As a traveller you may wonder what is so special about Yemen, well there is very much to learn in terms of History & Culture not to mention the friendly & hospitable people in the land of the Imam.

 

The move from a Traditional based society thrust into Modernity under the umbrella of what is called democracy enables you to discover the anthropomorphic nature of man.

 

The splendid Architecture amongst the ancient archaeological sites go back to the days of King Solomon with the scent of incense and perfumes that made Yemen famous since early times.

 

By visiting Yemen in you will undoubtedly help expose the locals to a vista of hope as well as having an adventure filled excursion into the past. Yemen is a living museum!

 

The Architecture of Yemen is cast across the most diverse range of geography that inspires academics & creative artists to capture the special time locked land of Yemen.

 

From the mountains & deserts to the sea Yemen unfolds the magnificent endeavours of the people who inhabit this mysterious & mystic filled which is still crawling out of the dark ages.

 

The UNESCO world Heritage sites are a window into Yemen’s splendour and human endeavour.

 

Cultural & Women's educational Tours of Yemen for those interested in Architecture, Archaeology, History. Affiliations with Sana'a University for academic students.

 

Eco-Tour oriented & UNESCO heritage specialists with emphasis on service & exposure to a Cultural diverse society, moving from  Tradition into Modernity!

 

Yemen is located in the south-west corner of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders on Saudi Arabia and Oman in the north and has the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean as . Yemen used to be known as Arabia Felix, the happy Arabia, because of its richness, but nowadays it is the second poorest country in the Arabic world (only Mauritania has a lower per capita GDP.

 

Yemen is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. You will feel like you jumped back in time, some good thousand years. Men and women still wear traditional garb, the houses look like pictures from your children's Bible (or Koran).

 

Sana'a the capital is great and is probably your point of entry. The old city is on the world heritage list of UNESCO. Mareb is another must see. The Great Mareb Dam is a very impressive structure and shows how developed early Yemenite civilizations were. Shibam is dubbed the Manhattan of the desert and is far away but very pretty.

 

You are sure never to forget a trip to Yemen. Either you enjoy the fantastic ancient architecture, have a great time in the beautiful mountains and appreciate the desert landscapes.

 

Arabia Felix in Latin and Arabia Eudemon in Greek, this what Yemen was so-called in the ancient world. Both names mean “ Arabia the Blessed”. This because of its fertile land that grew endemic cereals, fruit, resin, spices and aromatic trees that produced fragrant substances such as, frankincense and myrrh which were used in the ritual ceremonies in Temples. In Yemen, great civilizations were erected.

 

The most famed civilization was Saba or Sheba . The Sabaeans established Dams to irrigate their lands and they constructed the greatest Dam in the ancient world, Mareb Dam (about 610 BC), its remains have been still so far. The kingdom of Sheba flourished and became wealthy owing to its monopoly to the trade routes between ancient East and West Civilizations. One of the Sabaean Rulers was the Queen Bilquis (the Queen of Sheba) who was very renowned when she undertook a journey to meet the Prophet Solomon. The Story of this Queen mentioned in the Holly Qura’an and the Bible, too. She established her capital in Mareb (about 2500 yeas ago). Many remains of the Queen’s Throne, Temples have remained so far. So Mareb is considered one of the most significant archaeological sites in Yemen . In the 17th century, Yemen had well known reputation in Europe for trading Yemeni coffee, which was considered the finest coffee.

 

The Red Sea Mokha port (some of the famous coffee shops bear the name of Mokha in Europe ) had become one of the busiest ports of its day. Some of the European merchant transported Yemeni coffee plants to several regions in the world such as Indonesia , Brazil and Jamaica .

 

The climate in Yemen is various and depends on the different altitude of the regions. In the mountains, it can be cool (at night & early morning, otherwise warm days) and moderate on the coast of Indian Ocean and the Red Sea in winter. In summer, it is fresh and moderate in the mountains and can be hot but bearable on the coasts and the deserts. Yemen ’s climate could be classified under three climate zones: Tihaman (stretched along the Red Sea ), the south coastal strip the hot and humid coastal strip. In winter, the climate in the coastal area is relatively moderate. Occasional rains in summer are caused by the monsoon coming from high temperatures in the coastal area during summer. The weather in the mountain areas is moderate in summer and relatively cold in winter. During winter, it becomes especially cold at night and in the early morning with pleasant sunny days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FRANKINCENSE & 1001 ARABIAN NIGHTS

This once in a lifetime journey to Yemen. Christened Arabia Felix, or "Happy Arabia" by early explorers, Yemen offers you, the traveller of today, a plethora of rewarding experiences as our journey takes us through the highlands, desert and coastal plains of this scenically rich and topographically diverse country.

