Jeddah Corniche – a 30 km stretch of waterfront parkland with sculptures, walking paths and also where the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is held.

♦ Al-Balad – the UNESCO designated old town and our favourite place in Jeddah (there is lots of on-street parking available – free on Fridays).

♦ Al Hamra Corniche – grab an ice-cream and do some people watching – competitive free parking available. Gets *super* busy in the evenings and on Thursday and Friday nights.

♦ King Fahad’s Fountain – the fountain jet reaches over 250 metres and is best seen at sunset from the Al Hamra Corniche in our opinion.

♦ Al Rahmah Mosque –   this floating mosque is absolutely beautiful in the evening light.

Optional - Thee Ain (1 Day)

Positioned in the mountains connecting Jeddah and Abha, in a valley adjacent to the city of Al Bahah, this iconic heritage village has one of the most impressive settings I’ve ever witnessed. Nestled within a verdant valley, with a spring running along the base and white marble mountains as a backdrop, it’s breathtaking (and I don’t use that phrase lightly!).

Delicately restored, Thee Ain has parking and there’s even a manned visitor centre with lots of information. The walk to the top is easy, but not wheelchair friendly.

Visiting Thee Ain would make the most sense as part of a drive between either Taif or Jeddah and Abha, with an overnight stop in Al Bahah en-route.

⋅ SOUTH WEST SAUDI ARABIA ITINERARY ⋅

The south west of Saudi Arabia is by far the most varied and distinctive region across the country. With the tallest mountains in the Gulf, precariously positioned ancient heritage villages and islands reminiscent of the Maldives, it’s a region we could easily spend two weeks (or more) in.

Abha is the hub here – with an international airport, fantastic hotels, restaurant and car rental options.

Abha (3-4 days)

This wonderful mountain town has a noticeably distinct culture, architecture and climate to all the other cities in Saudi Arabia. We almost got the sense that we were travelling in a different country! 

Although relatively remote, this city has lots of restaurants, hotels and services and is easy to explore in a car. If you choose to drive to Abha, the road scenery is absolutely epic from pretty much every direction, since the city is at an elevation of 2270 metres (about 7450 feet). This means that no matter what direction you arrive from, you’ve got to head up!

Some worthwhile sites around Abha:

♦ Al Khaluf and Al-Jahamah Historical Villages – very ‘off-the-beaten-track’, showcasing Al-Qatt Al-Asiri art and Yemeni townhouse-style mudbrick architecture. We loved these villages, partly because we didn’t see another person the entire time we were there!

♦ Al Habala Hanging Village – a ‘hanging village’, so named because originally the only access was down and up the steep mountains of ‘Asir, often with ladders and ropes! Now, there’s a cable car to save you the trouble.

♦ Rijal Almaa – a picturesque UNESCO designated village, dubbed Saudi Arabia’s ‘gingerbread village’ due to the distinctive, mountainside, multi-storey architecture.

♦ Fatima Museum – another fascinating display of the all-women designed Al-Qatt Al-Asiri art .

♦ Bees Tower Honey Refinery – nearby Rijal Almaa , this superbly curated space makes honey on site from lots of different bees. It’s such a curious spot to find in the hills of ‘Asir and definitely not one to be missed. The owners spoke no English when we visited but were so kind. Go try all the honey samples!

♦ The mountain scenery – this is a bit vague, but there are stunning views from every side in the ‘Asir mountains. The roads wind and twist past stepped farms, huge cliffs, tiny mosques and astonishing villages. Drive towards anything that looks wiggly on Google Maps, you won’t be disappointed. 

♦ Jabal Al Soudah/Sawda – the highest mountain in Saudi Arabia, just to the west of Abha, sits at around 3100 metres high. There’s a cable car and park – choose a clear day, otherwise all you’ll see is clouds!

Najran (2 days)

Four hours east of Abha, along the border with Yemen and the Rub Al Khali desert (the empty quarter), sits Najran. Set in a sprawling oasis, this strategically positioned ancient city on the frankincense trail is surprisingly green and verdant. Despite being on the edge of one of the world’s largest sand deserts, there’s an abundance of available water. The city is famed for having an historically Jewish and Christian population, until the early/mid-20th century. 

Places to consider visiting in Najran:

♦ Al Aan Palace – built in 1688, this four-storey tall intricately decorated building provides smashing views of the surrounding countryside.

♦ Najran Fort/Emarah Palace – with a distinctive traditional Arabian architecture, this beautifully designed structure isn’t all that old, but very pretty. It’s also pretty big, with 65 rooms spread over 625 square metres.

♦ Najran Dam – this 73-metre-high dam is the largest in Saudi Arabia and a popular tourist spot for the pretty, rugged views.

♦ Al Ukhdud Archaeological Site – ruins of the fortified old city, just south of new Najran. The site contains ancient ceramics, tools, clay figurines, human bones, places of worship and many pre-Islamic petroglyphs.

