Self-Launched Saudi Arabia Explorer – Total Eclipse

Fly into King Khalid International Airport and make your way into the city by the Riyadh Metro (Line 4, ~£1.50) or a Careem/Uber (~£10-15). Check into your budget hotel near the city centre. Spend the evening exploring the Al Olaya district or grab dinner at a local kabsa restaurant — a full meal costs around £5-8. Pick up a local SIM card (stc or Mobily) at the airport for ~£8 including data.

🚌Riyadh Metro Line 4 from airport (~£1.50) or Careem/Uber (~£10-15)

🛏Riyadh Front Hotel or Al Hamra Boutique (or similar budget hotel near city centre, ~£35-50/night)

• →Arrive at King Khalid International Airport
• →Take the Riyadh Metro (Line 4) or app-taxi to the city centre (~£1.50-£15)
• →Pick up a local SIM card at the airport (~£8)
• →Explore Al Olaya district and grab dinner at a local kabsa restaurant (~£5-8)

Spend a full day exploring Riyadh's highlights independently. Start at Masmak Fortress (free entry) in the historic centre, then wander Souq al Zel or Souq Bisht for traditional goods. Head to the National Museum of Saudi Arabia (~£4 entry) and Murabba Palace. In the afternoon, take an Uber to Ad Diriyah (entry ~£10-15) — a UNESCO World Heritage mud-brick city and birthplace of the Saudi state. End the day at one of the restaurants just outside Ad Diriyah. Uber rides across the city average £3-6 each.

🚌Riyadh Metro and Careem/Uber for city journeys (~£3-6 per ride)

🛏Riyadh Front Hotel or Al Hamra Boutique (or similar, ~£35-50/night)

• →Masmak Fortress – free entry, self-guided exploration
• →Souq al Zel or Souq Bisht for traditional crafts and atmosphere
• →National Museum of Saudi Arabia (~£4 entry)
• →Murabba Palace (~£4 entry)
• →Ad Diriyah UNESCO World Heritage Site (~£10-15 entry) – book via the AlUla/Diriyah Gate Authority app or on arrival

Rise early and hire a private driver or join a shared taxi for the ~400km drive to Buraydah via Ushaiger heritage village. Pre-arrange a day-hire driver through your hotel or via Careem for around £60-80 for the full day. Ushaiger is a free-to-explore abandoned Najdi mud-brick village, very photogenic and rarely crowded. Stop at Al Bassam Heritage House in Unaizah (~£3-5 entry) before continuing to Buraydah for the night.

🚌Private hire driver for the day (~£60-80 total for the car, split if travelling with others) covering ~400km

🛏Ewaa Express Buraydah or Buraydah Palace Hotel (~£30-45/night)

• →Ushaiger Heritage Village – free, self-guided exploration of traditional Najdi architecture
• →Al Bassam Heritage House, Unaizah (~£3-5 entry) – 30-room traditional house with crafts and folk exhibits
• →Arrive in Buraydah and explore the city centre souq

Head out early to the Buraydah Camel Market — the largest in the world and free to visit. Trading begins at dawn so arrive by 7am for the best atmosphere. Explore the date market and sample Al-Qassim's famous varieties. Then take the Saudi Railways (SAR) high-speed train from Buraydah to Hail (~2 hours, tickets from ~£12-18, book via the SAR app). In Hail, explore A'arif Fort (small entry fee ~£2-4) and the Al Qishlah compound on foot or by short taxi.

🚌SAR high-speed train Buraydah → Hail (~£12-18). Local taxis in Hail (~£3-5 per ride)

🛏Holiday Villa Hail or Qasr Al Diyar (~£30-45/night)

• →Buraydah Camel Market – free, arrive at dawn for full atmosphere
• →Buraydah Date Market – free to browse, sample local varieties
• →High-speed train Buraydah to Hail (~2hrs, ~£12-18 – book via SAR app)
• →A'arif Fort, Hail (~£2-4 entry)
• →Al Qishlah compound, Hail (free exterior, small fee for interior)

Hire a driver from Hail for the journey to Jubbah (~1.5hrs north), where UNESCO-listed Neolithic petroglyphs are carved into large sandstone outcrops. Entry is through the Jubbah Archaeological Site visitor centre (~£5-8). Pack a picnic lunch for the long onward drive across the Nefud Al Kabir desert to AlUla (~5-6hrs total from Hail). Arrive in time for sunset at Elephant Rock (Jabal Al Fil) — free and spectacular. Check into your farm stay or guesthouse near AlUla.

