Desert safari will add zest to Jeddah fest

With summer vacation around the corner, desert safari, which has become popular in Dubai and other Gulf countries, is also set to appear in the Kingdom on the outskirts of Dahban, 40 km from Jeddah.
The move comes in a bid to attract and entertain visitors during the Jeddah Summer Festival, which is set to kick off Wednesday.
The site, which will span almost 2,000 sq. meters, will have buggy rides, horse-riding, camel-riding, desert camping, folklore and traditional Saudi food.
The activities were launched by Saudi Tamashi with the cooperation of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA).
Sulaiman Al-Khereji, director of Saudi Tamashi, said the tourism commission facilitated this safari for the visitors to Jeddah to enhance domestic tourism.
“We made this safari especially for adults and people who don’t get much entertainment. There are three types of safari trips with different facilities. Buggy driving, for instance, is not suitable for people under 20 years of age due to safety and security concerns,” he explained.
Passengers are to be picked up near the Le Meridien hotel on Madinah Road at a meeting point reserved for SAPTCO buses and will be dropped off at the end of the day.
“Trip timings range from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., with activity timetables for buggies, horse-riding and camel-riding varying depending on which time slot is chosen.
“The trip can accommodate 40 people for the first two options and 40 to 80 people for the third. The first two trips cost SR 500 per person and the third SR 280 per person.
“We will continue these trips into the summer at the same price and we are planning to continue these trips all year round,” he said.
Around 1.5 million visitors are expected to attend the summer festival from across the Kingdom and abroad, generating an estimated income of more than SR 5 billion.