Apsley Travel · Bespoke Luxury Travel
Apsley Travel designs bespoke luxury holidays in Saudi Arabia. Every itinerary is built one-to-one by a specialist who has travelled the country and maintains active relationships with the leading hotels, guides and operators on the ground. From the headline experiences to the quieter corners only locals know, every recommendation is grounded in first-hand expertise.
We hold preferred-partner programmes with the strongest hotel brands in Saudi Arabia, so our clients receive complimentary upgrades, breakfast and resort credits where available. Speak to a specialist about a tailored proposal for your dates and party.
Speak to a specialist: 020 8142 6099 · [email protected]
Yes. Saudi Arabia opened to international leisure tourism in September 2019 through the Saudi eVisa. Mecca and Medina remain closed to non-Muslims; everywhere else — AlUla, Riyadh, Diriyah, Jeddah, the Red Sea coast and NEOM's Sindalah — is fully open. See our guide: Is Saudi Arabia safe for tourists?
October to April is the prime window for AlUla, Riyadh and the interior. The Red Sea coast is comfortable almost year-round, with October to May the strongest window. See our detailed month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Saudi Arabia.
Hegra (Madain Salih), in AlUla, is a Nabataean necropolis of 111 monumental rock-cut tombs — the same civilisation that built Petra, and Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is quieter than Petra, better preserved in places, and best experienced on a private Rawi-guided tour.
Red Sea Global is a giga-project developing an archipelago of 90 islands north of Umluj. The first properties open to guests are St. Regis Red Sea Resort on Ummahat, Six Senses Southern Dunes on the mainland behind the coast, and Shebara's mirrored overwater orbs on Sheybarah. More openings, including Nujuma (Ritz-Carlton Reserve) and Desert Rock, are following in stages.
NEOM is a long-term development on the Gulf of Aqaba; most components (The Line, Trojena) are not yet open. The first NEOM property receiving leisure guests is Sindalah — a private island resort with three hotels and a marina, best combined with a Red Sea Global itinerary.
The abaya is no longer required for foreign visitors. We recommend loose, modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees in public — linen trousers or midi dresses work well. Headscarves are not required except when entering a mosque. Swimwear is fine at hotel pools and on Red Sea island resorts.
No. Alcohol is prohibited across the kingdom, including in hotels and international resorts. Restaurants and hotel bars serve excellent non-alcoholic pairings and mocktail programmes; our specialists brief guests fully before departure.