🚌Hired driver from Hail covering Jubbah + AlUla (~£80-100 total for the vehicle)

🛏Shaden Resort AlUla or Arac Resort (or similar guesthouse/farm stay near AlUla, ~£40-60/night)

• →Jubbah Neolithic rock art UNESCO site (~£5-8 entry, self-guided or local guide available on-site)
• →Picnic lunch en route across the Nefud Al Kabir desert
• →Sunset at Jabal Al Fil (Elephant Rock) – free, no booking needed
• →Check in to AlUla guesthouse or farm stay

Book a full day at AlUla's sites through the Experience AlUla platform (experiencealula.com) or GetYourGuide. Visit Hegra (Madain Saleh) — a UNESCO World Heritage Nabataean site with monumental rock-cut tombs (~£20-30 entry, includes a shuttle bus around the site). Head to Maraya, the mirrored concert hall (exterior viewing free), and walk the Oasis Heritage Trail through date farms and palm groves. Explore AlUla Old Town independently. In the evening, join a stargazing tour (~£20-30/person via Experience AlUla or a local operator) using traditional Bedouin navigation knowledge.

🚌Shuttle buses included with Hegra ticket; local taxis for other transfers (~£5-10)

🛏Shaden Resort AlUla or Arac Resort (~£40-60/night)

• →Hegra (Madain Saleh) UNESCO Nabataean tombs (~£20-30 entry, book via experiencealula.com)
• →Maraya mirrored building exterior – free
• →AlUla Oasis Heritage Trail walk – free
• →AlUla Old Town self-guided exploration – free
• →Desert stargazing session with local astronomy guide (~£20-30/person, book via Experience AlUla)

Hire a driver for the road journey from AlUla to Medina (~4hrs, ~£50-70 for the vehicle) via the Khaybar oasis, a volcanic black-lava landscape with ancient mud-city ruins and fortress towers amid thousands of palm trees. Entry to the Khaybar ruins is free. Note: non-Muslims must stay in hotels near Medina airport (approximately 15km from the city centre) due to access restrictions. Take an Uber/Careem to Mount Uhud at sunset for views over the holy city.

🚌Hired driver AlUla → Khaybar → Medina (~£50-70 for the vehicle, ~4hrs). Careem/Uber for city visits (~£3-8 per ride)

🛏Millennium Medina Airport or Movenpick Madinah (near Medina airport, ~£40-60/night)

• →Khaybar oasis mud ruins and fortresses – free, self-guided
• →Exterior views of Al Masjid an Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) square – non-Muslims may visit the outer plaza only
• →Mount Uhud at sunset – free viewpoint (~£3-5 Uber each way)

Spend the morning exploring Medina's other highlights — visit the old Hijaz Railway station (Medina Ottoman Railway terminus, free exterior viewing) and browse the central market for local sweets including ma'amoul, luqaimat and kunafa. Have lunch with views towards the Prophet's Mosque square. Then board the Haramain High-Speed Railway from Medina to Jeddah (~2hrs, tickets from £12-20 — book via the Haramain app or ticket office). Arrive in Jeddah and head to the corniche for evening drinks by the sea.

🚌Haramain High-Speed Railway Medina → Jeddah (~£12-20). Careem/Uber in Jeddah (~£3-6 per ride)

🛏Ewaa Express Jeddah or Corniche Hotel (~£30-50/night)

• →Hijaz Railway old terminus, Medina – free
• →Central market and sweet stalls – free to browse
• →Haramain High-Speed Railway Medina → Jeddah (~2hrs, ~£12-20, book via Haramain app)
• →Jeddah corniche evening walk – free
• →King Fahd Fountain illuminated at night – free from the corniche

Spend a full day in Jeddah. Start at the Tayebat City Museum (Abdul Raouf Khalil Museum, ~£5 entry) for an immersive introduction to Jeddawi architecture and Arabian Peninsula heritage. Then head to Jeddah's fish market to see the morning catch and grab a plate of freshly cooked fish at one of the stalls (~£5-8). In the afternoon, wander freely through Al-Balad, Jeddah's UNESCO-listed historic district of ornate coral-stone merchant houses with carved wooden mashrabiya screens — entry to the district is free. Many restored cafés and galleries line the lanes.

