Yemen in Spanish

Dec 3-9
7 Days
3490

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.

BOOK NOW

December 3rd to 9th, 2024

€3490

7 days

Lead by Oriol López

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Itinerary

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 1 – Arrival in Seiyun

  • Fly from Cairo to Seiyun at 10am, arriving in Yemen by 3 pm.
  • Check in at the hotel and drive to see sunset over Shibam
  • Welcome dinner and head to the bazaar to buy Yemeni clothes
  • Overnight in Seiyun

Day 2 – Seiyun and Tarim

  • Old City of Seiyun, including the honey market (Yemeni honey is considered one of the best types of honey in the world) & jambiya shops (Yemeni dagger)
  • Lunch & khat market
  • Tarim, the center of Islamic Sufism in Yemen, and the city of 500 mosques.
  • Overnight in Seiyun

Day 3 – Shibam & Wadi Doa’n

  • Shibam, the Manhattan of the Desert. Proper visit inside the town
  • Scenic drive to Wadi Doan’n, the most spectacular valley in Yemen
  • Stops in Al-Hajjrain, and Sif
  • Check-in at the hotel in Haid Al-Jizil
  • If we have time, small trek to one of the nearby villages
  • Overnight in Haid Al-Jizil.

Day 4 – Full day Wadi Doa’n

  • Drive to the end of the valley, to Ribad town, Osama Bin Laden’s family hometown, while stopping in different villages
  • Picnic lunch with a view of Al-Khuraiba.
  • Back to Haid Al-Jizil, visit Buqshan village
  • Overnight in Haid Al-Jizil

Day 5 – Mukhallah

  • Easy start and drive to the coastal city of Mukhallah, the capital of Hardamut and part of Al Qaeda territory from 2015 to 2016
  • Check in at the hotel and lunch in a seafood restaurant
  • Visit Mukhallah Old City
  • Overnight in Mukhallah

Day 6 – Drive to Al-Ghaydha

  • Early start and head to the fish market of Mukhalla
  • Start our drive to Al-Ghayda, stopping in the fishermen’s villages of Sayhoot and Khiseet, lunch in Khiseet
  • After lunch, visit Qeshin Town, the town of Sultan Ben Afrar of Al-Mahra Governorate & Socotra Island
  • Dinner & overnight in Al-Ghaydha

Day 7 – Border with Oman and Salalah

  • After breakfast, travel to the border with Oman, at our own pace, stopping where necessary and interesting.
  • Surfeet border crossing from Yemen to Oman
  • We will arrive in Salalah at lunch time
  • End of the tour

Gallery of photos

Included

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 (twin shared) in hotels mentioned in FAQ

All meals

Entrance fees.

Not Included

International flight to Seiyun (around €490)

Local clothes

Single supplement. Having your own private room costs €480.

Dinner and hotel on the last day in Salalah

BOOK NOW

December 3rd to 9th, 2024

€3490

7 days

Lead by Oriol López

FAQ

Which hotels do we stay at?

These are the hotels where we always stay but note that once in a while, they might be subject to availability.

How does the room distribution work?

The price of the tour includes accommodation in a twin room.

If you are a solo traveler, you will be sharing the room with another like-minded traveler from the group. We always try to group people of same gender and age together but note that this won’t always be the case.

If you want to have your own single room, you will have to pay an additional 480€.

How to get a visa?

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 you’ll need to do is send us a passport copy, a passport photo, and a filled-out form.

How do I get into Yemen?

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.

Where does the tour start, and where does it end?

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 3.5 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.

Does this tour include the hotel in Salalah?

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 may find hundreds of hotels for all budgets.

However, closer to the date, we will recommend the hotel our team is staying, and the whole group is welcome to stay there too.

Which nationalities can join this tour?

All nationalities, and that includes US citizens too.

Can women join this tour?

Yes, women can join these tours, of course, but hijab and abaya are required at all times, from the moment you land at Seiyun International Airport.

You can buy an abaya and a hijab at any bazaar in Cairo, or even from Amazon in your home country.

In some specific villages, a niqab will be required, and you may buy one on day 1 in Seiyun for a few $.

Is it safe?

This tour focuses on the region of Hadramut, which is the most stable and safest area in all Yemen and actually, the only area you can visit.

Moreover, we will travel with armed escorts and expert local fixers.

How many people will attend this tour?

We will limit it to a maximum of 12 people.

How does payment work?

To secure your spot on the tour, we require a deposit.

All details will be shared upon booking your spot.

Do you recommend specific travel insurance?

Either you are joining one of our trips, or you are traveling by yourself, you might want to look for proper travel insurance. Against the Compass has been a partner with IATI for several years already, recommending it to all readers, as well as covering all Joan Torres’ personal trips.

We like it because It covers all the countries where the FCDO advises against all travel, it offers budget plans and covers all sorts of adventure activities.

Against the Compass readers can benefit from a 5% discount.

Get a quote here to claim your discount

What about the cancellation policy?

Please refer to our Terms & Conditions.