♦ Empty Quarter – this is a bit of a bonus, but if you have a car, take an adventurous drive out east towards one of the most famous, but least visited regions on the Arabian peninsula! 

Jizan (3 days)

A large port city on the Red Sea, pretty Jizan has several very worthwhile reasons for visiting, including forts, a corniche and a heritage village. Other highlights of the region include:

♦ Farasan Islands – home to around 80 islands, three of which are inhabited by around 12,000 people, this biodiverse protected area is popular for scuba diving and snorkelling. It’s probably the least ‘Saudi’ looking place on this entire list – most people don’t even realise that Saudi Arabia has islands! Reached by a 40-kilometre, one hour ferry journey that goes several times a day, it is possible to do a quick day trip if you do not want to stay overnight.

♦ Wadi Lajab – epic hiking, waterfalls and dramatic landscapes make this excursion from the city worthwhile. Situated halfway between Abha and Jizan, you can visit from either base. You may want to rent a four-wheel drive vehicle (or at least high clearance) to traverse the canyon entrance, especially if the weather is wet, or you’ll have to hike the several kilometres in.

⋅ NORTH WEST SAUDI ARABIA ITINERARY ⋅

The north west of Saudi Arabia matched the image I had mentally formed from books, films and the media. Its dry, dramatic landscapes, dotted with camel riders and ancient cities, were everything I dreamt of when I thought of visiting the Kingdom. This region is pretty famous outside of Saudi Arabia due to the Nabataean ruins of Hegra around Al Ula (you’ll even likely see a few a foreign tourists here), but there is far more to the area than just that.

Tabuk is the most common airport for visits to Hegra – the city has nice hotels , car rental and lots of restaurants, including a surprisingly good sushi one!

The journey between Tabuk and Hail, if you choose to drive, is a long (but not unpleasant) one.

Al Ula (2-3 days)

Many Saudi Arabia bucket lists include the UNESCO world heritage site of Hegra – Petra’s smaller but no less spectacular sibling. Concealed within some of the most remarkable desert scenery, the ancient Nabataean city has recently been thrust into the limelight with the opening of Saudi’s borders to international tourists.

Al Ula, the small, historically significant town nearby Hegra, is a beautiful ancient settlement, squeezed between massive rust-coloured cliffs (imagine southern Utah for reference). Here, there are lots of millennia-old things to enjoy, along with a must-do visit to Hegra. Visit experiencealula.com to book tickets and check out seasonal events.

Consider visiting:

♦ Al Ula old town – a restored, and mildly ‘touristified’ (but still interesting), ancient mudbrick settlement.

♦ Ancient Dadan – from 7th century BCE, pre-Nabataean rock carvings and inscriptions.

♦ Hegra – Nabataean civilisation dating back to the 3rd century BCE with incredible sandstone outcrops, elaborately carved to act as tombs for important members of society.

Note : all three of the above need tickets for access and a tour – check experiencealula.com . For information specifically about the Hegra tour, check our dedicated Hegra post .

♦ Maraya – meaning ‘reflection in Arabic, this is the world’s largest mirrored building, beautifully situated in the desert outside Al Ula, just to the west of Hegra. The building is used predominantly as a concert hall and art exhibition host – although it’s also pretty famous for being photographed by Instagrammers! 

♦ Elephant Rock – this is a rock shaped like an elephant. It’s got pretty famous though so if it’s your cup of tea, go take a peek! There’s a bar set up at the bottom with music, so in typial Saudi fashion, you can spend lots of money while listening to loud music in nature. Parking is free so you can just take a look around instead, if you prefer. There are a few arches and rock formations that are worth hiking around.

Harrat Viewpoint – another beautiful place that has now got some pumping music and a venue, just plonked in nature! Parking is free and the views are spectacular, so definitely check this one out (even if you find club music in the desert kind of offensive).

Tabuk (2 days)

Situated near the border with Jordan and the Gulf of Aqaba, this city shares a lot of similar landscapes with its northern neighbour. This means a plethora of burnt red rock formations, rolling sand dunes, dry rocky outcrops and epic road views. The city is important, historically, as a stopping point on the holy Levant Hajj pilgrimage road from Damascus to Madinah.

Some things to check out around the area include:

♦ Scenery – the primary reason we loved Tabuk was simply the immense desert panoramas, dotted with settlements, palms and camels.

♦ Tabuk Ottoman Castle – dating back to the 16th century, this well-preserved, renovated fortress and museum also houses a mosque and climbable watchtowers. It is famous for the Battle of Tabuk, the final campaign by the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH).

♦ Hejaz Railway – initially built by the Ottomans at the turn of the 20th century to connect Istanbul with Makkah, the remains of the Hejaz railway can be seen in the railway bridges and stations scattering the desert. Whilst some are fenced off, the stations at Tabuk, Al Ula and Madinah are now tourist attractions. 

