Did you know it is now possible to travel to parts of Yemen? Read below to learn more about our upcoming Yemen tours.

Yemen, known previously as Felix Arabia, was once the most prosperous region of the Arabian Peninsula. However, since the 2011 Arab Spring, Yemen has fallen into a brutal civil and proxy war that has caused immense destruction and instability.

However, parts of the country have now come under control of the UAE and Saudi-Backed Southern Transitional Council. This council currently has complete control of the regions of Hadhramaut, Al Mahra, and Socotra. While the rest of the country is unsafe for tourism, these regions are remarkably stable compared to the rest of the country.

We’re one of the first tour operators to organize tours to this region, and we have unparallel local connections to help ensure a safe and enjoyable tour to mainland Yemen.

Upcoming Mainland Yemen Tours:

Yemen Mainland Hadhramaut Tour – February 24th-29th 2024 $3345

This tour takes you to the area of Hadhramaut, often known as “Manhattan of the dessert” as it was one of the first areas in the world to build complex, multi-story buildings. Explore this little-known country and be among the few tourists in the world who have the chance to step foot in mainland Yemen.

All of our tours to mainland Yemen are capped at 10 people, so we recommend booking in advance, as these tours often fill up.

Upcoming Socotra, Yemen Tours:

We also offer tours to the island of Socotra, which is technically part of Yemen.

Check out all of our upcoming tours to Socotra here.

Yemen Photo Gallery

Sample Mainland Yemen Itinerary:

Day 1 – Cairo (Egypt) – Seiyun (Yemen)

• Arrive at your own leisure to Cairo the capital city of Egypt – Cairo International Airport is well connecting with the Middle East and Europe.
• Pre-tour meeting will be held at Cairo International Airport to discuss tour itinerary and to meet your fellow travellers and Western guide – confirmation of time and location will be confirmed closer.
• We recommend booking and boarding the Yemenia (Yemen Airways) flight departing Cairo at 9:45am and arriving 2:15pm in Seiyun. Flights not included in tour cost, we are able to book flights for your convivence. 
• On arrival, your guide will assist you with the immigration formalities. You’ll be greeted by your local Yemeni guide in arrivals who’ll discuss the local laws, customs and itinerary.
• We’ll head out to a beautiful viewpoint overlooking Seiyun, just in time to experience stunning sunset. Your guide will explain the importance of the most important city in Southern Yemen.
• Dinner, we’ll head out to a traditional restaurant, we recommend trying thareed, a local delicacy consisting of lamb and vegetable stew.
• Overnight stay in Seiyun.

Day 2 – Seiyun – Al Mukalla

Morning

• Early morning start followed by breakfast.
• The best way to explore city – we’ll head out for walking tour of Seiyun. You’ll see the most prominent landmark – The Sultan Al Kathiri Palace and see how locals continue with their daily chores. Your guide will explain how the origins of the city came about from weary travellers.
• You’ll be able explore the bazaar frequented by locals, here you’ll get the opportunity to purchase traditional Yemeni clothes.

Afternoon

• Once we’ve explored the magnificent city we’ll stop for lunch at a local restaurant.
• Our journey continue onwards to Al Mukhalla along the Gulf of Aden, stopping along the way to take in the beautiful scenery – our local guides will share their in-depth knowledge of the area.
• Once we arrive to Al Mukhalla we’ll check into our hotel – Al Mukhalla is a seaport and the capital city of the province, so there’s plenty of interesting things we’ll see here. For many years, the city was not accessible for tourists.
• We’ll head out to explore the Old Town. The events from civil war are still present in the city, you’ll learn about this during your stay. The city was briefly held by Al Qaeda and while there is peace now, the recent history is extremely interesting.
• After a busy day, we’ll have a traditional Yemeni dinner in town. We know a place popular with the locals.
• Overnight stay in Al Mukhalla.

Day 3 – Al Mukhalla – Wadi Doan – Haid Al-Jizil

Morning

• Early morning start with breakfast at our hotel before checking out.
• Before leaving we’ll head into Al Mukhalla markets, here you’ll find fishermen and sellers trading freshly caught seafood – our guides will point out some interesting events and stories that took place. We’ll have the opportunity to buy some unique souvenirs.
• We’ll continue on our tour with a visit to the Khoor Mukhalla and Al-Ghawizi Fort – is one of the oldest fortresses in Yemen.

