The South Route

Today we will start our tour in the morning starting with The Tayebat Museum for a fascinating look into Jeddah’s long and cosmopolitan past, take an informative tour indied the Tayebat Museum for a superbly curated representation of the city’s 2,500-year history. Located in the Al Faisaliyah district, the museum is housed in a multiroom complex that re-creates the traditional Hijazi architecture of the old city, with bay windows overlaid with intricate wooden lattice work and ornate coral masonry. With several floors of in-depth exhibits, the museum offers a living history lesson on the foundation of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and the wider Arabian Peninsula. There is also an entire floor dedicated to the city’s rich Islamic heritage. 

Before we move to the next tour we will have lunch in one of the local nice restaurants here in Jeddah that serves the famous traditional dishes in Jeddah, after our lunch we will start cruising around the city and make short stops in the most famous monuments like the world tallest flag pole, the world tallest fountain and the open air museum, then we will go towards the beach to see the floating mosque and Jeddah waterfront to enjoy a walk on the beach, this is our last stop before we start our last tour for today, Jeddah historical city Al Balad.T

oday we will explore and understand the country through its diverse and rich culture of food and people. Page 3 of 10 We will start our tour in Al Balad as local call it which means “ the town” as reference to the base of Jeddah. Al-Balad was founded in the 7th century and historically served as the centre of Jeddah. Al-Balad's defensive walls were torn down in the 1940s. In the 1970s and 1980s, when Jeddah began to become wealthier due to the oil boom, many Jeddawis moved north, away from Al-Balad Al Balad is registered as a world heritage UNISCO site and since then the old buildings with its unique window designs and doors are being preserved along with its unique buildings which some have been built using sea shells and stones !. The old buildings once housed the famous Jeddah families and hosted the founder the late King Abdulaziz when first entered Jeddah. 

Our tour will go through the history of these building including going inside one of the buildings to see the interior designs , furniture and life back then Will also explain the historical importance of some sites and locations while we wonder around the narrow streets to explain how merchants used to sell their goods and how pilgrims used to get their supplies of cloth and food before they head to Makkah through the Makkah Gate in Al Balad. The old Mosques is another tourist attraction where some were founded over 300 years ago and still functional as a mosque. The main attraction in this tour is the food and snacks of Al Balad where we will pass by some famous vendors known to offer the best local snacks such as the local drink made of bread “ Sobia” and the old bakery which its famous for its fresh bread. Another local snack that consist of Bean and pickles “ Balilah”.

 We will stop for rest in one of the local coffee open air places and try famous local tea mixed with milk and herbs We will move to visit the center of Al Balad to see the first hotel built in Jeddah influenced by Italian architecture then pass by the first school built in Saudi. We will also visit one of the art houses and museum offering its unique local art collection and antiques. During this tour you will pass by many shops where they offer different merchandise such as perfumes, cloth, jewelry , antiques and souvenirs where you can buy and bargain ! 

we will also introduce you to some local shops to see some crafts being made such as the local sandals , perfumes and gold jewelry crafts. You will pass by different local communities within Al Balad which each community gather for tea and chat , kids playing around and street cats strolling for food ! the Balad spirit Finally at the end we will visit one of the local restaurants for dinner and try the famous local dishes such as Kabab , fish or liver with bread !

Over the Hada Mountains above Mecca and on the eastern slopes of the Al-Sarawat mountains, lies The City of Taif, the cool and green Summer Capital located in the western part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

People come here for the weather (much cooler than Jeddah in the summer months), beautiful scenery and the town’s relaxed atmosphere. Driving along the winding roads to escape the steamy heat of Jeddah or entering from the east away from the dry desert clime of the Najd, visitors to Taif are greeted by a fresh, cool breeze as they ascend to the city. Set in a hollow between granite hills rising from the eastern slope of the Hejaz in the southwest region of the Kingdom, this city is a magnet that draws visitors from across Saudi Arabia. 

In this day trip will pass by the highlight of this city , by first visiting by the old palaces which was built by the elite. These palaces are now abandoned and not well maintained but still preserve its original design which will give an idea how these palaces look like back in the 1920s Page 4 of 10 The first one is built by Mohammed Bin Abdul Wahed in 1897, this historic building features a mix of Hejazi and Roman architecture with Islamic flourishes. Last occupied as a residence in 1968, it has been home to Taif's top officials, including King Faisal, when he served as a viceroy of the Hejaz region. The building is now closed and in desperate need of restoration We will pass by two more palaces which each one has its unique story , it will give you an idea about the history of this region including the famous Shobra House which is a city’s museum occupies a beautiful house built in 1905 on the orders of Sharif Ali Pasha. The palace is the most stunning vestige of old Taif, with latticework windows and balconies, and interior marble from Carrara. King Abdul Aziz used to stay here, and the palace was later the residence of King Faisal. 

