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Saudi Arabia travel guide

Best time to visit from the UK, weather, festivals, flights from London and FCDO travel advice.

AlUla
AlUla. Photo: Sammy Six, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
6h 30mflight from London
Saudi riyalcurrency
Apply onlinefor UK passports
Type A, B, Gplugs

Hidden Nabataean tombs and Red Sea reefs, newly open to visitors

Don't miss

  1. AlUla and Hegra
  2. Red Sea coast
  3. Riyadh
Good forHistory & ruinsDeserts

Best time to visit Saudi Arabia from the UK

Best value: Apr, Oct. Nov–Mar: cooler weather. Busiest and priciest: Nov–Mar.

13.8 C14°J16.6 C17°F21.2 C21°M26.5 C26°A32 C32°M34.5 C34°J36 C36°J35.7 C36°A32.4 C32°S27.1 C27°O20.4 C20°N15.1 C15°D
Best valueBusy and pricierQuietAverage temperature in Riyadh, °C, 2001–2025 (NASA POWER).

Each bar is the average temperature in Riyadh for that month, and its colour shows the season for visitors: best value (good weather, fewer crowds and lower prices), busiest and priciest, or quiet (off-peak, sometimes because the weather is poorer).

  • Our pick: April and OctoberThe warmest of the best-value months (26–27°C), with fewer crowds than peak season.
  • Peak season: Nov–MarUsually 14–21°C. The busiest time, so book flights and rooms early and expect higher prices.
  • Quiet season: May–SepAround 32–36°C. The cheapest and least crowded time, though often because of rain or heat.
  • Warmest: July (36°C) · coolest: January (14°C)A 22°C swing between the warmest and coolest months.
Temperatures as a table
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
13.816.621.226.53234.53635.732.427.120.415.1

Festivals and events

  • Riyadh Season Oct–Mar · Riyadh
  • AlUla Arts Festival Feb · AlUla
  • Hajj pilgrimage Varies · Mecca (Muslims only)

Festival dates move from year to year: check before you book.

Getting there from the UK

Flight time
About 6h 30m
Distance
4,971 km
Main airport
RUH

Flight times are straight-line estimates for a direct flight from Heathrow; journeys with a change take longer.

Add Saudi Arabia to your bucket list Search flights to RUH

Practical info and travel guidance

Saudi riyalCapital: Riyadh
Type A, B, G · 230VUK plugs fit
Drive on the rightOpposite to the UK
911
EmergencyPolice, fire, ambulance
Safe in citiesBottled elsewhere
  • FCDO adviceAdvises against all but essential travel to parts of Saudi ArabiaCheck which areas before you book.
  • VisaApply online before you goeVisa before you travel
  • HealthcareNo free healthcareYou pay for treatment, so travel insurance with medical cover is essential.
  • LGBT+ travellersIllegal, and the death penalty is possibleRead the FCDO LGBT+ advice before you go.
  • Women travellersStrict laws and dress codes affect womenRead the FCDO advice before you go.

For British passport holders, summarised from the FCDO's advice for Saudi Arabia, checked October 2026. FCDO page last updated 17 October 2026. Rules change: read the official FCDO travel advice for Saudi Arabia before you book and again before you go.

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