Taif

Wed 25/6/25

We took an optional tour with Rayhar to Taif for SAR 190 per person, which includes bus transportation from Makkah, lunch, and cable car ticket. Taif is located about 90 km from Makkah. We departed from our Hotel Olayan Ajyad in Makkah at 6.30am and arrived Taif at around 9am at the Shubra Palace, but the palace was closed so we viewed it only from the outside. 

It was said that Taif climate would be cooler than Makkah, but it was hot and sunny at 32C that day. We went to the Taif cable car first as the weather was clear that morning. The view of the Taif mountain pass from the cable car fascinated me along the 20 minute or so ride from the highest point Jabal al Hada to Al Kar tourist village. 

Taif mountain pass

Next, we went to the fruit market and bought a box of green fig for 30 SAR and dark fig for 15 SAR. Both types were sweet and juicy. We also bought a box of red cherries for 15 SAR. 

fresh figs

As part of the tour, we were brought to a rose factory (didn't buy anything here) and then stopped for lunch of chicken mandy rice with kunafa for dessert at Al Romansiah restaurant. 

kunafa

chicken mandy rice

After lunch we were brought to the Al Sharif museum, showcasing antiquities from the good 'ol days.

Al Sharif museum

We then went to the Abdullah Ibn Abbas masjid to pray and listen to some history of Abdullah and the place. Partner In Crime also bought 0.5kg of Yemeni honey for 75 SAR at a shop nearby.

Yemeni honey

Abdullah Ibn Abbas masjid

We stopped at Qarnul Manazil for prayers and miqat for umrah, before departing back to Makkah. We arrived back at Makkah at around 10pm.

Qarnul Manazil masjid

Al Ula

Thu 3/7/25

We took an optional tour with Rayhar to Al Ula for SAR 400 per person, which includes bus transportation from Madinah, entry ticket, lunch, and dinner . Al Ula is located about 365km from Madinah. We made a day trip from our hotel Dallah Taibah in Madinah, departing at 10.30am. The tour included the ticket to Madain Salih, a Unesco Heritage Site  with entry at 4.30pm, to avoid the peak of summer heat at the dry and arid environment of the desert. The tour would take about 2 hours at the site.

Madain Saleh is also known as Al-Hijr, or Hegra, which was the settlement of the Thamud people, or  Nabateans; which are the same people of Petra, Jordan. It is the Nabateans' second largest city after Petra, Jordan, its capital city. Petra is located about 545km away from Madain Saleh. The current site now has more than a hundred tombs, carved into sandstone outcrops.

The Quran describes how the Thamud disobeyed their prophet Salih, and killed a miraculous she-camel sent as a sign by God. Consequently, God's wrath and punishment befell them.

We arrived at a nearby town, Al Ula at 3pm to have lunch of chicken mandy rice at a restaurant. We could see the unique rock formations landscape at Al Ula .

chicken mandy rice

At Hegra, a bus would bring visitors to 4 sites. Visitors could go down at each site and were given about 30 minutes at each site with a guide giving an explanation. The 4 sites are Al Diwan (hall), Tomb of Hinat daughter of Wahbu ,  Tomb of Lihyan son of Kuza and Jabal Al Ahmar. 

tomb at Hegra

tomb at Hegra

unique rock formations

Next to Jabal AlAhmar is a rock formation that resembles a human head gazing out over the desert landscape.

unique rock formation at Al ula

We then departed to the Elephant Rock or Jabal Al Fil, sandstone rock shaped like an elephant, located about 30 minutes away to view the sunset. 

Elephant Rock

sunset at Elephant Rock

Elephant rock at night

From Elephant Rock, we were then brought to Al Ula Old Town Market Street where the mudbrick houses has been turned into cafes, souvenir and handicraft shops. We were transported via electric bus from the parking to the market street. We didn't buy anything here but we did try a sample of the arabic coffee at the information centre.

Al Ula Old Town Market Street

Lastly, we brought to a restaurant for late night dinner at 10pm at the Al Ula Heritage Restaurant & Kitchen. We shared a dish with 8 people from out tour, served in 2 big round trays with mixture of meat, rice and pasta. 

mixture of meat, rice and pasta

We finally departed from Al Ula at 11pm and reached back to our hotel in Madinah at almost 4am in the morning.