Up next we will visit one of the local farms to rest and have a nice local lunch outdoor and drink tea. We will have the chance to try one of the local cuisine of this region which its called “ Seleq” that is rice mix with milk boiled and served with lamb ! Will visit one of the local farms known to plant and produce Rose. Taif has the right weather to grow roses and it has a dedicated season to celebrate its production. You will have the chance to learn about the origins which goes back to the Ottoman rule in this region when they brought the seeds with them and you will learn more about how they process it and extract the oil that used in perfumes At this time will do a quick visit to nearby mountain area named “ Al Hada” where the landscape and scenery are different and cloudy due to its altitude.

 We will stop at few vintage point and enjoy the scenery but beware as baboons might join you ! we will pass by the small fruit venders in this area and see different fruit produced in this area including the unique fruit called “Barshomi” which you will have the to try it We will end our tour will pass by the old Souq or market. It’s the old part of the town , small market offers different types of merchandise including an old bakery which will let you try some treats and enjoy a quick walk before we call it a day and head to the hotel in Taif.

After our breakfast we will go further south which will take us about 2.45 hours drive however before that if the wather permit us in Taif we will do an early stop before we leave to a rocky mountain and hike for 20 min where we might have the opportunity to see the holy city of Makkah from here and clearly will see the famous clock tower. 

On our way we will make a stop to visit Al Akhawain museum which means “the two brothers”. This museum is located in Al Mald heritage village and it holds many traditional pieces that goes back to over 120 years. Next we will be driving for less than an hour to Dhee Ayn, this village is built on a white marble outcrop in the epic Bidah Valley, south of Al Baha, Dhee Ayn looks like an Arabian citadel has arrived on a Tuscan hillside. Often called the Marble Village, the cuboid buildings were made of stone and slate more than 400 years ago, and abandoned sometime in the 1980s.

 Exploring its narrow pathways today is an eerily beautiful experience, especially during the golden hours, when the light reflects on the white marble and the colorful mountains in the background. Page 5 of 10 We will be having our lunch break here in this beautiful village.

 We will be ending our day with a visit to the caves resort, as obvious as its name this is a resort that is literally build with in the caves and has a gorgeous int view over the mountains that you cant miss, we can promise you this visit as it depends on availability. We will go back to our hotel to rest a little and be prepared for another road trip to discover Saudi like a local and with locals.

Here comes another worthy road trip all the way to Abha but this time we will stop in Al Namas city on the way which is a must see ! our drive to Al Namas will be 3 hours long. but before we head there, we will be starting our day with a breakfast in one of the oldest and most famous traditional restaurant which serves a traditional dish called “fool” which is made of beans ! 

Al Namas, often known as the city of fog, is surrounded by wild nature; from the striking views and forests of the Cloud Park to the wildlife-filled Jebel Mareer mountain to the north, where it’s sometimes possible to see all the way to the Red Sea. We will stop to explore the Arabic artifacts and literature at the grandly ornate Al Maqar Museum, dubbed the Museum in the Clouds and one of the most striking buildings in the region.

 Al-Maqar palace in the Asir region is an architectural marvel. It looks like a fictional palace come to life from the pages of a fantasy book. It erupts tall and beautiful in an otherwise subtle city. The palace is illuminated with lights that make it appear to glow. As Asir is a cold region, in the winter fog looms around the castle, adding to the dreamy view. After marveling over the beauty of the exterior, visitors can enjoy the inside of the place. It took 35 years to build and used more than two million natural stones from the mountains of the Asir region in its construction. A citizen inspired by Andalusian palaces built it and collected Islamic artifacts dating back to the Abbasid, Umayyad and Ottoman periods. To some the interior may look more like a private collection than a museum, with 16 million Islamic decorations gathering dust on the shelves. The artifacts were collected by Mohammed Al-Maqar Al-Shehri, who traveled the world finding items to add to his collection. Considering what it has to offer, the museum does not get as much recognition as it should. There are 20 places to enter the palace, and the structure of the building has seven domes each representing the continents of the world. The museum itself stands on 365 columns, each dedicated to each day of the year. The attention to detail in the museum is outstanding. Each floor is dedicated to the era from which the artifacts are from, making it a rare Saudi landmark in the 21st century. 

 The museum is home to many Islamic manuscripts on medicine, astronomy and mathematics. It also has the first record of the handwritten manuscript of the Qur’an. In addition, there are a few thousand manuscripts to view. The museum opens a window on Islamic and Arabic history and takes the visitor on a journey back in time! 