♦ Al Aznam (Alozlam) Castle – a 14th century castle from the Mamluk era which was part of the Egyptian pilgrimage route. It is currently being restored by the General Authority for Tourism.  

♦ Wadi Disah – a phenomenally beautiful canyon, perfect for hiking, picnicking and camping under the palms and stars. It can be visited with a 2-wheeled vehicle but a 4×4 will save you a longer hike in.

♦ Tayma – historically one of the oldest settlements in Northern Arabia, Tayma’s ruins nowadays include the Qasr Al Hamra Palace, Tayma Museum, Temple of Salm and Tayma Fort.

Hail (1 day)

Previously an important strategic location and stop for pilgrims from the Kingdom’s north, the city of Hail is home to a UNESCO site and numerous forts, castles and palaces. 

Some recommendations for this area include:

♦ Jubbah – a UNESCO World Heritage Site with five-thousand plus petroglyphs (rock art engravings) dating back to 8000 BCE. Additional petroglyphs can also be found at Jabal Hibran, further to the south. 

♦ A’Arif Fort, Barzan Castle and Qishlah Palace – a mixture of old castle wall ruins and renovated buildings originally built between the 17th and 20th century lie spread across the town of Hail.

FINAL THOUGHTS - SAUDI ARABIA ITINERARY

Saudi Arabia is a bit of an enigma. The way it is portrayed in the media (often correctly) can make people feel wary and even scared. However, every country is more than its government, and Saudi Arabia, it turns out, is an incredible hub of warm, welcoming citizens, culturally significant sites and astonishing natural beauty.

Our Saudi Arabia itinerary was a month of surprises and contradictions – from the modern, world-class malls containing Cheesecake Factories and P.F. Changs, to the gender-segregated entrances of McDonalds for men and families. It’s a country of extreme traditions coupled with hyper-speed modernisation.

Frankly, several months later, I’m still thinking about our trip to Saudi Arabia; I’m still processing how I felt about everything I experienced. I do know that I will definitely return – as soon as I can – as there is so much more to see.

We hope you decide to visit and figure out this paradox of a country for yourself! I’d love to hear about your experiences.

Happy travels!

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6 thoughts on “A 2023 Saudi Arabia Itinerary and Guide”

So much detail and information here! Incredible article.

Thanks so much, really appreciate the comment! Happy travels 🙂

I love your writing and traveling style! Quick question: we have the feeling that traveling to AlUla beyond fancy hotels is quite challenging. Would you mind sharing where did you stay and what was your experience?

Thanks so much!

We stayed in the Sahary Alula Resort using points. It was far more expensive than our usual budget but Alula is low on affordable accomodation options. There are some slightly more reasonably priced options in the town itself but there’s not a great range in the area unfortunately.

Hi, very interesting article with a lot of information. Unfortunately, I cannot see the saveable Google maps. There is an empty space between the paragraph “Saudi Arabia itinerary map” and the next “Saudi Arabia itinerary overview”. Thanks

Hi Barbara,

Thanks for your comment and for letting us know about the map not appearing. We’ve checked and there’s no issues on our end, maybe it’s something to do with your browser?

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Budget Tours & Trips to Saudi Arabia

Discover a varied offer of Saudi Arabia budget adventures that will take you through some of the most renowned destinations such as Riyadh and Jeddah. Each affordable tour will provide you with great experiences for some of the lowest prices on the market.

11 cheap Saudi Arabia tour packages with 14 reviews

• Christmas & New Year

Highlights of Saudi Arabia - Escorted Tour in 4* Hotels Bed and Breakfast Plan

This trip was great. Al Ula is definitely the highlight. It will be great to go back when Jeddah's old town is restored to full glory. All guides/drivers made an excellent job. Highly recommended!

• In-depth Cultural

Saudi Arabia: The Complete - Escorted Tour in 3 or 4* Hotels

Very uncomfortable small bus did not have enough room for our 9 guests, 3 translators, guide and driver, even on excursions where we only brought day-bags (rather than entire luggage); uncomfortable seats and NOT ENOUGH LEG ROOM for taller non-local Westerners, worthless torn cloth blinds on the windows that could not be securely open or closed. Each of our 3 translators (who also served as guides for the tour overall) was GREAT! Consistently helpful, capable and personable; very positive attitudes and considerate individuals: 5+ stars for them! Local guides were also consistently great, although there was an ugly scene between our Jeddah(?) guide and our driver, leading to a verbal argument and the guide stomping off the bus.

All Of Saudi Arabia – 14 Days Tour Package

It was a wonderful experience with him as he was experienced, knowledgeable about Egyptian history culture and heritage, humorous English speaking guide. Never felt bored with him. we would love to go back again.

