SAUDI ARABIA
The light was slowly fading as we pulled up in our vintage Jeep to this wondrous ancient Petra-looking relic. Hegra stood tall in the vast desert; there was nothing around us for miles. And it was exactly what I envisioned when I dreamed of visiting Saudi Arabia one day.
Saudi Arabia only recently opened up to tourism, and it’s a fascinating country to visit! If you’re looking for the best itinerary and road trip guide to Saudi Arabia, this is it!
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Visiting Saudi Arabia is easier than ever with its new e-visa! Check the regulations for your country here, but if you want to apply for the e-visa straight away go to the official website. When you receive your e-visa, make sure you have it printed before your trip, and you’ll go to a separate area where they’ll process the visa. Online it says you can do “visa on arrival,” however when I went there were so many other requirements you needed to provide that it’s much easier to take care of things in advance. I went in October 2021 during the height of the pandemic so things might be different now, but it’s always important to plan well-ahead.
What to Wear
As a woman it’s important to dress conservatively to respect local customs and culture. My friend and I went shopping at a local mall for an abaya, and surprisingly there were a lot of really beautiful options, even dresses with cloaks! Here’s a pin to the local Olaya Mall so you can find what you need!
Coming from western culture it might not be easy to differentiate, so I’m attaching a little graphic below. An abaya is a full-body dress or covering, and it’s always good to have a head scarf on-hand for mosques.
Check out my blog post “What to wear in the Middle East | Clothing Guide for Women” for more ideas!
Saudi Arabia road trip itinerary
Now that we’ve gone over the main details, let’s get back to the road trip itinerary!
Riyadh
Even though this isn’t part of the actual road trip itinerary, you should definitely make a visit to Riyadh! I highly recommend visiting the Masmak Fortress and Edge of the World. A week after we went to Edge of the World, there were a few deaths so they had a shut it down and made an “Alternative Edge of the World,” but I believe they opened it back up! Also, be aware: you’ll see all these influencers going to these beautiful locations and you’ll try visiting and everything is “under construction.” So if you visit and everything is closed, don’t be surprised.
Jeddah
From Riyadh we took a flight over to Jeddah and rented a car! Women haven’t been able to drive up until recently, so some rental companies might not rent to a woman. In Jeddah I highly recommend visiting Al-Balad, the historical area of the city before heading out on your road trip!
Medina
The second holiest city in Islam, this is a must on your western Saudi road trip! As a non-Muslim you can can visit Medina, but you cannot enter the mosque area, only observe.
Al Ula
This was probably the highlight of Saudi, visiting Al Ula! Hegra is considered a UNESCO world heritage site, which is a must. I highly recommend doing the vintage Land Rover tour at sunset since you get the whole place to yourself on top of a really awesome experience! The only thing is, there’s two different entrances to the park and you must make a reservation in advance as they book out and you cannot do it the day-of. Yes, it’s pricey, but if you split it between a few people it’s truly a magical experience. Plus to clarify, the price is for your own vintage Land Rover — not per person!
Besides Hegra, I loved visiting Maraya Concert Hall, which holds the Guinness World Record for being the biggest mirrored building in the world.
Ulmuj
I personally did not go here (we were pretty tired and just stopped in Yanbu on the way back to Jeddah), but if you want one more stop on the way check out “the Maldives of Saudi,” which is known for its amazing beaches.