 

Wander the labyrinthine streets of Sana’a, one of the world’s oldest living cities and marvel at the unique 300 year old tower houses that are ornamented with elaborate friezes and plasterwork. The markets in the narrow streets selling such wares as frankincense, myrrh, spices and clothing reveal a lifestyle unchanged in centuries and you will be delighted by the magical sights and sounds at every turn. In the old and indeed noble city, art became a living creature which pervades the streets and is expressed in the vivaciousness of life and subtleties of colours. It penetrates the soul with the “perfumed by history and the poetic dreams of the 1001 Arabian Nights.”

 

We will travel to the beautifully rugged Haraz Mountains where we will explore the fortified mountain villages with their towering houses built entirely of stone, decorated geometrical facades. There will be an option to trek in this region and wander through the cultivated terraces and open ourselves to the traditional hospitality and friendliness of the Yemeni people whilst sipping tea or participating in the afternoon qat chews …if you dare!

 

The journey would certainly not be complete without a visit to the outstanding skyscraper city of Shibam, located in the Wadi Hadhramaut, which was once the centre of the ancient incense route. Here we will observe the traditional use of mud and straw bricks that clearly demonstrate the diversity of Yemen’s architecture.

 

There will be further exploration of this area in the form of a desert crossing, not by camel like in old times, but in our comfortable Toyota Land Cruiser. This will give us an opportunity to spend the night in the desert and to visit the Bedouin communities en route.

 

Yemen is a hidden gem waiting to be rediscovered. You too can experience the mystique of one of the most untouched and traditional Arab countries by joining Helen on one of our 15 day tours. It will certainly leave you with a taste of Yemen and most definitely a passion for more!

 

Itinerary: - Nov 2007 departure is planned (min of 2 max of 4 persons).

 

15 Nov           Arrive Sana'a. 

We are met upon arrival at the airport and transferred to the Burj Al Salaam Hotel, a traditional tower house located within the walls of the Old City.  In the afternoon we are taken on a walking tour through the old city, which has one of the largest completely preserved medinas remaining in the Arab world.  There are over 14,000 unique stone tower houses in the medina, each individually decorated with elaborate plaster ornamentation. 

Eventually we come to the Souq Al Milh, Sana'a's  vibrant and stimulating market.  It is a scene of intense activity and riotous bargaining!  Old Sana'a with it’s twisting alleys and bustling markets are straight out of the Arabian Nights, a collection of separate suqs each with its own specialty; spices, vegetables, dates, grains, coffee, textiles, clothing, tools, silver and  qat.  Above these alleyways loom the ancient tower houses which are such a feature of Sana'a.  Their crenulations and whitewashed designs outline the ornate windows, many of them made of thin sheets of alabaster or coloured glass.  The minarets of the old city's 64 mosques rise above the rooftops.  One could spend days exploring this suq and there are plenty of opportunities to return here over the course of our stay.

 

16 Nov            Sana’a.  This morning we have our breakfast in the mafraj of the Taj Talha Hotel, which has a magnificent panoramic view over the city and surrounding mountains.  Today we will explore more of the Old City, the Military Museum and further out of the city to  Wadi Dhahr, where we will visit "Dar al Hajjar", the famous five storey rock summer palace of Imam Yahya, the former King of Yemen.  Built on a towering granite spur, it was constructed from stone blocks decorated with white gypsum designs.  It is the most photographed of all Yemen's architectural treasures, and has become a national icon.  Return to Sana’a for dinner and overnight at the Burj Al Salaam Hotel.

 

17 Nov            Sana'a. This morning we return to Wadi Dhahr to observe the wedding dances.  Friday is a great day to visit as over the years it has become a tradition for wedding groups to meet at Wadi Dhahr to perform the wedding dances as part of the final celebrations.  It is quite riveting to watch!