5 Days Riyadh, Jeddah and Abha

This was my first time doing Saudi Arabia and it was truly a phenomenal experience. I thought Mohamed was an amazing Tour guide and the itinerary encompassed everything I was looking for in visiting Saudi Arabia

On The Traces of History - Self Drive Tour

Crossing Saudi Arabia - Self Drive Tour

Saudi Arabia - A Full Tour Self Drive Tour

Ultimate Riyadh City Package in 3, 4 or 5* Hotels

South to North – The Complete Self Drive Tour

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Riyadh , Madain Saleh & Jeddah Tour Package - 7 Days

Just enjoyed 7 day tour through Saudi Arabia that was packed with many temples, tombs, mosques, forts and caves to to see. Our Saudi guide Sameh was responsible, looked very well after our well-being and did his best under the sometimes difficult circumstances. But, all in all we are grateful to experience everything and are happy to have seen Sooo much in such a short time highly recommend Saudi Arabia tours and our guide

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Saudi Arabia

How To Travel Saudi Arabia on a Budget!

Categories Cost of Travel , Middle East , Saudi Arabia

With Saudi Arabia newly opened to tourists, it seems that it’s the intrepid backpackers like myself wanting to see what this closed-off Kingdom is really like!

We associate ‘backpacking’ with ‘budget travel’, so can you backpack Saudi Arabia and can you travel Saudi Arabia on a budget?

Well, I will tell you now that Saudi is NOT a budget destination , at least not right now whilst it gets used to tourism.

I think in the next few years Saudi Arabia could become more budget-friendly with hostels, the completion of the metro in Riyadh and day tours more reasonably priced than they are now, however in 2020, that is not the case. And I think the same will apply for the next few years too!

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t travel to Saudi Arabia though. Exploring the Kingdom is a fascinating experience, especially if you travel like a local and meet some locals as I did! 

In this Saudi Arabia travel blog, I’m going to tell you ways that you can go backpacking in Saudi Arabia, give you an idea of how travel costs in Saudi Arabia, and how to save money in Saudi Arabia all whilst visiting the best places in Saudi Arabia! Yalla!

Saudi Arabia on a Budget

• For more of my posts on Saudi Arabia to help you plan your trip see:
• What to Wear in Saudi Arabia as a Foreign Female Tourist.
• 16 Things to do in Riyadh as a Tourist but like a Local!
• My Detailed Riyadh Travel & City Guide!
• Visiting Madinah as a Non-Muslim
• How To Get a Sim Card in Riyadh Airport!
• ALL MY SAUDI ARABIA BLOG POSTS

Find What You're Looking For Easily Here!

Budget Accommodation in Saudi Arabia

Cheap accommodation doesn’t really exist in KSA, at least not cheap, good accommodation, because hostels do not exist , yet so this is the first thing that makes travelling to Saudi Arabia on a Budget hard.

Booking.com and Airbnb are the best places to look for hotels in Saudi Arabia!

In Riyadh, you can expect to pay around 300SAR / £62.00 / $80.00USD a night for a decent hotel or less for a more budget quality option.

I found accommodation in Jeddah considerably less expensive than Riyadh at just 100SAR a night / £20.00 / $25.00USD.

However, once you leave these 2 main cities and go to cities such as Abha, Dammam, Jazan and Tabuk, you will have to pay more.

It’s worth noting when it comes to hotel reviews in Saudi Arabia that Saudi’s are very harsh in their reviews . Normally, I never book a hotel that is rated less than 8 on Booking.com, and usually, I always book a 9 rating, but in Saudi Arabia, a 7 rating is pretty common and average. I found the quality isn’t as bad as 7’s in other areas of the world, which is good!

How to Save Money in Saudi Arabia on Accommodation?

Couch Surfing is the best way to save money on accommodation in Saudi Arabia, although it must be noted that Couch Surfing is more than just saving money on accommodation. You must be willing to meet locals through the app and socialise with them.

My trips to Saudi Arabia have been highly enhanced because of couch surfing. I have stayed with males and females. As a solo female traveller in Saudi Arabia, I felt very safe Couch Surfing, of course, you need to be careful with who you choose and read their reviews but this is the case all over the world.

If you are doing a road trip and the weather permits, you can wild camp in many places in Saudi Arabia for free!

The other way to save money on accommodation is to work out your Saudi Arabia itinerary based on where the cheaper hotels are. For example, Jeddah is cheaper than Riyadh so spend an extra night in Jeddah rather than Riyadh if you plan to visit both!

Budget Transport in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is a huge country and cities like Riyadh are huge too!

There is a metro being built in Riyadh right now and once it is open it will help travellers visit the best places to see in Riyadh much cheaper, as, at the moment, the only way to get around Riyadh is via taxi , this is the same in Jeddah, Dammam, Abha, Jazan.

In terms of getting from city to city in Saudi Arabia there are a few options:

Bus – This is the cheapest way to travel around Saudi Arabia. SAPTCO is the most regular bus service in Saudi Arabia with InterCity Buses like I got from Jeddah to Madinah , and they also offer Urban Transport within the cities of Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Makkah and Madinah.

I found the SAPTCO Bus to be well organised, on time, relatively comfy and well priced, so I recommend using it!

