Saudi Arabia Highlights

Saudi Arabia's tourism industry is still in its infancy, and there are some challenges to overcome, like a lack of infrastructure in some locations, reliable systems, and trained leaders and guides. Even the most experienced leaders are still very new to group travel. Sites are occasionally closed with little, or no notice and restoration work is common. You’ll need to have a degree of flexibility when travelling here., Hotel standards and service levels vary across the country and may differ from what you’ve experienced elsewhere. Locals are new to international tourism, so please have an open mind and heart., The country has strict laws and customs that visitors should be aware of before travelling, such as dress codes. Alcohol is also banned. Please see the Essential Trip Information for more detail., Saudi Arabia is a large country, and you’ll cover a lot in this action packed but short trip. Be prepared for some long travel days where lunch stops will be simple and limited., The luggage allowance for the bullet train is 25kg for your main piece of luggage. You need to be able to lift and carry your luggage up and down stairs by yourself, without difficulty.

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights on your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
3. Checked in luggage on the high speed train from Madinah to Jeddah is restricted to 1 x 25kg bag.
4. Please provide a copy of your passport at time of booking in order to to secure train tickets.

Below are some ideas and helpful tips on what you specifically need for this trip.

GENERAL PACKING LIST
- Passport & photocopy + copy saved on phone
- Visa (if required) & photocopy + copy saved on phone
- Flight tickets
- Credit/debit cards
- Personal medication + copies of prescriptions
- Phone
- Charger
- Travel adapter (plug type G)
- Power bank
- Daypack
- Toiletries
- Sun protection: sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
- Hand sanitiser
- Insect repellent
- Tissues
- Ear plugs & eye mask
- Refillable water bottle
- Quick drying towel
- Underwear & socks
- Sleepwear
- Swimwear plus something to cover up for women ie. sarong, caftan etc. See the responsible
travel section for more details on clothing and swimwear for women in Saudi Arabia
- Light-weight, loose, long sleeved tops for good sun protection
- Tops that cover the shoulders & midriff for both men & women
- Light-weight, loose, long pants or skirts
- Scarf for women for when visiting religious sites or to cover nose & mouth if windy in the desert
- Warmer layers for nights in the desert and cooler months
- Flip flops or sandals
- Comfortable, enclosed shoes for walking

LUGGAGE LIMIT
On this trip, you must pack as lightly as possible because you will be expected to carry your own bag and, although you won't be required to walk long distances with your luggage, we strongly recommend keeping the weight under 15kg. Please keep in mind that checked in luggage on the high speed train from Madinah to Jeddah is restricted to 1 x 25kg bag (plus a carry-on).

VALUABLES
Please try to avoid bringing unnecessary valuables, and use your hotel safes to store the bulk of your money, passport, and airline tickets. It’s also a good idea to purchase a money belt or pouch that is easily hidden. We strongly recommend that you photocopy all important documents e.g. air tickets, passport, vaccination certificate, etc. and keep the copies separate from the originals. While not valid, a photocopy makes it very much easier to obtain replacements if necessary.

RESTRICTED ITEMS
Alcohol is prohibited and shouldn't be brought into the country under any circumstances, WATER BOTTLE
Please bring your own water bottle to refill. Although it can be difficult to avoid bottled water when travelling, please use the water dispensers which are provided on some of our vehicles and at some of our accommodation. When unable to avoid bottled water, it is better to buy the largest available and distribute it into your smaller bottle for the day. Some travellers like to bring a bottle with its own filtration system or water purification tablets. If you are walking or trekking as part of your trip, you will need to carry at least 2 litres of water with you.

Gardino Hotel & Residence, Takhassusi Street Al Mohammadiyyah, Riyadh, Riyadh, SAUDI ARABIA

Gardino Hotel & Residence is located a 35-minute drive from King Khalid International Airport 3.9kn from, King Khalid Grand Mosque (3.9 km) and 3.5km from The Kingdom centre. The hotel facilitates include free Wi-Fi, terrace, restaurant, spa and wellness centre, indoor swimming pool, sauna, and hammam. As well as a café, and restaurant. All rooms are equipped with a flat screen tv, mini bar, safe deposit box, ensuite with bathroom amenities, laundry services and a 24-hour room service.

Alternate Joining Point

Please make sure that you provide your flight details no later than 14 days before departure to book your arrival transfer with us. For your confirmed arrival transfer, you’ll be met outside Riyadh Airport by a transfer representative holding an Intrepid sign. In case of flight cancellations, changes, if you experience severe delays at immigration, baggage collection or customs, or if you are not able to find the driver, please contact our local office on the number in the ‘Problems and emergency contact information’ section.

Ibis Jeddah Malik Road Hotel, King Abdul Aziz Road, Az Zahra District,, Jeddah, 23522, SAUDI ARABIA, Phone: +966 126921444

Alternate Finish Point

Breakfasts included: 8

Lunches included: 2

Dinners included: 3

While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Your group leader or local representative will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule, our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. If you have dietary requirements and/or food allergies, please let your booking agent know prior to departure., SAUDI ARABIA
Your trip leader will endeavour to cater to specific dietary requirements where possible. Gluten intolerances and vegan diets can be challenging in some parts of Saudi Arabia. Be prepared for there to be limited choices in some locations. Please speak with your trip leader about any dietary requirements at the start of the trip so that they can assist you throughout the trip.

SAUDIA ARABIA CLIMATE & WEATHER
Saudi Arabia has a predominantly desert climate, meaning that the summers are very hot and dry, and the winters are more temperate. Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are considered the best seasons to visit. The weather during these seasons is mild and comfortable, with temperatures averaging between 20-30°C (68-86°F). Winter (December to February) can be chilly in the evenings and drop to as low as 5°C (41°F) in some locations so we recommend bringing warm clothes for the evening or early mornings.

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time., For general contact details please use the following page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us, In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

, Intrepid's Local Operator: +966 554447070

Some of the accommodations on your trip will have a swimming pool, but access may only be available to men and children, or only open for you to swim during particular hours. , Saudi Arabia is not a particularly pedestrian friendly destination so even when accommodation is centrally located, it won’t always be practical to explore the surrounding area on foot. Uber and Careem are easily accessible and used for getting around locally. We recommend chatting to your leader or local guide.