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Considered a destination from a fairy tale by all travelers, Yemen is the Mecca for intrepid adventurers, the one destination that has always awed each and every visitor for its rawness and untouched culture, combined with a jaw-dropping architecture and mesmerizing valleys.
Years of an unfortunate war, however, have isolated Yemen even more, making it a nearly impossible destination to reach. Until now.
Against the Compass is offering group expeditions to the Yemeni mainland, more specifically, to the eastern region of Hadramut, home to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Shibam, among many other wonders.
Yemen is the most legendary Arab country.
For this tour, we fly from Cairo into Seiyun and leave the country through Oman. The trip ends in Salalah.
April 17th to 23rd, 2025
$3490 (US dollars)
7 days
Lead by Oriol López
Note that we always keep the itinerary flexible, and it may be subject to change, depending on the political situation.
Day 1 – Seiyun
Day 2 – Seiyun & Tarim
Day 3 – Shibam & Wadi Doa’n
Day 4 – Wadi Doa’n
Day 5 – Mukhallah
Day 6 – Qeshin & Al-Ghaydha
Day 7 – Surfeet & Salalah (Oman)
The flight from Cairo to Seiyun departs at 9:30 am, arriving in Yemen by 3 pm.
If the flight departs on time, we’ll drive to a viewpoint to see Shibam over sunset. Then, we’ll have a welcome dinner and head to the bazaar to buy Yemeni clothes.
Overnight in Seiyun.
Day 2 in the morning is a Friday, so it will be a bit quiet but still, we’ll first travel to Tarim, the center of Islamic Sufism in Yemen, and the city of 500 mosques, home to very nice buildings and shrines.
We will have lunch and then, we’ll head for Seiyun, visiting the honey market (Yemeni honey is considered one of the best types of honey in the world) & jambiya shops (Yemeni dagger).
Overnight in Seiyun
In the morning, we’ll go to Shibam, the Manhattan of the Desert, and do a proper visit inside the town, including climbing one of the buildings.
Then, we’ll do a scenic drive to Wadi Doa’n, the most spectacular valley in Yemen, stopping in places like Al-Hajjrain, and Sif.
After checking in at the hotel, if we have time, we’ll do a small trek to one of the nearby villages.
Overnight in Haid Al-Jizil.
After breakfast, we’ll drive to the end of the valley, to Ribad town, Osama Bin Laden’s family hometown, while stopping in different villages.
Then, we’ll head back to Haid Al-Jizil to visit Buqshan village, home to staggering mud-made palaces.
Overnight in Haid Al-Jizil
Easy morning, driving to the coastal city of Mukhallah, the capital of Hardamut and part of Al Qaeda territory from 2015 to 2016.
We’ll check in at the hotel, followed by lunch in a seafood restaurant. Then, we’ll visit the old city of Mukallah.
Overnight in Mukallah.
If we start the day early, we will have the possibility of visiting the fish market of Mukhalla.
Then, we’ll start our drive to Al-Ghayda, stopping in the fishermen’s villages of Sayhoot and Khiseet, lunch in Khiseet.
After lunch, we can visit Qeshin Town, the town of Sultan Ben Afrar of Al-Mahra Governorate & Socotra Island.
Dinner & overnight in Al-Ghaydha.
After breakfast, travel to the border with Oman, at our own pace, stopping when necessary and wherever is interesting.
We will cross the Oman border at Surfeet, arriving in Salalah around 3 pm. End of the tour.
Visa processing and respective fees
Security clearance and permits
Armed escorts
Transportation and driver around Yemen (3 to 4 person per car)
English-speaking Yemeni guide & assistant
International tour leader
Airport transfers
6 nights of accommodation
All meals
Entrance fees.
International flight to Seiyun (around $520)
Local clothes ($30 to $50)
Single supplement. Having your own private room costs $480.
April 17th to 23rd, 2025
$3490 (US dollars)
7 days
Lead by Oriol López
For security reasons, the name of the hotels we stay will only be shared upon booking your spot.
The price of the tour includes accommodation in a twin room.
If you are a solo traveler, you will share the room with another like-minded traveler from the group. We always try to group people of same gender and age but note that this won’t always be the case.
If you want a single room, you will have to pay an additional $480.
We will take care of that, don’t worry.
You don’t need to visit the embassy, everything will be arranged via email and all details will be shared upon booking your spot.
Twice a week, there is a flight operated by Yemenia Airways that goes from Cairo to Seiyun.
The flight must be booked via a tour agent based in Cairo, and we will take care of that.
More information will be shared upon booking your spot on the tour.
Starting point: the tour will officially start at Cairo International Airport, the airport where we will catch our flight to the city of Seiyun in Yemen. We will all meet there 3 hours before our departure time.
Ending point: the tour will officially end in Salalah, the second most important city in Oman, which is located 150km from the border with Yemen. We will cross the border on day 7 of the tour.
No, it doesn’t.
The tour finishes upon arrival in Salalah, and we don’t include it because people will have different plans once they get into Oman, plus in Salalah, you can find hundreds of hotels for all budgets.
All nationalities, and that includes US citizens too.
Yes, women can join these tours, of course, but hijab and a black abaya are required at all times, from the moment you land at Seiyun International Airport.
You can easily find an abaya on Amazon.com, or at any bazaar in Cairo.
In some specific villages, a niqab will be required, and you may buy one on day 1 in Seiyun for a few $.
We will limit it to a maximum of 11 people.
Information about the risks and dangers of the trip:
The traveler is expressly informed that the activities included in the travel itinerary are adventurous and/or take place in conflict zones, which entail dangers and imply the risk of physical, and psychological injuries, and/or death for the traveler.
Due to the characteristics of the destination and/or activities, the specific risks and dangers of the trip are, by way of example but not limited to, those listed below:
War; terrorism; political instability; slipping, tripping, or falling; exposure to allergens; falling or slipping into the water while near the shore; fallen trees; temperature fluctuations; extreme or partial darkness; landslides; falling rocks; mudslides; gunfire in the activity area; mentally or physically unstable or criminal participants; negligence by participants; all types of outdoor injuries, including brain injuries, spinal injuries, broken bones, burns, internal injuries, illnesses or ailments, exposure to pathogens, viruses, or diseases, including but not limited to contracting Covid-19; hypothermia, heatstroke, sunburn, dehydration, and hyponatremia; errors in judgment by the tour leader; inadequate or incorrect medical care; getting lost; or emotional distress resulting from exposure to any of the aforementioned.
Regarding the potential dangers of the destination, travelers are advised to consult the travel recommendations for the destination country provided by their country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For example, in the case of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), these recommendations can be accessed on the following link.
In this regard, the FCDO advises against all travel to the whole of Yemen due to the unpredictable security conditions.
To secure your spot on the tour, we require a deposit.
All details will be shared upon booking your spot.
Yes, if you want to join any of our expeditions, you must purchase travel insurance, this is non-negotiable, and it must be with IATI.
Why do we have to book it with IATI?
Against the Compass has been a partner with IATI for a very long time. We know their CEO, the marketing team and we do a lot of collaborations together so in the unlikely case something happened, we’d know what to do.
Moreover, IATI Insurance covers all the countries where the FCDO advises against all travel.
You may also benefit from a 5% discount if purchasing it from the below link.
Get a quote here to claim your discount
Please refer to our Terms & Conditions.