Train – Whilst the train does not connect all cities in Saudi Arabia, it does connect part of the city and if you book tickets in advance so you can get an Economy ticket the prices are reasonable and cheaper than flying. I used the train to get from Riyadh to Dammam however I booked last minute and could only get Business class. The trains in Saudi are high quality and comfy however compared to the buses, they do not run as frequently.

What’s confusing is that the train networks in Saudi Arabia are not under 1 website and company so you need to search to find the right website to book your train on.

SAR is the website you use to book trains leaving from Riyadh and you can book trains to and from Riyadh, Qassim, Hail, Jauf and Majmaah on here.

SRO is the website you use to book trains between Riyadh, Dammam and Al-Ahsa.

HRR SAR is the website you use to book trains between Jeddah, Madinah & Makkah. For more information on this train, including running times and days, look at this post of mine .

Flight – Flying is the quickest way to get around Saudi Arabia. There are a few budget carriers like Flyadeal and Flynas with really regular domestic flights all around the country. Flight prices can be really reasonable if you book in advance, are flexible with the time you fly, and you take hand luggage only! I got a flight from Riyadh and Jeddah and Jeddah to Madinah for just 150-180 SAR / £30.00 – £37,00 / $40.00 – $48.00 SAR.

Skyscanner is the best place to look for and compare flights within Saudi Arabia!

Car Hire –  Fuel in Saudi Arabia is cheap, as you would expect so this is one way you can travel Saudi on a budget, however, car hire is not that cheap, and be warned that driving in Saudi is not for the faint-hearted or inexperienced!

  Check out Rental Cars to get a quote for your Saudi Arabia car hire here !

How to Save Money in Saudi Arabia on Transport?

If you are booking last minute, look into the bus option, it will take longer but prices seem to remain cheap until the date of travel. If you are looking at your Saudi Arabia itinerary in advance, book your flights and trains in advance to get the best price!

Budget Sightseeing in Saudi Arabia

As mentioned, in order to see the cities, towns and countryside in Saudi Arabia, you will need to drive or get taxis because there is a huge lack of public transport in Saudi Arabia.

As with any city, the best way to sightsee all of the top attractions on a budget is to plan your itinerary in advance and visit places that are in the same location in one go so you are not getting taxi’s up and down the city.

For example, in Riyadh, I recommend you visit the National Museum of Saudi Arabia and Masmak Fort on the same day as they are close together.

The Diplomatic Quarter in Riyadh and Old Deerah are also close together in the East.

For more ideas of things to do in Riyadh including lots of local, have a look at 16 Things to do in Riyadh as a Tourist but like a Local!

There are some day tours available in Saudi Arabia, especially from Riyadh to the Edge of the World and the Red Sand Dunes . Although group tours here cost about 300SAR, they are much cheaper to do as a group rather than on a private tour.

I recommend Riyadh Hiking if you want to visit the Edge of the World. Not only is it a great tour but lots of Saudi’s go on the tour too so you’ll meet some new, local friends. These tours only happen over the weekend (Friday & Saturday) so again, work your itinerary for Saudi Arabia around this!

Read my full Edge of the World Tour Review here!

Budget Food & Drink in Saudi Arabia

Food can be expensive in Saudi Arabia. Local food like Kapsa (Rice & Meat) is on offer but Saudi’s love their international food and western brands and it’s easy to eat mostly at these which will add up.

In Riyadh especially, Burgers are big business and they come at the same price as you would pay in London or any Western City which makes it easy not to stick to visiting Saudi Arabia on a budget.

How to Save Money in Saudi Arabia on Food?

The most budget-friendly food in Saudi Arabia is Shawarma and luckily there is an abundance of Shawarma places around the country!

If you want to eat cheap, local food, and if you’re happy to eat Indian food, there are plenty of small, local restaurants run by Indians, Pakistani’s etc however they are not always easy to find. In addition to this, as a man, you will probably feel ok going into them but as a woman you may not, and you may not even be allowed in!

In terms of drinking, because Saudi Arabia is a dry country , this keeps alcohol costs to zero. However, instead of alcohol, they do drink a lot of coffee and the cafes in Saudi Arabia are really impressive and fancy which then brings a higher price tag with the coffee.

The cheapest coffee I found is from Dunken Donuts, and aside from coffee shops and chain brands, usually around parks and on the street there are men selling coffee and chai from their car which is really cheap and only a few SAR.

You do need to buy water in Saudi Arabia as you cannot drink the tap water. Water costs about 2SAR per bottle. It is, of course, cheaper to buy water from a supermarket or corner store rather than in a restaurant.

If you happen to live with locals in Saudi, you’ll find that everyone will have a filter tap in their kitchen which will save you buying bottled water, and reduce plastic (which isn’t something Saudi is conscious of right now, unfortunately!)

I hope this helps you with ideas of how to visit Saudi Arabia on a budget, how to save money in Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia travel costs.

