On this final information to go to Yemen mainland (Hadramout Governate) I put collectively a Yemen itinerary and present you all of the locations of curiosity and extra. I made a decision to go after I visited Djibouti earlier the identical yr and I had the perfect Yemini meals there. You would possibly suppose Yemen is totally unsafe. You would possibly suppose that it’s not possible to go to mainland Yemen however solely Socotra Island. That is all not true. On the time of writing the south (which is definitely the east) of Yemen, Hadramout Governate round Seiyun, is secure to go to. It’s additionally the situation of Shibam which is dubbed the Manhattan of the Center East and a UNESCO World Heritage Web site. This Yemen itinerary has a concentrate on the Hadramout governate.
Be part of me on this go to to Yemen and I’m positive you wish to journey to Yemen as properly. Except you do not need journey or exit of your consolation zone. You want an open thoughts. I cannot cowl political concepts right here however simply what Yemen has to supply for a traveller and what to anticipate. One factor is bound: I used to be stunned by its magnificence and the hospitality of the Yemeni folks.
Easy methods to plan a visit to Yemen
Travelling to Yemen solo is feasible. This implies with no group, however you want an area company to rearrange a automotive with driver and information. You additionally want an company to rearrange all of the formalities. I used Kais from Yemen Touring Company who is extremely beneficial, answered all my questions and effectively organized my journey to Yemen. Contact me for his WhatsApp quantity. I’ll cowl all of the specifics on plan a visit to Yemen in a separate article.
Yemen itinerary pre-arrival day: Arriving to Cairo
A visit to Yemen isn’t like an everyday journey round Europe and it wants plenty of planning. To keep away from my positioning flight messing up my schedule I opted to reach a day early in Cairo in order that I’d have a day buffer. I flew in from Amsterdam with EgyptAir. I booked an affordable award ticked with my Aegean Miles & Bonus miles. The most effective Star Alliance program. I stayed on the Meridien Lodge Cairo Airport which I used earlier than. I simply stayed on the resort all day working however if you wish to exit a day take a look at my Prime Day Journeys from Cairo article.
Day 1 Yemen itinerary: Flight from Caïro to Seiyun & Yemen immigration
Yemenia (Yemen Airways) makes use of terminal 1 at Cairo Airport which is the outdated terminal and a bit chaotic. I assumed it made sense to be there 2 hours earlier than the flight, however this resulted in me ready for 1.5 hours with nothing to do. There are 3 x-ray scans earlier than you board and the final one is on the gate. It went chaotic in a easy method. Lastly, the aircraft departed about 25 minutes late. The flight to Seiyun takes 3-3.5 hours. About an hour within the flight a scorching meal was served by the pleasant employees. Fairly customary: Rice with meat, some veggies, bread, and a small cake. A lot of the flight is over the empty quarter, though simply countless desert, I loved trying down and see it go by. Simply earlier than touchdown I used to be fortunate to have a chicken’s eye view of Shibam, a UNESCO World Heritage Web site. It was a easy flight total.
On arrival in Seiyun immigration was easy however took a little bit of time. Attempt to deplane quick and be in entrance of the queues. Sure, two queues as man and girls go individually. First cease checks when you’ve got the visa paper and safety clearance. They then do one thing on a pc and scan the printed copies. At that time I obtained a bit confused as there have been 2 extra counters however on the identical time the, I feel, man in control of the whole lot got here to me “are you Mr. from Hollandi”. Then, he put me in entrance of all others. At cease two a photograph and fingerprints have been taken and cease three was the ultimate visa stamp into the passport. The whole lot collectively took most likely 20 minutes. Baggage was quick and the driving force picked me up and we have been on our solution to Seiyun.
It was late afternoon, and I had a little bit of time left to purchase native garments earlier than checking in on the Hawta Palace Lodge. It’s an incredible resort in an outdated heritage conventional Yemen advanced. Verify the Hawta Palace Lodge web site for extra data. After some kebab and Yemeni espresso, I went to mattress early as a result of the following day could be an extended drive east.
Day 2 Yemen itinerary: Eastwards looking Tombs & Shrines
Wadi Hadramout is filled with essential tombs and shrines of prophets and students of the Islam. Right this moment we’ll discover these, and the start line is the tomb of Hud (pronounce hood) about 2 hours drive east from Seiyun. Hud was a prophet in historical Arabia and talked about within the Quran. He was a peasant of the Advert folks however when these folks began to worship different gods Hud saved praying to the one true God. God then turned him right into a Prophet. The tomb is within the Hadramout valley. It’s a small white constructing with contained in the tomb of Hud. There’s a small city on the base of the mountain which every year involves life when pilgrims come for celebrations. Pilgrims from all around the globe go to, even after I was there a big group from South East Asia was there as properly. After an hour it was time to drive to Tarim. However first a cease for a scrumptious Yemeni lunch with stewed camel meat and way more.
