Young Pioneer Tours
Bahrain Tour
Bahrain will surprise some, being a liberal Islamic environment but steeped in local culture, it is one of the most laid back parts of the Middle East that you will visit.
As a gateway tour to our extended visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we can relax on the corniche and enjoy the weekend with Bahraini people — we can even enjoy a cold beer in the evening!
But we will also see the best of Manama, including its mosques, forts and souqs before heading out on a road trip to see outside the capital, from its oil fields and deserts to ancient burial grounds and go karting on the Formula 1 track
This tour can be done as a standalone, or as an introduction to the Middle East before we head to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Thursday 10th March – Manama
Morning
- Arrive at your convenience into Manama – the capital city of Bahrain which is well connected from many countries. Transfer to our centrally located hotel.
- Pre-tour meeting will be held at the lobby of our hotel at 1:00pm to discuss tour itinerary and to meet your fellow travellers and YPT guide.
Afternoon
- Lunch at Al-Abraaj which offers all manner of Middle Eastern food from Lebanese to Persian!
- Our first visit is to the 11th century Al Khamis Mosque which is believed to be the first mosque in Bahrain. There’s also a museum for us to visit to learn more.
- Explore the ancient Dilmun burial mounds – this UNESCO World Heritage site dates back to the Dilmun and the Umm al-Nar culture which from 4000 years ago.
- Dinner along the King Fahd Bahrain/Saudi Causeway.
- After dinner we’ll head south to the Formula 1 circuit, hopefully for some go-karting!
- Visit the oil museum which details the first oil well drilled on the island.
- In amongst the oil infrastructure we can see the Tree of Life – this tree stands unique in the desert, covered in graffiti, and the size of it makes an impressive sight in amongst the oil wells and desert, especially considering it doesn’t have an obvious water source!
- Drive back to Manama
- Bahrain is one of the only places in the region where alcohol is permitted, and we’ll go out to rub shoulders with Saudi holiday-makers and expats alike
- Overnight in Manama
Friday 11th March – Manama
Morning
- Our first stop is the impressive Al Fateh Grand Mosque – built in 1988, it is one of the largest mosques in the whole world which can hold over 7000 worshippers at a time
- We head to the Al Fateh Corniche to check out the Bahrain National Museum – the corniche itself is a great place to walk along the seaside and take in the day with the Bahraini people
- Visit the Abu Mahir Fort – otherwise known as the Muharraq Fort – which offers the best views over the whole of Manama
Afternoon
- Lunch at the 1950s Haji’s Café
- Explore Manama Souq – the largest bazaar in the city
- Enjoy the sunset from the top of the Qala’at al-Bahrain, the Bahrain Fort. Built on Dilmun settlements over 3000 years old, it was built during the 14th century but has since been renovated. The fort is located just outside of Manama and offering stunning views of the area.
- Dinner in town at Bahrain Block 338
- Overnight in Manama
Saturday 12th March – Manama
- Tour concludes with airport drop-off arranged according to your flight details – YPT is also able to arrange post-tour accommodation or advice for flights.
- Group members on our Kingdom of Saudi Arabia board a 9:40am flight to Riyadh!
Tour Extensions
Want to extend your YPT adventure? Join one of our great tour extensions