• How to do an Edge of the World Tour From Riyadh!
• Visiting Madinah as a Non-Muslim.
• Buying a SIM card at Jeddah Airport as a tourist
• Buying a SIM card at Medina Airport as a tourist

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Thursday 25th of August 2022

just wanted to say this was a great breakdown of going SA. Well done

Solo female travel anywhere and everywhere.

How much it costs to travel in Saudi Arabia

A guide to how much it costs to travel in Saudi Arabia, with tips on traveling Saudi Arabia on a budget. Includes information on cheap accommodation, transportation, food, sights, and tips for backpacking in Saudi Arabia.

As of 2019, Saudi Arabia opened its borders to international tourists from dozens of different countries, in the hopes of attracting a major influx of visitors to the Kingdom. Although the country clearly hopes for wealthy visitors interested in 5-star luxury resorts and package tours, I foresee plenty of backpackers travelers visiting the Kingdom in coming years.

The problem: Saudi is not a budget destination.

Accommodation is pricey. Due to a lack of public transport, transportation quickly drains your wallet. Mainstream entertainment is for the upper class.

But don’t let that deter you! It’s possible to travel Saudi Arabia on a relatively small budget, considering it’s a Gulf country. Here’s how much you can expect to spend in Saudi Arabia, and how to travel Saudi Arabia on the cheap.

How much it costs to travel in Saudi Arabia (on a budget)

• Overview of costs
• Currency and cash
• Accommodation
• Food and drinks
• Transportation
• Backpacking tips

Vendors at a street market in Old Jeddah

Overview of travel costs in Saudi Arabia

At the time of writing, US$1 is roughly 3.75 SAR .

• Average spent per day: US$55
• Budget hotel room/apartment: 100-150 SAR | $25-50
• Cheap meal: 8-12 SAR | $4-6
• Street food: 2-4 SAR | $1-1.50
• Mid-range meal: 120-150 SAR | $30-35
• Cup of tea: 1 SAR | $0.25
• Half hour Uber: 40-50 SAR | $10-12
• Tourist site entrance:  5-20 SAR | $1.50-5
• SIM card with 10GB data:  160 SAR | $43

Families watching an outdoors concert during Riyadh Season festival

Currency and cash in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia uses the Saudi Riyal (SAR). One riyal is composed of 100 Halalas.

There are banknotes of 1,5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 SAR, as well as 1 and 2 Riyal coins.

ATMs in Saudi Arabia

ATMs are widely available in Saudi, and they don’t charge any convenience or other fees. Woop!

All ATMs offer English menus. Most ATMs automatically dispense 500 SAR notes when possible (less woop). Considering this is a lot of money—around US$130—try to withdraw an amount that forces the ATM to gives you smaller denominations. Ain’t nobody likes having to break a 500 SAR note.

Paying by credit card in Saudi Arabia

Credit cards are accepted in most establishments in Saudi Arabia. Visa, Mastercard, and Maestro are widely accepted. Mobile services such as Google Pay and Apple Pay are also increasing in popularity in cities.

Sunrise over Fayfa

Cost of accommodation in Saudi Arabia

Cheap hotels and apartments in Saudi Arabia start at around 100-150 SAR (US$26-49) per night per room/apartment .

Mid-range hotels in cities will set you back around 180-375 SAR ($50-100) per night .

Luxury in Saudi Arabia knows no bounds—you can pay hundreds to thousands per night for a room depending on what floats your boat. But that’s far from my area of expertise!

Budget accommodation in Saudi Arabia

Budget accommodation options are extremely limited in Saudi Arabia; backpacking is still a very new concept. Don’t expect hostels or cheap guesthouses on your trip!

Solo travel in Saudi Arabia can get costly quickly—accommodation prices are per room, not per person. When traveling to Saudi Arabia, I suggest partnering up if on a tight budget. On the bright side, it’s now legal for men and women/unmarried couples to share rooms. Single women are also allowed to have their own room in Saudi Arabia, if sharing isn’t your thing.

When you travel in Saudi Arabia on a budget, you’ll likely stay in hotels or apart-hotels. Apart-hotels are basically apartments for short term rent with two to four rooms, and they’re usually the best value.

For this price, you can expect (mostly) clean rooms, a sit-down toilet, hot water, and usually a spacious living room and one or two bedrooms in apartments. Apartments also include kitchens with hot water heaters… but not much else in the way of cooking utensils. Extras like towels are not always included, especially not in apartments, but if you ask they’ll sometimes be provided.

How to find cheap accommodation in Saudi Arabia

In major cities, it’s usually easy to find accommodation on Booking.com . You can book online, and usually you don’t need credit card information to book a room.

Alternatively, you can find hotels on Booking.com, then visit the hotel in person to see if you can bargain a better price. Bargaining is possible , but not necessarily expected. Don’t be surprised if the clerk doesn’t give you a discount. But it’s always worth asking—I got discounts ranging from 10 to 100 SAR.

