Do I need a visa for this itinerary?

Citizens of 66 countries can apply for the tourist eVisa at visa.visitsaudi.com for SAR 535 (about USD 143) including mandatory medical insurance, or get a visa on arrival for about SAR 480 at Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam airports. Both are valid one year, multiple entry, up to 90 days per visit.

How much does two weeks in Saudi Arabia cost?

Excluding international flights, mid-range travellers typically spend SAR 500–1,500 per person per day on hotels, food, transport and entry fees. AlUla resort nights push the top end; city hotels average SAR 300–800 per night. Major sights are cheap: Hegra from SAR 95, Diriyah SAR 50–100, National Museum about SAR 10.

Can non-Muslims visit Madinah and Makkah?

Non-Muslims may visit Madinah city but not the central precinct immediately around the Prophet's Mosque. Makkah is closed to non-Muslims entirely, with no exceptions. The Haramain train serves both cities — non-Muslim travellers simply exit at Jeddah.

What is the best time of year for this route?

October to April, when Riyadh, AlUla, Madinah and Jeddah see daytime highs of roughly 20–32°C. Summer regularly exceeds 40°C in Riyadh and Jeddah. Abha is the exception and stays mild all year at 2,200 metres.

How do I get between the cities?

Fly Riyadh–AlUla (just under 2 hours), drive or transfer AlUla–Madinah (about 300 km, 3.5–4 hours), take the Haramain high-speed train Madinah–Jeddah (about 2 hours, economy from around SAR 150), then fly Jeddah–Abha (about 90 minutes).

Two-Week Saudi Arabia Itinerary 2026

14-day Saudi Arabia itinerary: Riyadh, AlUla, Madinah, Jeddah and Abha. Verified 2026 prices, visa costs (SAR 535), train and flight logistics, day by day.

Key Takeaways

The route: 3 nights Riyadh, 3 AlUla, 2 Madinah, 3 Jeddah, 2 Abha — two domestic flights, one 4-hour drive (AlUla–Madinah) and the Haramain train (Madinah–Jeddah in about 2 hours).
Citizens of 66 countries get the Saudi eVisa online for SAR 535; visa on arrival costs about SAR 480 at Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam airports. Both: one year, multiple entry, 90 days per visit.
Hegra can only be visited on guided tours booked in advance through Experience AlUla — from SAR 95; there is no ticket desk at the site.
October to April is the comfortable window for the whole route; Abha stays mild year-round at 2,200 metres.
Non-Muslims can visit Madinah city but not the central precinct around the Prophet's Mosque; Makkah is closed to non-Muslims entirely.
Several governments updated their Saudi Arabia travel advisories in spring 2026 — check your government's current advice before booking, especially for the Abha leg.

How This 14-Day Route Works

This itinerary strings together five stops that show the widest cross-section of Saudi Arabia you can manage in two weeks: the capital Riyadh (3 nights), the archaeological landscape of AlUla (3 nights), Madinah (2 nights), Red Sea Jeddah (3 nights) and the highland city of Abha (2 nights). You cover the distances with two domestic flights, one four-hour drive and one high-speed train ride. Nothing on this route requires a 4x4 or camping gear; every stop has proper hotels.

The order matters. Starting in Riyadh puts the long-haul arrival behind you on day one, AlUla sits between Riyadh and the west coast, and finishing in Abha ends the trip at 2,200 metres in the coolest air the Kingdom has. If you only have seven days, use the one-week Golden Triangle itinerary instead; travelling with children, look at the 10-day family route.

Before You Book: Visa, Money, Timing, Advisories

Visa. Citizens of 66 countries can apply for the Saudi tourist eVisa at visa.visitsaudi.com. It costs SAR 535 (about USD 143) including mandatory medical insurance, and is valid for one year, multiple entry, with stays of up to 90 days per visit. The same nationalities can get a visa on arrival for about SAR 480 at Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam airports. Rules do change — check the latest visa updates before you apply.

Money. The riyal has been pegged at SAR 3.75 to the US dollar since 1986, which makes budgeting predictable. Cards and Apple Pay work almost everywhere, including souq stalls and metro gates; keep a little cash for tips. Details in the Saudi Arabia money guide.

Timing. October to April is the comfortable window for Riyadh, AlUla, Madinah and Jeddah, with daytime highs of roughly 20–32°C. From May to September, Riyadh and Jeddah regularly pass 40°C. Abha is the exception — at altitude it stays mild all year. The month-by-month guide covers this in depth.