After lunch it was a brief drive to Tarim with a brief cease simply exterior of Tarim in Aynat to see the Sufi scholar shrines. Tarim city is the Sufi Islamic historic heart. It’s house to the gorgeous Al-Midar mosque and it’s hanging white mud-brick Minaret which is the tallest of Yemen. The city is constructed from mud bricks which is widespread all through Yemen. I wandered round city for about 40 minutes however sadly the market wasn’t opened but once more after noon’s break. After Tarim I visited Al-Hosaisa which is house to the shrines of two Sufi students each referred to as Ahmed. A big mosque of the identical identify is positioned on the base of the mountain.
It was a little bit of a rush in Tarim and Aynat in order that I’d be on time in Seiyun for the annual occasion Al-Houl. It’s devoted to the Sufi scholar Habib Ali Alhabshi. Individuals from numerous cities collect in a procession and I used to be fortunate to see it. I like such surprises that you’re all of a sudden in the midst of native celebrations. After all of the teams handed by I visited the Seiyun souk and acquired some Yemen gold. Yemen gold is pure honey. Be sure that somebody who is aware of about it helps you purchase it, so that you get the perfect. It isn’t low-cost although however so good. As I used to be drained, I made a decision to simply have some Kebab for dinner on the resort. So many impressions already this primary day to course of so I went to mattress early.
Day 3 Yemen itinerary: Seiyun to Wadi Do’an with Shibam as spotlight
The precise concept was to go to the Sultan Al-Kathiri Palace the day prior to this, however the museum was closed. This wasn’t an issue as a result of there was time in the present day, I simply needed to get up an hour earlier. Not so my factor however I needed to see the museum. The Sultan Al-Kathiri Palace homes a small archaeological museum, a customs museum, and a photograph gallery with outdated images of Yemen. A small but informative museum which you shouldn’t miss. It was round 10AM after we lastly headed to, for my part, the spotlight of the journey: Shibam Hadramout, the Manhattan of Arabia. Shibam is a UNESCO World Heritage Web site since 1982 and I now know why: It’s an incredible distinctive place.
Shibam is a singular metropolis in Wadi Hadramout because it’s utterly constructed from mud bricks as much as eleven tales excessive. These skyscrapers home round 7000 folks and are constructed very shut to one another. The entire metropolis is surrounded by a wall. It’s superb to see that simply mud and wood beams are used to construct these homes. Automobiles can get in by means of the primary gate, however you’ll solely have the ability to drive as much as the mosque and the primary sq.. The alleys should be explored on foot which you’ll be able to cowl all of them in 2 hours.
Should you stroll the alleys, you’ll discover loads of goats. They stay on the bottom flooring of most of the buildings. After I arrived, the goats have been the one residing beings I noticed in Shibam, however this modified. I obtained invited to see the inside of one of many homes. They’re vibrant and never sandy as the skin! Every flooring has a number of rooms for the assorted households residing collectively. The highest flooring usually is for the newlyweds which transfer down as soon as one other couple marries. As soon as again exterior within the alleys the entire metropolis got here to life as a result of it was lunch time. Abruptly there have been children taking part in, retailers opened and girls coming again with the goats from exterior town. These Hadhrami girls put on pointy hats which is an attention-grabbing sight. All this actually gave an excellent impression of the life in Shibam.
Sure, there’s a viewpoint for Shibam on the different aspect of the valley. Scroll to day 5 for the Shibam sundown, it’s magical! After a small lunch it was time to drive to Wadi Do’an which is a 3-hour drive away but when checkpoints cease you this could final many hours extra. I didn’t expertise any delays with a most of 10 minutes at one army checkpoint.
Driving by means of Wadi Do’an there have been a number of photograph stops of Sif cities of which essentially the most attention-grabbing was Al-Haijrain. A metropolis constructed across the tip of a mountain. On day 4 there could be way more time to discover these cities and villages. It was round 5PM after I arrived simply earlier than sundown on the Haid Al-Jizil Resort Lodge. After a scrumptious oven hen, I went by means of a few of the images of the previous days, linked to house for an replace and went to mattress early as the following day could be an extended one.
