Whether you’re visiting Riyadh yourself, or if you’re a resident and have friends and family coming to stay – there are loads of things to do for tourists in Riyadh. From National parks to hop-on-and-off bus tours, there are plenty of sights to see an attractions to visit. Don’t miss a proper Arabian adventure with a trip to the desert, and if you (or your guests) are looking for souvenirs to take home why not take a trip to the souk? Put away that map book and read on, as we’ve rounded up the very best things to do for tourists in Riyadh.
Explore Al Kharrarah National Park
As soon as any of our more outward-bound friends hear the words ‘national park’ they’re instantly packing their rucksacks and impatiently setting up the GPS on our 4×4 in anticipation of a day out in the wilds. Thankfully, we Riyadh residents have a supreme spot with which to sate their sense of adventure right on our doorstep. Al Kharrarah National Park, unlike our choice of companions, changes with the seasons and following a heavy downpour or two provides a lake in which it would be rude not to take a dip. And even once the summer sun has taking a splash out of the equation, the valley here becomes a verdant wonderland attracting all manner of wildlife. Picnic polished off, you can truly survey Al Kharrarah National Park’s sheer beauty from the top of a dune, hopefully remembering where you’ve parked the car.
Al Muzahimiyah.
Hop on (and off) a bus tour
As much as you might fight against it, one of the easiest ways of seeing any city on the planet is on an open-top bus tour. Riyadh, in this instance is no different. City Sightseeing, arguably the world’s foremost purveyors of bus-based exploratory experiences, offers a tour of this great city on its usual hop on, hop off basis. Each of its three routes take in some of Riyadh’s most remarkable landmarks, including the unforgettable Al Masmak Fortress and unmissable Kingdom Tower (it’s mighty tall, and the view is even better than that from your double-decker for the day). If you’re in the mood for some retail therapy you’re also in luck as all of the tours kick off at Al Faisaliah Tower where the shops are abundant and the restaurants remarkable. Even if you think you’ve ticked off all the things to do in Riyadh there are, we’re sure your guests will be grateful for you coming along for the ride.
Prices vary. Visit city-sightseeing.com/en/117/Riyadh.
Go dune bashing
There truly aren’t many more Arabian adventures more geared up to tourists than a spot of dune bashing. Yes, you might well have grown up in a seaside town on the coast of your hometown, but when would the local council there let you thrash about the dunes on a quad bike? A mere 80km outside central Riyadh lies the so-called Hidden Valley whose red sands will leave you with the sensation of having just landed on Mars. Here you can go full-throttle in a high-octane pursuit that will leave even our Martian neighbours scratching their heads. Defying gravity as you fly up and down the dunes, the only thing in this Riyadh experience that will leave you wondering is why you’d never thought of this before. One of the must-try things to do for tourists in Riyadh (if they have a sense of adventure – if not maybe a stick to the shops).
From SAR750. Available daily, hotel pick-up included. saudiarabiatours.net/riyadh-red-sand-dunes-tour/
Take them to The Edge of the World
A mere 90-minute drive from Riyadh proudly stands one of Saudi Arabia’s most unforgettable vantage points. The Edge of the World, or Jebel Fihrayn as it’s known locally, offers uninterrupted views of the desert landscape before you. It’s as if the horizon forgot to obscure itself from the naked eye. Make sure your friends bring their hiking boots as although it will probably only take you half an hour to reach the clifftop here, the craggy terrain can prove somewhat troublesome. The effort is well worth it, though, as you survey the former riverbeds in which camels still wander. Now, we might be guessing here but we have an inkling that whoever brought The Wall from Game of Thrones to life might have hiked up The Edge of the World, imagining the Night’s Watch awaiting their destiny.
Open daily until 6pm. Jebel Fihrayn, near Riyadh.
Delve into Diriyah
Steeped in Saudi Arabian history, this seemingly unassuming town on the outskirts of Riyadh once housed the nation’s royal family and is a tremendous tourist destination for all those seeking a view into the past. Diriyah was once a successful trading city in its own right and is in the process of being lovingly restored by those keen to rekindle its glorious heyday. Rightly, most visitors will make a bee-line to the At-Turaif district, a UNESCO world heritage site that preceded Riyadh as the Saudi capital. Al Zawiha Mosque, Burj Faysal, Saad bin Saud Palace and the Diriyah Wall are all superb sights each of your visiting friends should witness first hand. If you have some motorsport-loving mates in tow, make sure to remind them that Diriyah is home to an E-Prix again this year, 2021’s race being the first to be held at dead of night.
Take them to Taibah Souq
No trip to Riyadh would be complete without a trip to Taibah Souq. Your invited guests might have got a great deal on their flight to the Saudi capital but we doubt they would have had the chance to haggle for it, and this where this expansive market comes in. If they can prevent themselves from being blinded by the dazzling jewellery on offer here (gold is the hue of many a shop) then there are huge bargains to be had whether you’re searching out an anniversary present, a nice rug to put on your living room floor, some spices to liven up your culinary repertoire or a few fragrances to make your home more welcoming, Taibah Souq has got your back. Oh, and the golden gifts are actually very reasonably priced – hint, hint…
Opening Sat-Thu 9am-midnight, Fri 1pm-midnight. Olaya District, Riyadh.