Let it be noted that there were also many instances where the price of the hotel was cheaper on Booking.com than in person . In those instances, the clerk would told me to book online instead of offering a discount. Strange, but so be it.

In places where there aren’t any hotels on Booking.com, I searched “apartment” on Google Maps and usually found a handful of apart-hotels, even in remote towns. They often had poor reviews, but even the ones with bad reviews were usually sufficient. Saudis are harsh reviewers!

Browse Saudi hotels on Booking.com

Chilling with a Couchsurfer at the Edge of the World

Couchsurfing in Saudi Arabia

Couchsurfing is possible in Saudi Arabia. Though the community isn’t as developed as other countries, there are always a handful of active hosts and members in cities. You can count on being hosted in most major cities if interested, and Saudis are very hospitable: hosts will often take your around in addition to letting you stay in their home.

The bigger issue is that many people, for cultural reasons or otherwise, are not able to host travelers. You’ll receive many offers to be shown around, but finding an actual host might be trickier. Look for people who have reviews from actual surfers.

Couchsurfing in Saudi Arabia as a solo female traveler

Couchsurfing as a solo female traveler in Saudi Arabia IS possible, for the record. I had hosts in Riyadh and Jazan. Ideally you’ll stay with a woman or a family, but there are some good men on Couchsurfing, too. Just be careful when selecting a host—it’s extremely unusual for lone women to request such things, and women being allowed to spend time with unrelated men is still a very new concept. Men might consider your request an invitation; stay on your guard.

Read: Female travel in Saudi Arabia: here’s what you need to know

Typical meal in Saudi Arabia: delicious food, lots of rice, and enough plastic to wrap around the world three times

Cost of food and drinks in Saudi Arabia

At the budget end of things, food in Saudi is reasonably priced… and portions are massive. Expect to pay about 8-12 SAR ($2-3) for a kebab or chicken and a mound of rice ( kabsa or mandi ) with a drink.

In some cities you’ll find street stalls or food trucks serving food for roughly 4-6 SAR ($1-1.50) per person. For more cheap food choices, look for women selling homemade food on the street in cities.

Is eating in Saudi more expensive for women? Female travelers will have more trouble finding cheap food than men—restaurants are divided into “singles” men’s areas and family sections for women and their entourages. Many of the cheap restaurants are men-only. If you want to eat their food, you’ll have to get it wrapped in a million layers of plastic and take it away to eat elsewhere. Women who want to travel to Saudi can find more info in my guide to female travel in Saudi Arabia .

At more upscale and traditional restaurants, entree prices start at 40-50 SAR ($10-12). A multi-course shared dining experience for three people will be around 120-150 SAR ($30-35) per person.

If you’re staying in an apartment or have cooking supplies, self catering is possible. There are plenty of large supermarkets everywhere, and groceries in them are similar in price to the US or Central Europe. Local products are a bit cheaper; find them in smaller shops or street markets in old cities. The main issue is that many apartments do not come with cooking utensils, despite having kitchens.

Roadside tea anyone?

You can get tea at roadside stops for 1 SAR per cup. Since these cups of tea are delicious, I highly suggest you make an effort to seek them out!

Coffee or tea at nicer cafés are around 15-20 SAR ($4-5). Pricey, but they’re usually good quality.

Fruit shakes and other similar sweet drinks are around 10-20 SAR, and a bottle of water is roughly 2 SAR ($0.50).

Alcohol in Saudi Arabia is illegal… but, like everywhere in the world, it still exists if you know who to ask. A modest bottle of local arak liquor costs approximately 80-100 SAR ($20-25).

Nothing but blue skies and empty roads when road tripping Saudi in winter!

Cost of transportation in Saudi Arabia

Saudi is massive, but public transport systems are not well developed. In some cities, there are a few bus services… but good luck figuring out routes and times! Between major cities it’s possible to take a bus or fly.

Read: A road tripper’s guide to Saudi Arabia

Ride share apps

Within cities, you can get around by using Uber or Careem, another popular ride share app. A half hour Uber ride costs roughly 40-50 SAR ($10-12).

A long-distance bus between Riyadh and Jeddah starts at around 180 SAR ($45). Buses are generally comfortable. SAPTCO is regarded as the best and most affordable bus service in Saudi Arabia. For more information on routes and costs check out the SAPTCO website .

Flying between major cities is the most common form of transport for the upper and middle class—understandable when the cost of a plane ticket is roughly the same as the cost of a bus ticket! Personally, I’m against unnecessary flying due to the excessive carbon emissions of flying… but your call. You can check out Google Flights for deals on flying within Saudi—Saudi Airlines and FlyNas are two well-established carriers.

Renting a car

Although it’s possible to see some of Saudi by using buses and planes, I strongly recommend renting a car .

