As of March 25

Food

Near larger towns, there are large shopping malls where you can buy everything you need for daily use and much more. As tourists, we cannot buy alcohol. The best store for us was Tamini, where we found the best products; it is somewhat more expensive than other local shops.

Water

Water wasn’t always easy to obtain. We often found it at new, large mosques. Water filling stations for the water trucks are sometimes an option, but small enough water valves aren’t always available, and employees aren’t always willing to let us use them. Treated drinking water can also be purchased from specialized shops.

Diesel

Diesel is not a problem in the KSA. There are gas stations everywhere that always have diesel and are very cheap. We were always able to pay with credit cards without any problems.

Money

The currency, the Saudi Riyal (SAR), is freely convertible. It can be obtained from an ATM or exchanged at exchange offices. However, payment by credit card is usually possible in larger stores and especially at gas stations.

Overnight places

We didn’t see any organized campsites in the KSA. We always camped freely. That’s easy to do; we could park anywhere.

Internet

With STC, we were able to purchase unlimited data packages for a month. 4G and 5G reception is good; we almost always had a connection. However, the STC SIM card didn’t work with our Netgear Nighthawk router, so we had to buy a cheap Chinese router, which always worked perfectly.

Streets

The main roads are always at least four lanes and separated by direction. Turning left often requires driving to the next U-turn. Almost the entire country is paved, so we often had to search for dirt roads, but of course, it was also the roads that were really fun. Driving a truck, the main roads in cities are very pleasant because there’s always plenty of space.

Regulations for heavy motor vehicles

The driving bans for trucks are problematic. Trucks are often not allowed to use the roads in urban areas during rush hour! However, the times vary from city to city and sometimes from street to street. The two major cities of Riyadh and Jeddah are particularly bad; trucks are only allowed to drive in the morning and at night. For us as overlanders, this is very inconvenient. We’ve decided that we’re not a commercial truck, but rather a camper van or, at most, a bus, since we don’t transport goods. The police don’t quite see it the same way. Unlike in the UAE, there’s a police vehicle on every street corner, and the police are very present. However, they were always very friendly with us, never unpleasant.

Customs formalities

Entry

We entered the country in Al Batha from the UAE and in Al Khafji from Kuwait. We were able to obtain the visa in advance online. Entry was problem-free both times, and we didn’t need to get a CDP stamp. Motor vehicle liability insurance can be purchased at a special booth. However, the official wasn’t trained in trucks, and it took forever. He didn’t even want to insure the quad.

Processing time: average 1 hour

Visa fees for 2 people: 790 SAR, vehicle insurance: 2,415.00 SAR for 12 months

Exit

We left for the UAE at Al Batha. Exiting the country was very easy.

Processing time to UAE: 1 hour

Personal observations

In contrast to the UAE and Oman, the Saudis are clearly poorer. The locals have to work hard and often can’t afford very much. The oil wealth isn’t distributed among the population like in other oil-producing countries but apparently remains mainly in the coffers of the royal family and the state, which is the same in Saudi Arabia. Many cultural sites and infrastructure buildings are dilapidated and neglected, and there is clearly a lack of infrastructure. Obviously, there’s a lack of money and interest. Contact with the local population, the Saudis, is possible and cordial.

Our personal highlights

1          Tanzfest Layla, Local men’s dance, N22° 17.733′ E46° 44.236′
2          Kamelmarkt, Camel trade Meat camels, N25 22.342 E49 25.924
3          Lehmdorf Al Khalaf, Historic mud houses, N17° 57.321′ E43° 07.725′
4          Ibex Reserve, Reserve in a beautiful wadi, N23° 28.892′ E46° 40.315′
5          Bergstrasse 246, Perfect, steep mountain pass, N19° 58.581′ E41° 26.846′
6          Wadi Lajab, Narrow, impressive wadi, N17° 37.318′ E42° 57.024′
7          Tour Guide Familie 9 boys 3 girls, Experience the family in person, N18° 08.588′ E44° 34.238′
8          Altstadt Jeddah, Historic districts with balconies, N21° 29.253′ E39° 11.355′

Our statistics

Average daily expenses for 2 people in CHF:

Food                                        12.51
Alcohol                                     0.00
HH non-food                             0.50
Clothes                                      0.65
Excursions                                0.00
Restaurant                               10.42
Accommodation, campsite     17.78
Transport, road customs         41.81
Internet/phone                           4.03
Fees                                           5.43
Personal care                             0.00
1 liter diesel                              0.38