Travel advisories. Several Western governments changed their Saudi Arabia guidance in spring 2026 — the United States currently lists the country at Level 3 (reconsider travel) and advises against all travel near the Yemen border. The regions on this route continue to operate normally for tourism, but check your own government's advice before booking, keep plans flexible, and pay particular attention to the Abha leg (see day 12 below). Practical context in our safety guide.

Days 1–3: Riyadh

Land at King Khalid International Airport and take the metro or a Careem into town. The Riyadh Metro's six lines and 85 stations now cover most places a visitor needs; a two-hour pass costs SAR 4 and the gates take contactless Visa, Mastercard and Apple Pay directly — no ticket queue required.

Spend day one in the modern city. The Sky Bridge on the 99th floor of Kingdom Centre (tickets around SAR 60) gives you the layout of Riyadh in one view. In the evening, head to Boulevard City if your trip falls within Riyadh Season, the entertainment programme that runs roughly October to March with restaurants, concerts and shows; outside those months, the Diplomatic Quarter's restaurants and parks are the better evening choice.

Day two is for the old city. The National Museum explains pre-Islamic Arabia through to the unification of the Kingdom (entry about SAR 10). Al Masmak Fort, a mud-brick citadel, marks the spot where King Abdulaziz retook Riyadh in 1902 (free entry). Souq Al Zal next door sells carpets, oud and brass coffee pots — bargaining expected. For dinner, a traditional Najdi restaurant such as Najd Village runs about SAR 100–200 per person.

Day three belongs to Diriyah, the UNESCO-listed birthplace of the first Saudi state on the city's northwestern edge. The restored mud-brick At-Turaif district and the Bujairi Terrace dining quarter facing it fill a relaxed day; a Diriyah Pass costs roughly SAR 50–100 depending on the season, and under-12s enter free. Prefer desert geology? The Edge of the World escarpment northwest of the city is a solid full-day alternative with a licensed operator. More in the Riyadh travel guide.

Days 4–6: AlUla

Fly Riyadh to AlUla in just under two hours. AlUla is Saudi Arabia's flagship heritage destination and prices reflect it: the resort tier (Habitas, Banyan Tree) starts around SAR 3,000 per night in season, but hotels and guesthouses in AlUla town typically run SAR 400–800, which keeps the area workable on a normal budget.

Book Hegra before you arrive. Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site — more than 100 monumental Nabataean tombs cut into sandstone outcrops — is visited on guided tours run through Experience AlUla, from SAR 95 for the standard coach tour. Advance booking is the only way in; there is no ticket desk at the site.

Use the second day for the rest of the heritage corridor: Dadan, capital of the ancient Dadanite and Lihyanite kingdoms; Jabal Ikmah, a canyon of inscriptions added to UNESCO's Memory of the World register in 2023; and AlUla Old Town's mud-brick lanes, at their best after sunset. Day three is for the landscape — Elephant Rock is free and finest in the hour before sunset, and hot-air balloon flights and stargazing sessions run seasonally through the same Experience AlUla platform. The AlUla travel guide has the full site-by-site breakdown.

Days 7–8: Madinah

Drive or take a private transfer from AlUla to Madinah: about 300 km, 3.5 to 4 hours on a good highway. Know the rules before you plan this leg. Non-Muslims may visit Madinah city, but not the central precinct immediately around Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, the Prophet's Mosque. Makkah is different again: it is closed to non-Muslims entirely, with no exceptions.

Muslim travellers will want most of both days for the Prophet's Mosque and the historic mosques around it. Non-Muslim visitors still have a worthwhile stop here: the old Hejaz Railway station and its museum quarter, Mount Uhud and its battlefield history, the exterior of Quba Mosque — the first mosque of Islam — and the date markets selling Madinah's prized Ajwa variety. Dress conservatively everywhere in the city and follow the signage around the restricted zone.

Days 9–11: Jeddah

The Haramain high-speed train links Madinah and Jeddah in about two hours, with economy fares from around SAR 150. Book on the Haramain website a few days ahead — weekend departures can sell out. Note that the line continues toward Makkah; non-Muslim travellers exit at Jeddah.

Jeddah earns its three nights. Al-Balad, the coral-stone old town on UNESCO's list since 2014, is the anchor: Naseef House, lanes of carved wooden roshan balconies, and souqs that come alive after dark — give it a full day and return in the evening. Day two, do the Corniche: the Al Rahma "floating" mosque on stilts over the water, waterfront seafood, and King Fahd's Fountain, which fires seawater more than 250 metres into the air after sunset. Day three belongs to the Red Sea — half-day snorkelling and diving trips leave from the marinas, typically SAR 250–600 per person depending on the boat. Details in the Jeddah travel guide.

