Saudi Arabia is still somewhat of an overlooked destination in the Middle East. Until recently, visiting Saudi Arabia as a tourist was a significant challenge, and not many people were able to do so. Fortunately, now it’s much easier, and even traveling in Saudi Arabia as a female is very easy and hassle-free.

Even if you are short on time (like we were, with only one week in Saudi Arabia), you can still see all the best attractions this place has to offer. This might be a huge country, but with a good network of domestic flights, you can easily plan a good Saudi Arabia itinerary, with all the highlights included.

In this article, you will find an example itinerary for Saudi Arabia, the one I did. You might follow my steps or modify them according to your interests, pace, and the trip’s length.

After a rather mediocre experience in Dubai, I was a bit hesitant to visit Saudi Arabia, but a friend of mine talked me into it. And I was not disappointed at all. The country exceeded my expectations, and locals were super friendly and hospitable. I might not agree with the country’s politics, but as a traveler, I had a very good experience there, and I can definitely recommend visiting Saudi Arabia.

We planned to spend 7 days in Saudi Arabia, covering all the biggest highlights of the country (eventually, we stayed a day longer as our flight back home was delayed). From vibrant cities, to UNESCO sites, from spectacular nature to amazing Old Towns – we’ve seen it all. I feel that we made the most of our time there, and I don’t think we could have done anything better.

Below, you can find our detailed Saudi Arabia itinerary, which will help you easily plan your trip there. I have also included some practical information that you will most likely find helpful. Read on, and plan your perfect Saudi Arabia trip.

Saudi Arabia itinerary

Day 0: arrival

I don’t really count the day of arrival in my Saudi Arabia itinerary, as our plane landed late in the evening at Riyadh airport. After a smooth immigration process, the pre-booked car took us directly to the hotel, where we rested after the journey and prepared for our first day in the country.

Recommended accommodation in Riyadh:

• Golden Tulip Riyadh Convention and Exhibition Center (8.7/10)
• Modrest Hotel (9.1/10)
• Erfad Hotel (8.8/10)
• and many more!

Day 1: Riyadh – flight to Jeddah

We began our first proper day in Saudi Arabia by visiting the At-Turaif District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010. The best way to get there (and to get around Riyadh) is by Uber; you will be dropped right in front of the entrance to the Al Bujairi Heritage Park, where you can start your sightseeing.

At-Turaif District is one of the most significant historical and political sites in Saudi Arabia, serving as the country’s first capital from 1727 to 1818. The place was founded in the 15th century, and it remains an impressive site today, where you can still feel the vibe of old times. In the At-Turaif District, you can find numerous historic places, such as Salwa Palace, At-Turaif Bath House, and Imam Mohammad bin Saud Mosque, but the real treat there is to wander around winding lanes and enjoy the place.

Across the street from the At-Turaif District, you can stop at Al Bujairi Heritage Park. This green oasis is a perfect blend of nature, art, and culinary scenes. Once you are done exploring the place, you can sit down in one of the numerous cafes and restaurants and simply relax.

After visiting At-Turaif District, we returned to the hotel to collect our luggage and head to the airport to catch a flight to Jeddah. There are numerous direct flights between the cities throughout the day. We chose the one in the late afternoon so we could enjoy Riyadh for most of the day.

The flight time between Riyadh and Jeddah is just under two hours. Since the flight was a bit delayed, we arrived at the hotel late in the evening.

At-Turaif District Tours:

• Diriyah Discovery – Half-Day UNESCO Heritage Tour
• Diriyah Historic
• Al Diriyah Private Tour

Day 2: Jeddah

Jeddah, the second-largest city in the country, is one of the best places to visit in Saudi Arabia. We started the day in the Old Town, also known as Al-Balad. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it’s such a unique place to explore.

The area is charming, with winding lanes and beautiful, multistory coral houses that the city is famous for. During our visit, many of them were undergoing restorations, while others were on the verge of collapse. However, those that were already renovated were simply the prettiest.

During the daytime, the Old Town is a bit deserted. Due to the heat, there were not many people around, but this way we could properly see every corner of Al-Balad.

Once we finished sightseeing here, we took an Uber to the Floating Mosque, which was an interesting attraction. Still, I found it to be a bit underwhelming. From there, it’s an easy and enjoyable walk along the Corniche, with amazing views of the Red Sea on one side and the F1 race track on the other. Since it was still a bit early in the afternoon, the place wasn’t as lively as I had expected, but it was a great escape from the city’s hustle and bustle.