Afternoon

• Lunch in the city – as always there are plenty of places to choose from, but we know a place you’ll especially enjoy.
• Once we’re ready we’ll drive to Wadi Doan (Doan Valley) one of the most picturesque places within the region – for a panoramic view of the area we will head to the Haid Al-Jizil Hotel – which will also be our base for the evening.
• We’ll continue our tour with a drive to Buqshan, a beautiful village famous for its coloured houses, with friendly hospitable locals. We’ll see the palace and mosque with locals visiting during prayer times.
• We’ll head back to Haid Al-Jizil hotel just before sunset so we can capture the incredible views.
• At night we will take a walk around Haid Al-Jizil – known not only known as “Yemens forgotten village”, but also one of the most beautiful towns in central Yemen. Here we will enjoy the old architecture.
• Dinner in Haid Al-Jizil, we’ll try some of the delicious local cuisines.
• Overnight stay in Haid Al-Jizil.

Day 4 – Haid Al-Jizil – Wadi Doan – Shibam – Hawta

Morning

• Early morning start with breakfast at our hotel before checking out.
• We’ll take a short drive to a small town before we walk to Qarht Bahumaish. Put on your comfortable hiking shoes as the trek to takes roughly a hour but worth it for those panoramic views of the surrounding area.
• We’ll make the most of the region and drive further down in Wadi Doan, along the way we make various stops at small villages located in the valley including Musainah, Ribad and Qarn Majed, often described for its charming beauty. Perfect for those who wish daily life in local settlements.

Afternoon

• In the afternoon we’ll visit Al Khuraiba, a beautiful town and a great place to break up the journey for lunch.
• As we continue on we stop at a truly unique site, the former palace of the Osama Bin-Laden family – a unique if somewhat bizarre photo opportunity.
• The journey continues with rest and tour stops at Sif and Hajjrain villages – this is the best way to see daily local life Yemen.
• We’ll then drive to Shibam, in Wadi Hadhramaut (Hadhramaut Valley) in time for a truly beautiful sunset – Inshallah.
• Once we arrive to Hawta, which is part of Seyun City and our home for the penultimate night of our tour.
• After explore the Arabian oasis, we’ll head to the centre for a relaxing dinner.
• Overnight stay in Hawta.

Day 5 – Hawta – Shibam – Seiyun – Avnat – Tarim

Morning

• Breakfast in the hotel, before our last day of the tour!
• We return to Shibam, also known at the Manhattan of Arabia – we are not sure exactly how they came up with this!
• We’ll have city tour of Shiban, which will include all of the main sites, as well as the mud huts, of which it is most famous for.

Afternoon

• Lunch in Shiban, our local guide knows a popular spot with the locals.
• We now take the drive to Seiyun, the biggest and most important city in Southern Yemen.
• On arrival we’ll stop at the Sultan Palace Museum, as well as the Al-Falas Palace – the former residence of the sultan of Kathiri.
• Next we’ll take a city tour, which will includes the main mosque, town centre, as well as wander around the Al-Handal Souk, a great place for souvenirs and bargain hunting. We will also check out the local fruit and vegetable market, a bustling place filled with friendly locals.
• We’ll continue on towards Aynat a small village in Eastern Yemen that is famous for its shrines and locals making pilgrims.
• Our very last stop is in Tarim, a historical village where all buildings are made of mud. We’ll explore the main site which includes the beautiful Al Mihdar Mosque, as well as visiting the largest open air market – you can find locals trading goods.
• After a busy day exploring beautiful towns, villages and learning about the fascinating culture of Yemen, we’ll head back to Hawta.
• Our last night of the tour, so we head into town where our local guides have arranged a Yemeni feast for us!
• Overnight stay in Hawta.

Day 6 – Hawta – Seiyun (Yemen) – Cairo (Egypt)

• Breakfast and early morning departure to catch the flight back to Cairo, Egypt with Yemen Airways – flight cost not included in tour.

Yemen Frequently Asked Questions