12 Day Tour: March 6-17, 2026
Pricing for Saudi Arabia & Bahrain
- Base Pricing is always calculated for double occupancy.
- $1200 supplemental for Solo Travelers.
Tour Highlights
- HIGHLIGHTS
- A’Ali
- Muharraq Island
- Riyadh
- Murabba Palace
- Ad Diriyah
- Mada’ in Saleh
- Hegra
- YOUR TOUR INCLUDES:
- Roundtrip airfare from Chicago
- First Class Hotel Accommodations
- Daily Breakfast
- 7 Dinners
- Deluxe Motorcoach Transportation
- Admissions to all listed Attractions
- Roundtrip airport transfers in the Chicagoland area
- Guided by Bill Ball
- Baggage Handling
- All Gratuities
Tour Itinerary
Day One We fly from the US to two of the most beautiful, historic and mysterious countries in the world.
Day Two We arrive in Bahrain and check-in at the hotel in the capital– Manama. The rest of our day is free.
Day Three We begin exploring the island of Bahrain. Our tour starts at A’ali and its burial mounds that date back over 4000 years. We continue to Riffa to explore the fort and the temple of Barbar ruins. We explore more of Manama and including its fort and souq.
Day Four Today we start with a visit to the National Museum to learn more about the history and culture of the island. We head to another island this afternoon—
Muharraq to see what the country looked like pre-oil industry. They have preserved this history well. We end the day seeing how dhows—their traditional ships are built.
Day Five We fly from Bahrain to Riyadh and begin our Saudi adventure. We overnight in Riyadh.
Day Six This morning we start exploring Saudi Arabia at the National Museum which dates to the 1400’s. It is an impressive and thorough museum that covers all of Saudi history from the royal family, the kingdom and its politics. Art and architecture are also a focus with many Arabian and Islamic pieces. The highlights of the museum include a meteor, prehistoric elephant skeleton and rock graffiti dating back to the pre-Islamic era. This afternoon, we visit one of the most beautiful gardens in all of the Middle East and take a peek at the King Abdulaziz car collection. Now that you see what the king drives, we visit Murabba Palace to see how he lives. No visit to Riyadh is complete without a visit to the Souq al-Zal. This is the souk that served the people from the country’s beginning in 1901.
Day Seven We head to Diriyah today. This is the historic home of the Saudi state. Surrounded by farms that ring an oasis, this is a historical treasure trove. Ancient ruins alongside modern buildings make this a one-of-a-kind in the middle east. The ancient mud brick buildings are well preserved giving us a glimpse at a rare architectural style.
Day Eight We will drive to the heritage village of Ushaiqer giving us a chance to step back in time to old Saudi village life. The area was first settled by the Bedouins over 1500 years ago. It became a major hub for pilgrims to stop for water and rest on their way to Makkah (Mecca). The current village has a small population that still use its schools, mosques and shops.
Day Nine We fly this morning to al-Ula. We begin our touring at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hegra—an archaeological site. The site is the largest settlement after Petra—the original capital. It is the southernmost settlement and contains the remains of the Nabataean Kingdom. Hegra is the first UNESCO site to be inscribed for Saudi Arabia. It is the largest conserved area of the civilization of the Nabataeans south of Petra in Jordan. The site features decorated tombs and monuments from the 1st century BC to the 1st century AD, cave drawings, water wells and displays of the Nabataean’s use of hydraulic knowledge. We continue to Elephant Rock—an amazing 52-meter-high rock formation resembling an elephant. It is just one of al-Ula’s many geological wonders. We will also see the Maraya—world’s largest mirror covered building—it literally appears to vanish as it reflects its surroundings.
Day Ten Today we travel to Tabuk where we will visit Wadi Al Disah, a mountainous area located in the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Natural Reserve. Al Disah means “valley of the palm trees”—when you see it, you will know why.
Day Eleven We depart this morning for a flight to Jeddah. We begin with a visit to the historic downtown of Jeddah another UNESCO World Heritage site. We’ll visit Old Jeddah hidden galleries, and local food shops known only to the locals. We will also see the famous floating Mosque as it floats out over the Red Sea and the Al-Shafi’i Mosque—the oldest mosque in Jeddah. This afternoon we will visit Tayebat International City Museum that covers history, architecture, art and interior décor from the region.
Day Twelve We begin our flight home with memories of ancient kingdoms, beautiful scenery, modern architecture, friendly people and historic sites unmatched in the world.