Once we were back in the Old Town, it was like a totally different place. The area was packed with people and vibrant energy; locals were enjoying the time outside, and all the cafes and restaurants were full. It was simply an amazing place to hang out. Being part of this scene was such a great way to end a busy day discovering Jeddah. In the evening, it was also possible to visit the historical houses and the mosque, which were closed early in the day.

Where to stay in Jeddah:

• voco Jeddah Gate (9.3/10)
• Touq Al Balad Hotel (8.4/10)
• Odst Jeddah (9.2/10)
• and many more!

Recommended Jeddah tours:

• Historical & Heritage Tour in Jeddah Al Balad
• Full Day Guided Jeddah City Tour
• Private Tour in Historical Jeddah

Day 3: Jeddah – Al Ula

After another walk around the Old Town in Jeddah (it’s too charming to resist), it was time to head to the airport to fly to another one of Saudi Arabia’s highlights – Al-Ula. This ancient oasis town and its surroundings are packed with attractions and stunning, raw landscape, and you can easily spend a few days here to visit all the historical and natural sites and enjoy the breathtaking scenery.

We decided to splurge a bit on accommodation in Al-Ula and stayed at Caravan AlUla, a glamping site in the middle of the desert. It was a bit pricey and pretentious for my taste, but still worth the money. The site was serene; the night sky was mind-blowing, as was the surrounding scenery. On the day of arrival, we stayed inside the accommodation site and enjoyed all it had to offer.

You can check current prices and book the place at Caravan AlUla here.

Other recommended accommodation places in Al-Ula:

• Dar Tantora The House Hotel (9.2/10)
• Sahary Al Ula Resort (8.0/10)
• Rural Compound (8.9/10)
• and many more!

Day 4: Al Ula

It was a busy day, packed with Al-Ula attractions. We started the day with a tour to Hegra, a large archaeological site often compared to Petra in Jordan. It was the second capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, founded in the 3rd century BC. Today, you can see numerous necropolis sites, including the iconic Qaṣr al-Farīd, which is really impressive and worth all the hype.

To enter the Hegra site, you must join the official tour run by Experience Al Ula. The tours depart from the Winter Park Visitor Center and last approximately three hours. You can book the ticket online on their website or at their office in Winter Park. The tour was very well-organized, with enough time at each of the stops and with a knowledgeable tour guide.

After the return from Hegra, we had a bit of free time before our afternoon tour, so we explored the Old Town of Al-Ula (which was still partly under reconstruction). It’s a great area, with a maze of winding lanes surrounded by mud-brick houses. There are also numerous cafes and restaurants to rest in and grab delicious local food.

On the opposite side of the main road, you can go for a walk along the Dadan Heritage Trail, which can give you an insight into the farm life in the oasis. I found it really interesting and worth going, even if for a short distance.

In the afternoon, we had another tour booked – to the iconic Elephant Rock, one of the most popular landmarks in the Al-Ula area. Since there were only two of us and we still had some time until sunset (when Elephant Rock is the most stunning with the orange light), the driver took us to the Harrat Viewpoint. It’s located pretty high up in the mountains above Al-Ula, and the vast panorama of the valley from there is spectacular.

The Elephant Rock itself didn’t disappoint either. The rock formation is massive, with a height of 52 meters, and it really looks like an elephant. Since it’s a popular attraction in Al-Ula, the place is quite busy, but it’s still a lovely location. The Elephant Rock and its surroundings look especially beautiful around sunset time, during the golden hour. Once we’ve seen this breathtaking view, it was time to end this busy and eventful day.

Recommended Al-Ula tours:

• AlUla City Tour with 5 Attractions
• Alula Full Day Tour
• Hidden Valley Hike in AlUla

Day 5: Al Ula – flights to Riyadh

Since our flight from Al-Ula to Riyadh was departing late in the afternoon, we spent the day exploring the area near our accommodation. The highlight of the place is Maraya, an event hall situated in the middle of the desert. What makes it special is the building’s exterior – it’s covered in mirrored glass, creating interesting illusions as the rock foundations reflect in the structure. For those interested in architecture, it is a truly magnificent site.

Maraya is inside a gated area of Al-Ula. If you are not staying in one of the accommodation places nearby, it might be tricky to visit it. You can do it on a tour – click here for details.

The second part of the day was spent relaxing at the poolside in the sister resort of the glamping site where we stayed. After all the sightseeing, it was good to slow down for a bit and enjoy the place and the beautiful scenery around.

Day 6: Riyadh – Edge of the World

Back in Riyadh, our main attraction for the day was the tour to the Edge of the World. The tour to this breathtaking place didn’t leave until 2 p.m., so we killed the time in one of the shopping malls that the capital of Saudi Arabia is full of.