Day 4 Yemen itinerary: A day in Wadi Do’an
The sundown from the Haid Al-Jizil Lodge should be magical when the solar lights up Wadi Do’an and Haid Al-Jizil city which is constructed on prime of a rock. I say “should be” as I’m not a morning individual so I skipped this. After my regular breakfast (eggs, Yemini bread, inexperienced chili, and occasional) it was time for a hike from the mountain city into Wadi Do’an. The 1-hour lengthy stunning trek begins a couple of minutes’ drive from the resort and takes you all the way down to Hawfah village. On the prime you’ll be able to see only a little bit of the valley beneath and the extra you stroll down the extra the valley opens with superb views. With the numerous photograph stops it took about 80 minutes to succeed in Hawfah village.
Hawfah village is a ravishing small mud brick village constructed on the base of the cliffs of Wadi Do’an. Strolling by means of the village you’ll get an excellent impression of how the folks spend their time through the day. From Hawfah village we drove a couple of minutes to Buqshan village to admire the Buqshan Palace. This palace, and one other subsequent to it, is a ravishing coloured palace owned by a wealthy household. The household now lives in Saudi Arabia however returns every year and so they deal with the village and people round.
Wadi Do’an could be very affluent and wealthy because of the many profitable enterprise households going again a few years. Many now stay elsewhere, for instance in Saudi Arabia. One household, the Bin Laden household, you most likely have heard of. Their household house is in Al-Rubat, and I used to be in a position to go to it travelling solo. Massive teams would possibly appeal to the eye of individuals with dangerous intentions. Though it’s deserted it was attention-grabbing to see. Will I be in one of many spy-satellite pictures now? Locals even invited me to return to their home for lunch, however I needed to politely decline that as extra was on this system in the present day. Earlier than heading again to the resort for lunch there have been a number of extra photograph stops together with Rehab city. This mud brick metropolis, which can be constructed on the base of the sandstone cliffs is surrounded by fields of inexperienced palm bushes. A gorgeous view.
After lunch and an hour having fun with the infinity swimming pool it was time for a final drive by means of Wadi Do’an. Different cities I visited embrace in no explicit order Al-Khuraiba, Haid Al-Jizil, Qarn Majed and some others. Within the night it was time, but once more, for a scrumptious oven hen for dinner on the resort. They solely serve this due to the shortage of tourism lately. As soon as this modifications they are going to have a full-service restaurant once more. They was totally booked all year long, and I hope this quickly modifications once more as a result of the world is superb.
Day 5 Yemen itinerary: Street journey again from Wadi Do’an to Seiyun
After breakfast it was time to depart Haid Al-Jizil resort at round 08:30AM. It might be a 3–4-hour drive again to Seiyun if there have been no delays at checkpoints. I feel I mentioned “cease” to the driving force about 20 occasions to {photograph} extra villages, native life, and simply stunning panoramas. Once more, the whole lot went easily, so I had a number of hours on the Hawta Palace Lodge pool after lunch. I had lunch in top-of-the-line eating places in Seiyun and at last was in a position to style Saltah. It’s a dish from North Yemen however I needed to attempt it at the least as soon as.
After pool time it was time to go again to Shibam for the magical sundown at the perfect viewpoint. It’s positioned midway up the cliff reverse Shibam. The entire sandy riverbed was full of children taking part in soccer, Hadrami girls coming again with goats once more, simply many individuals getting back from work. It was largely empty the opposite day, however within the late afternoon the entire valley obtained crowded. I watched the sundown, made a big gigapixel panorama photograph, and simply admired Shibam. This was most likely essentially the most memorable expertise in Yemen. It’s the true magical Arabia.
After sundown, it was a 15-minute drive again to the Hawta Palace Lodge for dinner. I went to mattress early as a result of I needed to rise up at 3AM to depart at 4AM to the airport. It’s one thing I attempt to keep away from in any respect prices however with only one possibility for a flight from Seiyun to Cairo I had no alternative. I survived.
Day 6: The top of this Yemen street journey itinerary
Each journey has and finish and so did my journey to Yemen. The flight to Cairo is at 07:00AM which meant I needed to wake-up already at 03:00AM which is one thing I actually hate. However I survived that after all. It was only a quick trip from the Hawta Palace Lodge to the airport. I assumed it will be chaotic on the airport, however the whole lot went very easy. There are a number of passport and safety checks, however they’re quick and environment friendly. It was nonetheless earlier than 5AM after I was in ready space for the aircraft to reach. The flight again was easy as properly.
Yemen actually stunned me. I went in with an open thoughts, but it surely was simply superb. Having seen so many locations it usually occurs that locations are “regular”, however Yemen actually is completely different. The pleasant folks, its historic websites, nature, and the whole lot generally is a good expertise. I’d have beloved to remain longer and discover the north of Yemen. This space from Aden to Sana’a nonetheless isn’t secure now. I need to return quickly for a second go to as soon as doable.
I hope this Yemen itinerary journey report evokes you to go as properly. Plan properly and you’ll have an incredible time.
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