Saudi Arabia’s nascent transport infrastructure is improving every week, with trains criss-crossing the country and Riyadh's new metro proving a big hit with local commuters.

But outside the cities, the Kingdom is still best explored by car. It has a very good road network and relatively cheap fuel, certainly by European standards, and women can now hire cars and drive, whether in a group or on their own.

As in many Middle Eastern countries, Saudi drivers like to put the pedal to the metal, and if you haven’t driven here before, the roads can be intimidating. However, you’ll soon get into the flow.

The official speed limit on the freeways is 120 kph, but there is a 25 kph grace period. You’ll find most drivers pushing 140 km/ph in the fast lane of motorways – even faster on desert stretches where the speed cameras (or lack of) are easily spotted. Bear in mind that if you do get a ticket, it will cost you an eye-watering SAR 900 plus whatever your rental agent charges you for the admin.

Lastly, the most pressing question: to 4x4 or not to 4x4? If you’re planning any time in the desert, it’s worth pushing the boat out for a four-wheel drive. If you’re just planning trips between cities or in the mountainous south near Jazan or north of Jeddah, a regular car is fine. This is our pick of the best road trips in Saudi Arabia.

An exterior view of Thee Ain Historical Village. STA

An exterior view of Thee Ain Historical Village. STA

An exterior view of Thee Ain Historical Village

Thee Ain Village-Credit Saudi Tourism Authority

1. Jeddah to Al Baha

9 hour round trip; 850 km

The city of Al Baha is known for its traditional towers called qasbah (it has over 1000), its forests and its honey, and is a 4.5-hour drive from Jeddah. This route takes you first along the coast and then inland, passing close to the Jabal Shada nature reserve, which is a good stop.

The remarkable Thee Ain Village is 24km southwest of Al Baha and is known as “Marble Village” by locals because it is built on a marble hilltop and is said to glow at night. Its lush climate means that bananas and other tropical fruit still grow here, watered by the three ayn (springs) in the village.

Note that the traditional souq, one of the largest in the region, takes place on Tuesdays. On the way back you can either retrace your steps via Route 5 or go inland via Route 15 to Taif (2.5 hours). Either stay overnight in Taif, one of Saudi Arabia’s most interesting cities, or head south towards Makkah and onwards on Route 80 back to Jeddah.

A bird's eye view of the waterfall and sheer rocky drop to the floor of Wadi Lajab canyon in Zahwan Mountain in Jazan. STA

A bird's eye view of the waterfall and sheer rocky drop to the floor of Wadi Lajab canyon in Zahwan Mountain in Jazan. STA

A bird's eye view of the waterfall and sheer rocky drop to the floor of Wadi Lajab canyon in Zahwan Mountain in Jazan

Wadi Lajab-Credit Saudi Tourism Authority

2. Jeddah to Jazan

8 hour round trip; 715km

Jazan, on Saudi Arabia’s border with Yemen, is a truly unique region that feels like a different country. It is at least a nine-hour drive along the coast from Jeddah, and some visitors prefer to fly to Abha and hire a car there for the journey to Jazan (3 hours).

From Jazan, the Wadi Lajab canyon is a two-hour drive northeast – an incredible, almost mythical region of towering cliff walls, waterfalls, and 30m-high palms. You can hike, swim, fish and camp here. Another nearby option is the Jebel Al Qahar Mountains, 80km northeast of Jazan, or Sabya, famous for its Idrisid Houses with their Sassanid-era wall plasterings.

But the jewel in Jazan’s crown is the Farasan Islands, an archipelago of tiny volcanic islands and coral reefs surrounded by perfect turquoise water that teems with sea life. Ferries take 75 minutes from Jazan and depart several times per day.

The beauty of the AlUla desert landscape has to be seen to be believed. STA

The beauty of the AlUla desert landscape has to be seen to be believed. STA

Rock formations in the desert at AlUla

Alula Landscape-Credit Saudi Tourism Authority

3. Tabuk to AlUla

8 hour round trip; 650 km

AlUla can be reached from Jeddah (8 hours) and Riyadh (11 hours) by car, but the easiest way to drive is to start in Tabuk, which has hotels and an airport, or even Aqaba in Jordan (6.5 hours). Although the drive is mostly desert highways, having your own wheels in AlUla means you don’t need to hire a taxi for the day once you get there. You’ll need a 4X4 to get the most out of it.

Rather than retracing your steps, you could either head south to Jeddah or travel back to Tabuk via the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve (4.5 hrs), a fascinating landscape with many options for off-road detours and adventures.

The Red Sea coast is also an option via the village of Sharma (4.5 hrs), home to some good beaches, interesting forts and the location of NEOM.

Treat yourself to a rest stop at one of Al Fanateer's beaches off Highway 5.

Treat yourself to a rest stop at one of Al Fanateer's beaches off Highway 5.

Al Fanateer beach at sunset

Al Fanateer beach

4. Highway 5

6 hours one way; 615km

You can follow Highway 5 from the Kuwaiti border at Khafji all the way to the UAE border at Alkwifriah, although both are pretty nondescript border towns. Adventurous road-trippers will want to tackle the 11-hour epic drive from Kuwait City to Abu Dhabi, with a stopover in Dammam or Al Khobar, or begin in either of those cities and head north or south.

Highway 5 is a well-maintained dual carriageway that hugs the coast throughout and offers myriad opportunities for stopping off for a swim or a nose around one of the Saudi towns on the Arabian Gulf. Near Al Jubail are the Al Nakheel and Al Fanateer beaches as well as a protected marine area, while south of Dammam on Highway 5 is the Al Uqair beach with its famous ancient fort.

Leave behind bustling Riyadh and drive into the vast Empty Quarter on a road trip. STA

Leave behind bustling Riyadh and drive into the vast Empty Quarter on a road trip. STA

The Riyadh skyline

Riyadh City - Saudi Tourism Authority

5. Riyadh to the Empty Quarter

8-10 hour round trip; 600 km

You’ll need a 4X4 to visit the Empty Quarter and not just for excursions off the highway – the road itself can often get covered in sand. The Empty Quarter is called the Empty Quarter for a reason…trust us, you don’t want to get stuck out here.

The first stretch of the drive is to Haradh via Umm Al Hadid, a sulfur well surrounded by palm trees, plants and grass also known as Bayda' Allahy. Along the way, there are many options for trips into the desert, so make sure you have a full tank of petrol and plenty of water.

Haradh itself is an industrial town without much to tempt tourists, but Route 75 south from here delves deep into the Empty Quarter until it finally ends at a motorway service station near the town of Umm Athelah. Meanwhile, east of Haradh is the famous Highway 10, which connects the town to Highway 95 in western Saudi Arabia and is the longest straight road in the world – 240km with no bends left or right and desert on either side. It ends near the UAE border.

road-trips