Every time we asked a local person about recommendations for Riyadh attractions, everyone mentioned shopping malls, so we had to check at least once. To be honest, it wasn’t anything special; shopping malls are pretty much the same everywhere. But it’s a good place to kill some time and do people-watching.

The tour to the Edge of the World started with a two-hour drive to our destination. The 1.131-meter-high cliff is located approximately 100 km away from Riyadh. Since the last part is accessible only by a gravel road, you can only get there with a 4×4 vehicle.

Everyone comes here for the sunset, as the place looks especially beautiful with the soft orange light. But even with many people around, it was easy to enjoy the place, and the scenery around really took my breath away.

We had around one hour to freely spend at the Edge of the World, which was followed by the short drive to the place where the dinner under the stars was served. After some relaxing time in the desert, we returned to Riyadh to finish the day.

Recommended Edge of the World tours:

• Edge of the World with 4×4 vehicle, camels, Dinner and stargazing
• Edge Of The World Hike with 4×4 vehicle, camels, and stargazing
• Edge of The World Riyadh with Camel Ride ,Bat Cave Visit & Dinner

Day 7: Riyadh – departure

The last day of our Saudi Arabia itinerary was spent exploring Riyadh’s attractions. We’ve seen the National Museum, the Murabba Historical Palace, the infamous Deira Square (also known as Chop-Chop Square, as it was once a site of public executions), and the Masmak Fortress.

At the end of our trip to Saudi Arabia, we went to the Skybridge at the Kingdom Center. The panorama of Riyadh from the 99th floor is really amazing. From here, you can truly understand how huge this city is.

Once we were done with all the sightseeing, it was time to head to the airport, from where our flight back home was supposed to depart after midnight (spoiler alert: it didn’t, but that’s another long story).

Recommended Riyadh tours:

• Al Masmak Fortress, Murabba Palace, and Souq Al Zal Tour
• Riyadh Full City Tour
• Riyadh: Full Day City Tour Guided with Transport

Saudi Arabia itinerary – practical information

You need a visa to enter Saudi Arabia. You can apply for it online before your trip or on arrival at the airport. I applied for mine online and received it back in literally 2 minutes (I’ve never gotten a visa that fast). I recommend obtaining your visa before the trip, as going through immigration at a Saudi airport will be quicker for you. You can do it on this official website.

We flew to and from Riyadh. There are direct flights from Warsaw with LOT Polish Airlines, so it was the easiest option for me. Recently, more and more airlines have opened routes to Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Airlines flies to numerous destinations all over the world, so getting to the country is not a challenge.

In both Riyadh and Jeddah, I arranged airport pickup through the Welcome Pickups website. The prices were fair, and it gave me peace of mind knowing that a driver would wait for us after we arrived. In all three cases, everything went smoothly, and we had no issues finding the driver. Even when our flight from Riyadh to Jeddah was over an hour delayed, the driver was waiting for us at the designated place. In Al-Ula, we arranged the airport pickup through our accommodation. You can book airport transfer with Welcome Pickups here.

For the trip to Saudi Arabia, I got internet data through eSim with Airalo. I always used it when traveling, and it worked well for me in Saudi Arabia as well. It was really necessary to have an online connection all the time, as we used it to order Uber, stay in touch with the drivers at the airport, and find good cafes and restaurants. You can get the eSim for your trip here.

To get around cities, we used Uber. It was easy, fast, safe, and affordable. The only place where we encountered issues was Al-Ula, where only a few cars are available, and the waiting time can be excessively long (we eventually resorted to using a regular taxi).

In most places, it was possible to pay by card, and my Revolut card worked perfectly everywhere. We took some money from the ATM on our first day, but we still used cards mostly.

Knowing how conservative Saudi Arabia is and having various experiences in other Middle East countries, I was a bit anxious about traveling there as a woman. Yes, it was easier with a friend, but we were still two females exploring the country independently. As it turned out, there was nothing to worry about. We felt very safe everywhere; we didn’t have any issues with the male-dominated culture, and we had an absolutely best experience with hospitable local people. For some women, conservative clothes that cover the knees and elbows might be an issue, but I didn’t mind that at all.

Final thoughts on visiting Saudi Arabia

As you could read above, you really can see a lot in one week in Saudi Arabia. The country might be huge, but it’s easy to travel around, especially if you focus on the most important and interesting places. I truly enjoyed my trip to Saudi Arabia, and I wouldn’t mind returning there one day to see more of what the country has to offer. And I can definitely recommend visiting Saudi Arabia to everyone.

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• I’ve included a few handy links of services and products I personally like and use so you can plan your own trip to Saudi Arabia too. They are often affiliate links. This means I will get a small commission if you book/purchase anything through my links, at no extra costs for you. Thank you!

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