We have our stomach full now its time to continue our road trip to reach Abha, we will be driving for another 2 hours to get there. 

after our journey and once we arrive to Abha we will go to our hotel for check in and get some sleep to be prepared for tomorrow .

Abha is the capital of Aseer Province and has the 6th largest population in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

 It is famous for being the highest large city of Saudi Arabia at over 2 200 meters, some parts of the city being even around 2 400 meters. With such an altitude it is not surprising that Abha benefits from milder climatic conditions that most the rest of the country. We will start our day with an introduction to the most popular and historical site here in Abha, we will begin with Aseer Regional Museum that tells the long history of Abha and Aseer Province and exhibits some of the province’s traditional handicrafts, along with antiquities of Aseer Province, A few hundred meters from the Regional Museum is Al-Muftaha Village, a cultural center built according to the standards of Aseer traditional architecture. It hosts a hall of plastic arts and shops where the handcrafts are sold.

 After our lunch break, we will be heading to the place that everyone comes to Abha waits for it, Rejal Alma’a !! For its exceptional features Rijal Alma’ is today on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is famous for its typical Arabian traditional architecture that can be found throughout the whole country, each region having its own specificities. But when it comes to Saudi traditional architecture the first image that comes to mind is the charming and colorful houses of Rijal Alma’. The fame of this village isn’t only due to the stunning sceneries it offers but also to the important role it played in the history of the region. The dressed stone square towers, patterned with gleaming lumps of sugar-white quartz, that comprise the original village are typical of the culture of the area. 

They tell the story of a culture with ingenuity and skills that allowed them to capitalize of the materials to hand and were surprisingly sophisticated in their use of dressed stone to make complex structures. The solidly built houses double as mini-fortresses and comfortable habitation. They speak of items of great value passing through, a culture immersed in trade, one that picked up trade goods and elements of foreign culture from travelers as they passed through. But the most striking surprise of Rijal is hidden inside its walls. After penetrating through the sculpted doors, each dark stone building turns out to be the jewelry box containing of a treasure of painted by skilled and patient artisans. Today the vibrant colors of these fascinating patchworks still decorates the walls of Rijal Alma’a. we will head back to our hotel in Abha.

Today after we check-out from our hotel and before we take off to Jazan we will have one last stop here in Abha, we will head to Soudah mountain and then we continue our journey a bit further to the South. 

At 3,000 meters, perched on the side of Saudi Arabia’s highest mountain, the juniper-covered Soudah is the unofficial outdoor adventure capital of Saudi Arabia. Part of the vast Asir National Park, with its network of hiking routes, this is an area of cool mountain air, wild nature and mist-cloaked valleys. We will enjoy a cable car ride down this gorgeous mountain which lasts 20 minutes of endless beauty between greenery and fog ! a magical view indeed. You can have a nice hike in the national park and have a break later on in the same area where you can find lots of cafes and restaurants. 

After our trip here we will continue our road trip to Jazan.

Once we arrive to the borders of Jazan we will shortly arrive to Wadi Lajb in Jazan then after our visit to this canyon we will head to the city of Jazan. Wadi Lajb is a huge and massive canyon from which freshwater streams flow along Al Reeth Mountains of Al Tihamah valleys southwest of Saudi Arabia. It is distinguished by its high altitude that reaches 800 meters, its narrow width which does not exceed 6 meters, and its extreme depth that the sunlight does not touch but only slightly, with vast green spaces covering its rough slopes. This majestic valley is one of the most important attractions in Jazan because it includes a globally rare canyon, with a mixture of rock formations of various types. It also includes "The Hanging Garden", which is the most beautiful and strange park of its kind in the Wadi Lajb in Jizan. 

The garden consists of a group of young trees growing at heights ranging from 200 to 400 meters. Page 8 of 10 At the end of this tour in the canyon we will head to Jazan to get some rest in our hotel.

Today will be a full day spent with the locals of Jazan where mostly theyre farmers who can tell you all about this hidden gims in Saudi that is almost unknown to the world. 

Jazan region is specialized in cultivating coffee trees that produce high quality Khoulani coffee, one of the finest types of coffee in the world. Saudi Arabia produces the most important types of coffee in the world, where the mountains of Jazan, south of the kingdom, boast agricultural wealth, while placing the coffee tree in the forefront. We will be visiting some local owners of some of these farms who are going to host us and have lunch with them and their families in the middle of the farm. After our tour today we will be going back to our hotel to get some rest and prepare for departure tomorrow