Saudi Arabia 2025 | Adventurephiles

Here is the main page covering our two visits to Saudi Arabia, plus a slide show of pictures at the end.

For journal postings from Saudi Arabia, CLICK HERE.

At the end of 2024, we spent about a month in the Gulf Region, enjoying Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar as well. This visit to the region was quite unexpected, with hotels, itineraries, and car transport among these States all cobbled together in a short time. We had intended to remain in Georgia for the Christmas and New Year’s period. But the political troubles that generated continual protests there both saddened the country and imperiled our stay. So, we shifted to the region that locals choose to escape the cold.

We were even more accidental tourists in Saudi Arabia. We determined that the easiest way to travel among the three Gulf States was driving, but that meant entering and exiting Saudi Arabia many times. We were somewhat surprised to find that the Saudis were happy for us to do this, offering a multi-entry visa lasting a whole year for about 100 USD.

So, in January 2025, faced with such a large country and limited time, we focused on one important part of the Kingdom near Qatar, the World Heritage oasis town of Al-Ahsa. And – after such a friendly welcome – resolved to return!

That’s what brought us back in November and December of 2025, at the tail end of our visa, to see much more of the country by driving around it. Here is our itinerary:

Riyadh (Edge of the World; National Museum, Masmak Palace, Souk Al-Zal and Al-Mashaleh; Diriyah)
Al Qassim (Al Oqilat Museum & Heritage House; Camel/goat market; Date market)
Hail (Umm Senman Jubbah rock art)
Al Ula (Mirrors Theatre; Elephant Mt; Old Al Ula Oasis; Hejr/Hegra Nabataean Tombs)
Medinah (Prophet’s Mosque; Quba Mosque; Mt Uhud; 7 Mosques)
Jeddah (Historic city Al-Balad, Nassif House Museum, waterfront, corniche)
Taif (and Rose Factory)
Al Baha
Abha (Popular Mkt, Al Muftaha Village; Art Street; High City; Souda Mountain, Asiri Qat Museum)
Farasan Island (Arabian gazelle reserve)
Najran (old souq; Hima & desert)

You can browse the map below for the highlights of our short visit (and access the articles we wrote). Click a pushpin to find the posted articles from the marked locations. Zoom into the map to separate the pins better.

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