Afterwards we are taken on an excursion to the highland provinces around Sana’a where we visit some of the region’s prettiest villages.  The drive takes us up to the once inaccessible mountain village of Kawkaban where we have a walking tour of the village and a short, optional trek down to the village of Shibam where a delicious traditional Yemeni lunch awaits us.  After lunch we meet Mohammed, our guide, who will take us on a short (optional) trek to the wonderfully preserved early Islamic stone villages of Hababa and Thula.   Thula is of particular interest as this village, with its city walls in an almost completely preserved condition, is a prime example of the Arab art of city construction using local stone, without mortar. We walk through the narrow streets, lined by magnificent buildings,  leading to huge cisterns built hundreds of years ago for times of siege.  Return to Sana’a for dinner and overnight at the Burj Al Salaam Hotel.

 

18 Nov         Sana’a. Early morning transfer to the airport for our flight to the Wadi Hadramaut.  Depart Sana'a on Yemenia Airways Flight No. IY432 at 10.30 a.m.  Arrive Riyan at 1.00 p.m.   We are met upon arrival and transferred to Al Mukalla and the Hadramaut Hotel, located on a rocky promontory overlooking the sea and the town.  The walking tour this afternoon will take us through the old town of Al Mukalla where we will visit the 14th October Palace Museum, formerly the Qasr al-Mu’in Palace of the Qu’ayti Sultans, and the Al Ghowaizi fort.   Evening stroll around the old port town and dinner at a local fish café by the harbour.  Return to Hadramaut Hotel for overnight.

 

19 Nov            Al Mukalla.  After breakfast we embark on a full day of sightseeing to the 13th Century walled city of Al Shihr, 66km east of Al-Mukalla, a town visited by Marco Polo during his travels in Arabia.   Then a short drive to Ghail Bawazir, a town famous for the Al Homa Springs, tobacco and henna.  From here we drive to the fishing village of Bir Ali located near the site of Qana, which in ancient times was the chief port and point of origin for the frankincense, myrrh and spice caravans.  Return to Al Mukalla for dinner and overnight at the Hadramaut Hotel.

 

20 Nov            Al Mukalla.  Today we set off on an extraordinary journey of approximately 300km across the table mountains, initially on the asphalt road, then off road driving down the wadi (dry watercourse), visiting villages along the way until we finally reach Al Khoreiba, one of the most beautiful mudbrick villages located in the Wadi Do’an area. 

 

The drive from Al Khoreiba to Seiyun will take us through the picturesque Wadi Do’an region with its palm trees and air dried mud brick architecture.  En route we will pass through the villages of Al Garain, Rihab, Sif and Al Hajjarain, a beautiful mountaintop village, where we visit the window/screen workshop of the Al Kathir family, traditional carpenters of the region.  We have time to explore the town and sample some of the world famous honey that comes from this region.   We continue on to Al Huraydah, the administrative capital with buildings of Indian influence.

The Wadi Hadramaut is the biggest wadi in the Arabian Peninsula.  It is 300m deep, 2km wide and located on the ancient incense route.  Take note of interesting sights here such as well-houses, built by wealthy Hadramis to provide refreshments for travellers, and whitewashed shrines of saints.  We arrive into Shibam in the late afternoon.  Shibam, the “Manhattan of the East”, is a celebrated Arabian city, a tight cluster of 500 tower houses built in the traditional style typical of the settlements of the desert and southern Arabia from the 5th Century BC.   We climb a nearby hill to view the sunset over the walled city from above Sahil (the new quarter).    Our accommodation tonight will be in the nearby village of Al Hawta and the lovely Al Hawta Palace Hotel, In my opinion the best hotel in Yemen (a renovated Sultan’s Palace which claims to be the only mud hotel in the world!)

 

21 Nov             Al Hawta.  This morning we have a morning tour of Shibam and a visit to a typical house.  We will visit craftsmen in the city who are famous for textiles and the characteristic handmade doors and windows.  From here we drive to Seiyun for a walking tour of the town and visit the Palace Museum.  Continue on to Tarim, an important religious centre with several hundred mosques.  Notice the distinctively South East Asian flavour of the architecture, reflecting the influence of Hadrami emigrants returning to the area, particularly from Java.  We will have lunch at the Al Qubba Palace.  Afternoon sightseeing in Tarim then return to Al Hawta Palace for dinner and overnight.