🚌Careem/Uber for city journeys (~£3-6 per ride)

🛏Ewaa Express Jeddah or Corniche Hotel (~£30-50/night)

• →Tayebat City Museum (~£5 entry)
• →Jeddah Fish Market – free to visit, fresh cooked fish ~£5-8
• →Al-Balad UNESCO historic district self-guided walk – free
• →Explore restored art galleries and cafés in Al-Balad

The centrepiece of this entire journey. Take an early bus or hire a driver from Jeddah to Al Bahah (~3-4hrs, SAPTCO bus ~£8-12 or driver hire ~£50-70), which falls within the path of totality for the total solar eclipse. Book a guided eclipse-viewing experience in advance through a local astronomy tour operator or the Saudi Tourism Authority's event listings. Bring certified eclipse glasses (~£2-5). Al Bahah sits at altitude in forested mountains, offering clear skies and dramatic scenery. Book accommodation months ahead for this once-in-a-generation event.

🚌SAPTCO bus Jeddah → Al Bahah (~£8-12) or hired driver (~£50-70)

🛏Swiss Spirit Cloud City Al Bahah or Al Bahah Tourist Village (~£45-70/night — book far in advance)

• →Travel to Al Bahah – within the path of totality for the total solar eclipse
• →Total solar eclipse viewing – join a local astronomy event or find your own clear vantage point
• →Certified eclipse glasses essential (~£2-5, bring from home or buy in Jeddah)
• →Explore Al Bahah's mountain scenery and forest parks

Visit Al Malad Castle near Al Bahah (small entry fee ~£2-4, free parking). Then travel deeper into the Asir highlands towards the Al Shaaf area. Arrange a homestay experience through Saudi Tourism Authority's 'Experience Saudi' programme or local guesthouses that offer home-hosted dinners with Asiri families (~£25-40/person including dinner). The Asir region is famous for its painted houses, terraced mountain agriculture and distinct southern Saudi culture — very different to the rest of the Kingdom.

🚌Hired driver or local shared taxi from Al Bahah into Asir (~£20-35)

🛏Homestay with a local family in the Asir highlands (~£25-40/person including dinner)

• →Al Malad Castle – small entry fee (~£2-4)
• →Drive through Asir mountain landscapes and terraced farmland
• →Village homestay with local Asiri family – arranged via Saudi Tourism or local contact (~£25-40/person including dinner)
• →Traditional Asiri dinner and cultural exchange

Travel from the Asir highlands into Abha, the capital of the Asir region, by shared taxi or hired driver (~1-2hrs). Abha sits at 2,200m altitude amid green valleys and is famously cooler than the rest of Saudi Arabia. Check in and spend the afternoon exploring Abha's colourful murals and local street art in the city centre. Take the Abha cable car (Al Soudah Cable Car, ~£8-12 return) for panoramic views over the escarpment and cloud forest.

🚌Shared taxi or hired driver from Asir to Abha (~£15-25)

🛏Ewa Express Hotel Abha or Lavender Hotel (~£30-45/night)

• →Travel to Abha from Asir highlands (shared taxi or driver, ~1-2hrs)
• →Abha city centre murals and street art – free
• →Al Soudah Cable Car for panoramic mountain views (~£8-12 return)
• →Explore local souqs and cafés in Abha

A full free day to explore Abha and the wider Asir region at your own pace. Visit Thee Ain (Al Ain) — a stunning ancient marble-stone village clinging to a cliff face (~45min drive from Abha, hire a driver for ~£20-30 return). Explore Shada Palace in the old town of Abha (small entry fee) and the Al Muftaha arts village. In the afternoon, walk through the green valleys and terraced farmland of Al Soudah Park (~£5 entry). End with dinner at one of Abha's restaurants serving traditional Asiri dishes.

🚌Hired driver for Thee Ain excursion (~£20-30 return). Local Careem/Uber for city (~£3-5)

🛏Ewa Express Hotel Abha or Lavender Hotel (~£30-45/night)

• →Thee Ain (Al Ain) marble-stone heritage village (~45min from Abha, hire driver ~£20-30 return)
• →Shada Palace and old town of Abha (small entry ~£3-5)
• →Al Muftaha arts village – free
• →Al Soudah Park and forested mountain walks (~£5 entry)
• →Traditional Asiri dinner in Abha (~£8-12)

Final morning in Abha — grab breakfast at a local café and pick up last-minute souvenirs from the Abha central market. Abha Regional Airport (ABT) has connections to Riyadh, Jeddah and beyond. Take a Careem/Uber to the airport (~£5-10). Saudi Arabia's domestic airline flynas offers affordable connections if you need to return to Riyadh or Jeddah for your international flight.

🚌Careem/Uber to Abha Regional Airport (~£5-10). Domestic flynas flight if needed (~£25-50)

• →Final breakfast at a local Abha café
• →Browse Abha central market for last souvenirs
• →Transfer to Abha Regional Airport by Careem/Uber (~£5-10)
• →Fly home or onward via Riyadh or Jeddah