You can rent a small car for about $700+ per month. Petrol is cheap (1.5 SAR per liter) because of Saudi’s state-run oil companies. Although you won’t be able to go off-road with a small car—4x4s are significantly more expensive—renting a car does give you decent freedom of movement. If you’re traveling with two or more people, it’s actually more economical than taking a bus or flying.

The view from the Sky Bridge in Riyadh is beautiful, but also one of the more expensive sights in Saudi

Cost of sights in Saudi Arabia

Rejoice: most sights in Saudi are free, or charge a nominal entrance fee! There is no dual pricing in place, either.

The most expensive I encountered was the Sky Bridge in Riyadh’s Kingdom Centre tower, which costs 60 SAR ($16). Besides that, most places charged between 5-20 SAR ($1.50-5) to enter.

Several places run by the government are free to enter. Another common sight is the private heritage museum: people who run small family museums in their traditional homes. Many happily invite guests in for free. Although there isn’t always an official fee for these home museums, it’s nice to leave 5-10 SAR per person as thanks.

Present be damned—internet’s where it’s at

Cost of mobile data in Saudi Arabia

A SIM card with 10GB data on it costs roughly 160 SAR ($43). A mobile top-up of 10 GB is roughly 100 SAR. STC is slightly more expensive but has more coverage, Mobily is slightly cheaper, but has less coverage outside cities.

Most SIM bundles come with 1000+ minutes of calls and messages. You can buy SIM cards at the arrival hall of international airports.

Camping by the road to save on accommodation

Tips for backpacking Saudi Arabia on a budget

As I said: Saudi is not a budget backpacker destination. When I traveled to Saudi I spent roughly $55 per day.

And this included making efforts to save money through Couchsurfing, wild camping, and renting a car. The sky is the limit when you visit Saudi Arabia, but if you want to stay within a reasonable backpacker budget you have to put in some effort. Here are some ways to do so:

Couchsurfing is used in most cities, and is a great way to both save money and immerse yourself in Saudi life.

I Couchsurfed in several places, and recommend you to do the same at least once. Couchsurfing is especially helpful for solo travelers—it enables you to go places and experience things that otherwise would be tricky or expensive to do on your own.

Instead of staying in hotels all the time, I highly recommend camping while traveling Saudi.

Not only will you save money on accommodation, camping in the desert or in a wadi (valley) is gorgeous, and an integral part of Saudi culture. Camping is immensely popular in Saudi; it’s likely you’ll make local friends who are also out on a camping trip if you go on the weekend (Friday/Saturday).

There are no rules about where you can and cannot camp, although you should avoid blatant trespassing. If you plan to camp along the road, consider finding a prayer stop. People understand if you pitch your tent by one, and likely won’t mind if you sleep in the prayer hall.

Don’t be surprised if locals show up to investigate what you’re doing, or to make sure you’re okay when you’re camping in an area that isn’t an obvious camping ground.

Camping is almost always free, and there are plenty of designated camping spots along the coastline. Do note that the coastguard patrols the coast actively. If you plan to camp on the beach, bring copies of your passport to give to the coastguard officials.

Traditional food can be touristy and pricey

Don’t eat “local”

DON’T eat local Alex? You hypocrite, you !

Wait, wait—hear me out. Local SAUDI places, especially traditional restaurants, are often quite expensive. If people want Saudi food, they can just eat it at home with their family!

For cheap food, search for places run by expats; Pakistanis, Indians, and Egyptians are a few nationalities with huge communities in Saudi that often run restaurants with cheaper food. Besides, much of Saudi’s food culture draws from other cultures anyway.

If you want to eat local food, try searching for small food stands or food trucks.

Buy food in supermarkets

Many supermarkets are American-style affairs, with an overwhelmingly large selection of food to choose from. Get your breakfast and lunch supplies from these to avoid paying for more expensive food in sit-down places.

Looking for more Saudi planning resources? Don’t miss my guide to road tripping in Saudi Arabia !

• budget report

Alex Reynolds

5 thoughts on “ how much it costs to travel in saudi arabia ”.

Oh please do tell me exactly where that starry sky picture was taken!

Haha, it was taken on the side of a random roadside while driving south from Riyadh to Najran. Nowhere specific, just the middle of nowhere!

Nice.. I’m from Saudi Arabia and i enjoyed with your article 🙂 I do not agree with all points you said, but i think you give us a good vision about saudi arabia

Hello, What a nice blog an how cool you visited Belgium where I live (in Blankenberge at the northsea coast near Bruges). I am planning to visit the Kingdom at the end of 2022 (nov/dec) for a short trip. What I would like to know : – Is there a hop on hop off bus in Jeddah ? – Do you have information on bike rent in Jeddah or Riaydh ? – Did you meet people is these cities where I could adress myself with questions ? Kind regards Alain

Great website and information. I used to use the LP Thorn Tree before it was ruined by whoever took it over, but it’s reassuring and very helpful to find sites like this for people who like to travel off the beaten track. You do a very good job of it!

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