 

22 Nov           Al Hawta.  Morning at leisure.  Late afternoon transfer to the airport.  Depart Seiyun on Yemenia Airways Flight No. IY501 at 3.00 p.m.  Arrive Sana'a at 4.00 p.m.  We are met upon arrival & transferred to the Hotel then dinner in local restaurant and overnight Burj Al Salaam Hotel

 

23 Nov            .Sana’a.  Depart Sana’a and head north west into the countryside and the Yemeni Highlands, the “Rooftop of Arabia”.  We travel along some spectacular roads ascending and descending to 2,800 metres past mountain villages and terraced fields.  Descending from a mountain pass at 2,600 metres to the plains below, we arrive at Amran.  A walled town in the middle of grain fields, 50km from Sana’a.  We take a walk through the old town, entering through the old gate, wandering through the narrow streets to the market square. 

Continue on to Kholan, an excellent example of a Yemeni mountain village, half way between Amran and Hajjah.  It is built on a slope so steep that the ground floor of one house is above the roof of the next!  The drive from Kholan to Hajjah is the most spectacular in the country.  The town of Hajjah is built on top of a mountain and was strategically important in the past to protect the surrounding fertile plains, as well as being the communications artery and supply line between the coast and the interior capital.  Dinner and overnight at the Ghamdan Hotel.

 

 

24 Nov            Hajjah.  This morning we leave our mountain retreat and venture to the coastal Tihama Region where there will be a distinct change in temperature and scenery.  We visit the town of Al Ma’ris for the Saturday market.  This is one of the most important of the several hundred weekly markets in northern Yemen.  Today it is a huge and colourful market where livestock, handmade textiles, baskets and all sorts of produce are sold by local people coming from the Tihama and coastal plain.  Onward to Bajil where we will stop for lunch. 

From here we drive to the Haraz Mountains.  This is a stunningly beautiful region of rugged peaks, narrow green valleys and the typical mountain stone architecture found in the villages of Manakha and Al Hajjarah.   This evening we have a traditional Yemeni meal in the mafraj (sitting room) of our guest house, where the men from the family will entertain us with traditional music and dance.  Overnight in the Manakha Guest House.

 

25 Nov            Manakha.  After breakfast we will commence an optional trekking excursion accompanied by our local guide. The Haraz Mountains around Manakha are spectacular terraced mountains, with fortress villages on all high points, and a large variety of high altitude birds and flowers. In the distant mountain ranges far from the maddening crowd lives the Arabian Leopard, Hyena and families of wild Baboon, we will only  see them in the Sana’a Zoo on Tuesday 27th. For those who are not so energetic, an excursion will be provided to Al Hajjarah, Al Hoteib and surrounding areas by Toyota Land Cruiser.  Overnight and dinner in the Manakha Guest House.

 

26 Nov            Manakha.  Return to Sana'a and for dinner in a local restaurant and overnight Burj                 Al Salaam Hotel

 

27 Nov            .Sana’a. visit the Sana’a Zoo and then Bait Baus Jewish Village after lunch we will  visit the Sheikh of Sheikhs Sana’a for afternoon tea, dinner in a local restaurant and overnight Burj  Al Salaam Hotel

 

 

28 Nov            Sana’a. Free to explore & gift shop and a special Yemeni Banquet dinner in a local Yemeni restaurant and overnight Burj Al Salaam Hotel

 

 

29 Nov             Sana’a. Transfer to international airport.  Tour ends.

 

The cost for Start Sana'a Finish Sana'a (either single or twin share) maximum of 4 people

 

Single — Cost 2746 Euro (U$ 3450) per person includes all accommodation in a single room with breakfast and dinner daily, all sightseeing either with English/German/Japanese or French speaking guide who will accompany us on the tour, all transport by private Toyota Land Cruiser and driver, all entry fees, travel permits and return air tickets for all the domestic flights in Yemen.

 

Twin Share — Cost 2345 Euro (U$2920) per Twin share includes all accommodation in a single room with breakfast and dinner daily, all sightseeing either with English/German/Japanese or French  speaking guide who will accompany us on the tour, all transport by private Toyota Land Cruiser and driver, and return air tickets for the domestic flights in Yemen International airfares and visa cost not included. Please contact us for costs as required these can vary according to nationality and departure city. (visa can be arranged by Aden Tours Sana’a at 30U$ each)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holder of Tourism Permit No 314

Holder of Tourism Permit No 314