Introduction
Saudi Arabia promotes tourism. The Saudi government allows visitors to explore the country and witness its diversity. For this, they serve visitors at best and also encourage them to visit the country with a tourist visa.
Similarly, the Saudi government tries to make the spiritual journey of pilgrims smooth. With that said, pilgrims are free to explore nearby locations of pilgrimage cities and enhance their experience. The reason behind it is quite simple, pilgrims and visitors contribute to Saudi economy.
Umrah packages also streamline the journey of pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. They also facilitate pilgrims to have a trip to the famous places of Saudi Arabia. Pilgrims with luxury deals also enjoy custom Ziarat tours.
However, if you are a visitor, who you will manage traveling throughout your target locations? This is because a smooth journey starts with planning. Because Saudi Arabia presents a bit different laws, cultures, and traditions, you can find it hard to interact with the locals as an outsider. The best way to overcome this is to plan ahead. Plan everything from travel essentials to target destinations in the country.
To overcome your challenges, here we provide you with a complete travel guide to Saudi Arabia. So, if you are thinking of visiting Saudi Arabia this year, read ahead. This blog is definitely going to help you down the road.
Saudi Arabia Travel Advice
Visiting Saudi Arabia is a different experience. This is because Saudi Arabia practices different Islamic laws, culture, traditions, and social interactions. Their language is also different.
So, how will you ensure a smooth trip there? Well, it depends on the purpose of your visit. For instance, pilgrims receive special attention in the country through Umrah packages. Saudi Arabia makes a healthy proportion of its economy through pilgrimage.
So, it strives constantly to simplify visiting Saudi Arabia for pilgrims. The same goes with the affordable options like the 12 Nights 5 star Umrah packages.
However, visitors need travel guidance to make their trip unforgettable. Though Saudi Arabia also facilitates visitors, you also have to manage things on your own.
No worries, it’s not as difficult as you think. With a complete knowledge of things, it’s easier to make your first trip to Saudi Arabia special. So, let’s start from beginning.
Before You Go
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Basic Preparation
Preparation can make or break a trip. The same works well for Saudi Arabia too. The preparation phase involves everything such as packing, getting required documents, and being prepared both mentally and physically. In the case of pilgrimage, you don’t have to pack random things rather, keep essential items.
Because pilgrims spend their daytime in masjid Al-Haram or Masjid an-Nabwi the most and so there’s no room for extra things in their routine. However, travelers can take additional items of their daily use with them to enjoy their trip to Saudi Arabia.
Essential items include clothes, Ihram for pilgrims, shoes, toiletries, medications, food ingredients, and legal documents. For instance, a Saudi visa, passport, proof of accommodations, and travel agency support for pilgrims.
Travelers apply for a tourist visa whereas pilgrims obtain an Umrah or Hajj visa. In both cases, Saudi Arabia requires you to have a passport with a minimum of six months validity. Also, make multiple copies of these documents and keep them in separate places to manage theft issues. It also makes it easier that you can verify your identity in a while where needed.
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Vaccination and Health Requirements
Saudi Arabia promotes wellness among pilgrims and travelers. Therefore, it wants you to stay healthy during your trip and enjoy a lot. Saudi government makes it necessary to take certain vaccines for pilgrims as well as travelers to enter the kingdom. The purpose is to reduce the spread of infections from individuals to individuals.
Risk of disease spread becomes higher during pilgrimage season and even remains high among pilgrims. Therefore, they have to take vaccines such as meningitis, hepatitis, and flu before applying for a Saudi visa. Travelers should also take these primary vaccines to stay safe in Saudi Arabia.
Besides vaccines, consult with your healthcare expert or conduct a regular check-up. In case of a medical condition, you can take preventive measures during your trip or consult with a doctor to get recommendations.
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Travel and Health Insurance
Having insurance during your trip makes things easier. This way, travelers become stress-free about emergency situations that can happen in foreign. For instance, travel insurance takes care of traveling issues like flight cancellation, trip delay, or theft. In this regard, insurance companies provide compensation to travelers on the go.
However, it’s a bit easier for pilgrims. Many Umrah packages provide pilgrims with travel insurance as part of their travel plans. At the same time, travelers need to search for trusted travel insurance providers to take one.
The same goes for health insurance. It provides compensation to travelers in case of medical emergencies. This is because the medical expenses of foreign such as Saudi Arabia are higher and can get you out of the budget. So, travelers always prefer buying health insurance before going to visit Saudi Arabia.
Traveling Guide
Saudi Arabia makes traveling fun around the kingdom. It offers different means of transportation for travelers to move easily. Whether you want to consider Ziarat tours within a city or go outside, there will always be a suitable option for you to choose.
The same goes with travelers who have multiple travel destinations on their visiting list. So, if you know what option to choose in which situation, you can make the most of your journey.
Remember that Umrah deals provide private transportation means to pilgrims to save their efforts and time. The same happens with cheap options like the 12 Nights 4 star Umrah package. However, if you are a traveler and want to explore Saudi Arabia, consider the following means of travel.
The domestic system of Saudi flights refers to the most efficient means of transportation for visitors. The whole network of air travel connects the major cities of Saudi Arabia together like Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam. So, if you want to consider long-distance travel locations, opt for air travel.
Similarly, nearby locations are accessible to everyone through ground transportation. These include public buses, private cars, and taxi that serve travelers within budget.
You can also choose the railway option to cover more distance in less time and save money as well.
Travel Advice for Pilgrims
Pilgrims visit Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah pilgrimage or Hajj rituals. Their basic purpose of the visit is to please Allah and seek forgiveness for their previous deeds. Therefore, Makkah and Madinah are the two main travel locations for them. Though Umrah packages also plan Ziarat tours to nearby cities, this is not for what they plan a trip to Saudi Arabia.
Since the purpose of visiting Saudi Arabia is specific for pilgrims, they have specific requirements too. For instance, they have to apply for Umrah or Hajj visas through reliable travel agencies. With a pilgrimage visa, pilgrims visit religious as well as tourist locations in Saudi Arabia.
As pilgrims spend most of their time at pilgrimage sites, they should understand the sole purpose of rituals and how to perform them at best. After all, it determines the quality of the pilgrimage and its reward.
After that, pilgrimage also demands physical and mental strength. So, it’s also important to maintain health during the spiritual journey to complete Umrah rituals at best.
Tips for Traveling Saudi Arabia
Traveling Saudi Arabia is fun and a great chance to learn unique things. However, first-time travelers often face problems while exploring famous sites in Saudi Arabia. The reasons may include a lack of planning and understanding of the traveling culture in Saudi Arabia.
However, you can easily avoid these mistakes by following a few tips during the journey.
- First thing first, be sure about type of your Saudi visa. For instance, it should be a tourist visa for visitors and a pilgrimage visa for pilgrims to enter the kingdom.
- After that, take necessary vaccines before traveling to Saudi Arabia. These vaccines include meningitis and COVID-19 for all travelers.
- Also learn about culture and traditions of Saudi Arabia. Since the country practices Islamic law and culture, you should be aware of their routine customs and traditions to avoid any complexities.
- Similarly, book quality accommodations near your target destination to save travel time.
- Also, avoid walking along crowds of people to stay safe.
- Choose public bus or railway train for routine travel.
- Saudi Arabia offers halal food options to visitors. However, finding vegan food there can be a challenge for you.
So, following these guidelines will help you navigate Saudi Arabia better while respecting its culture and traditions.