Days 12–14: Abha and the Asir Highlands

Fly Jeddah to Abha in about 90 minutes. At 2,200 metres, Abha feels like a different country: mild air, terraced mountainsides, juniper forest. Jabal Soudah — widely cited as the Kingdom's highest point at 3,015 metres — rises west of the city, and the heritage village of Rijal Almaa, about an hour's mountain drive away, preserves multi-storey stone tower houses decorated with quartz and painted interiors. The regional cable cars have been operating seasonally while the Soudah area is redeveloped, so confirm locally before building a day around one.

One honest caveat: Abha lies in the southwest, the region most affected by the 2026 advisory changes, even though the city sits well outside the border zones the advisories name. If your government's guidance — or your own comfort level — rules it out, swap these days for Taif: rose farms, the Al Hada cable car and cool mountain air at 1,800 metres, an easy add-on from Jeddah. The Asir travel guide covers the highlands in detail.

On day 14, fly home from Abha via a connection in Jeddah or Riyadh — or directly from Jeddah if you took the Taif option.

What Two Weeks Costs

Visa: SAR 535 eVisa, or about SAR 480 on arrival.
Domestic transport: two flights plus the Haramain train and the AlUla–Madinah transfer — typically SAR 700–1,500 per person in total when booked a few weeks ahead.
Hotels: SAR 300–800 per night mid-range in the cities; AlUla resorts from about SAR 3,000, AlUla town stays far less.
Sights: modest — Hegra from SAR 95, Diriyah SAR 50–100, National Museum about SAR 10, Al-Balad free to wander.
Food: SAR 15–30 for shawarma and juice, SAR 60–120 for a casual restaurant dinner, SAR 200+ for fine dining.
Realistic mid-range total: SAR 500–1,500 per person per day, excluding international flights.

Practical Notes

Alcohol is illegal throughout Saudi Arabia, for tourists and residents alike — do not bring any in. The abaya has not been mandatory for foreign women since 2019; modest dress with shoulders and knees covered is expected of everyone, with stricter norms in Madinah. The weekend is Friday–Saturday, so expect Friday morning closures. Uber and Careem operate in every city on this route. Buy a SIM or eSIM from STC, Mobily or Zain at the airport. If your dates overlap Ramadan, restaurants close during daylight hours and evenings become the liveliest part of the day — plan around iftar rather than against it. Ask before photographing people, and skip photos of government and military buildings.

Keep Planning

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a visa for this itinerary?: Citizens of 66 countries can apply for the tourist eVisa at visa.visitsaudi.com for SAR 535 (about USD 143) including mandatory medical insurance, or get a visa on arrival for about SAR 480 at Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam airports. Both are valid one year, multiple entry, up to 90 days per visit.
How much does two weeks in Saudi Arabia cost?: Excluding international flights, mid-range travellers typically spend SAR 500–1,500 per person per day on hotels, food, transport and entry fees. AlUla resort nights push the top end; city hotels average SAR 300–800 per night. Major sights are cheap: Hegra from SAR 95, Diriyah SAR 50–100, National Museum about SAR 10.
Can non-Muslims visit Madinah and Makkah?: Non-Muslims may visit Madinah city but not the central precinct immediately around the Prophet's Mosque. Makkah is closed to non-Muslims entirely, with no exceptions. The Haramain train serves both cities — non-Muslim travellers simply exit at Jeddah.
What is the best time of year for this route?: October to April, when Riyadh, AlUla, Madinah and Jeddah see daytime highs of roughly 20–32°C. Summer regularly exceeds 40°C in Riyadh and Jeddah. Abha is the exception and stays mild all year at 2,200 metres.
How do I get between the cities?: Fly Riyadh–AlUla (just under 2 hours), drive or transfer AlUla–Madinah (about 300 km, 3.5–4 hours), take the Haramain high-speed train Madinah–Jeddah (about 2 hours, economy from around SAR 150), then fly Jeddah–Abha (about 90 minutes).
Is Saudi Arabia safe to visit right now?: Most tourist regions operate normally, but several governments updated their advisories in spring 2026 — the US currently lists Saudi Arabia at Level 3 (reconsider travel) and advises against travel near the Yemen border. Check your own government's latest advice before booking and keep plans flexible, especially for the southwest.