Cairo to Abha Saudi Arab Flights

  About Cairo

Egypt's capital and one of the largest cities in Africa, Cairo, is a favourite among tourists. The country of Egypt, with its deserts, might not attract a lot of tourists. However, the rich backstory and culture of Cairo ensure to keep the tourism industry thriving. Some of the famous and finest attractions of Egypt, such as the Great Sphinx and Giza Pyramids, are all located in Cairo. This automatically brings tourists to the capital city. While the city has some exquisite highlights, it suffers from the perils of pollution caused by excess population. It is one of the busiest cities in Egypt as it caters to the financial, economic and cultural sectors. Throughout the city, Cairo invites tourists to visit their beautiful city and drown in its serenity.

Despite all the chaos of the city and its culture, a traveller can find solace in some of its quaint cafes. Finding these cafes and restaurants would be a task as the city is always bustling with barely any corners to hide for tranquillity. The city streets are always bombarded with tourists and street vendors keeping the vibe as vibrant as possible. The city is surrounded by desert but has a rich history which intrigues many travellers. In fact, Cairo also has gorgeous bars and restaurants that could get a tourist's attention.

Best time to visit Cairo

As a desert, it is essential to know the months when the temperatures would be inviting for a tourist. In Cairo, March and April are a great time to visit the archaic city. The winter clouds start to evaporate while the city is blessed with springtime. The temperatures are also quite decent between 23 degree Celsius to 28 degree Celsius. With such temperatures, the winter breeze continues to traverse within the city, adding more charm to the trip. Although the hotel prices don't drop while the temperatures rise in the city, you can still afford them. As long as you book your hotel rooms in Cairo, three to four weeks in advance, you will be able to get some nice deals on hotels. The same goes for flight tickets to Cairo as well. The city does witness a good number of tourists during springtime because of some of the festivals that are held in the city. From the Ismailia International Film Festival to Cairo Fashion Week, these events are significant tourist attractions.

Another good stretch of months that you can opt for is the fall, between October and November. The weather goes through an interesting transition where the summer heat starts to cower while the cold winter atmosphere starts to take over. The desert city is wonderful during this time, and it also hosts more festivals that would appeal to the likes of tourists. Events namely, Cairo International Film Festival and 100 Kilometer Pharaonic Race, are some highlights that the city witnesses. This is definitely one of the ideal times to visit Cairo as everything about the city would be appealing to you.

Between December and February, the city engages more tourists within the city. The weather is ideal for those who wish to experience the desert weather. The days are hot, while the nights are cool. Due to these months being peak season, some of Cairo's tourist attractions see long queues and surge in the hotel prices. Best way to deal with this and the exorbitant hotel prices would be to make hotel reservations to Cairo in advance. A month or two in advance would be ideal as the chances of availability are high.

Place to visit in Cairo

At Cairo, the two tourist attractions that take the cake are Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx. However, don't limit yourself to just two of those monuments. The city is literally a treasure trove of archaeological sites, ruins and relics. You will not be bored by any of their highlights as they all have some really intriguing tales. Sites such as Dahshur, Saqqara and Memphis are a few that you can explore, maybe not excavate. There are many religious sites too that add more charm to the city's archaic vibe. Coptic Cairo or Old City is one such neighbourhood that will pique your interest. As will Islamic Cairo, again a neighbourhood with a labyrinth of twisted alleyways and jaw-dropping architecture. The Egyptian Museum will actually be a good place for you to start before exploring the rest of Cairo. Much of the country's history and cultural insights are all locked up in the museum, which will further help you understand their monuments better. Saqqara is also an interesting site where you will get to see the Step Pyramid of Djoser, known to be the oldest pyramid made of stone.

Things to do in Cairo

Stepping away from all the historical sites, you can take a day off and relax at Al Azhar Park. It's quite the oasis of Cairo with lush green grasses and a beautiful sight of the city. The best thing you can do in Cairo is to learn more about their history. Camel safaris and relishing good food are also some of the other things that you can do. While the city is noisy and crowded, you should still opt to take a stroll around it. You will be surprised by the beautiful architecture and quaint segments. The Bazaar is another place you should hang out at for souvenirs, spices, artefacts and more. It will be quite an experience to make way through the bustling marketplace.

Food and restaurants in Cairo

As the city centre, Cairo does cater to various franchises of the world, including Pizza Hut, Burger King and McDonald's. The city also offers some of the finest cuisines from around the world such as Thai food, European and Mediterranean and Japanese, to name a few. However, they also have their own cuisine to boast. The Egyptian cuisine is very similar to the Middle East, comprising of bread, rice, vegetables and meat. However, thanks to the Nile River, they also indulge in adding fish in their cuisine. Typical restaurants in Cairo that follow the Egyptian cuisine have dishes such as aish baladi (pita bread ft. Egypt), hamam mahshi (pigeon stuffed with rice or wheat), mouloukhiya (rabbit stew or chicken stew with flavours of garlic and mallow), kushari (a wholesome mix of rice, macaroni, vermicelli, spaghetti, black lentils topped with tomato, garlic and chilli sauce), etc. Wholesome is the word to describe their meals as they do make you feel happy and satiated. While you're in the city, do not miss Ta'meya, which is basically Egyptian falafel made from fava beans.

To experience the best of Egyptian food, you should head to Abou El Sid, Sequoia, Felfela, Sabya and more. Al Khal Egyptian restaurant, Osmanly, Bab Al Qasr are also some restaurants in the city where you will find flavours of Egyptian culture. Since the city also has popular cuisine from around the world, you won't have to gorge down Egyptian meals. Even in Egypt, thanks to the river Nile, you can get the best of Japanese sushi at Shogun or Thai delicacies at Birdcage. As the city also has Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine to offer, overall, the food culture is quite impressive. You certainly wouldn't be bored with the food here as they cater to much of your moods.

How to reach Cairo

By Air

From India, the best way to reach Egypt would be to fly to Cairo. Major cities in India, such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai, have flights to Cairo. There are two international airports in Egypt, in Cairo as well as Luxor. Before making your Egypt trip, it is essential for you to first list out your itinerary. Once you know what your trip's going to look like, accordingly, you can book your round trip flight tickets to Cairo or Luxor. In terms of flight deals to Cairo, it would be best to book round trips as that would give you a plethora of cheap flight ticket options. International airlines such as Lufthansa, Swiss, Singapore Airlines, Etihad and more are available and fly from India.

From the metro cities in India, there are regular flights to Cairo. However, for nonstop flights to Cairo without layovers or connecting flights, you should travel from Mumbai. There are three dedicated nonstop flights flying to Cairo from Mumbai. The flight duration to Cairo from Mumbai is comparatively less too, making travelling convenient. While you are finding the best international routes to Cairo from India, you should also take a peek at the accommodations. Since there are some lavish settings and basic but decent hotels in Cairo, you should book a room in Cairo while booking your flights.

By Road

Although there are road routes connecting Cairo and India, they come with some political concerns. The international route to Cairo from India passes through Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, parts of Jordan and Israel to reach Egypt eventually. While a road trip is possible, passing through these countries would be next to impossible. Hence, this is not a viable or recommended way to reach Cairo. Instead, flying to Cairo is ideal and comes with fewer concerns.

  About Abha

Located in the Aseer Province is the lush green city of Abha in Saudi Arabia. The city's proximity to the Red Sea and other intriguing geographical features give it a canvas, unlike the rest of Saudi Arabia. The city's Aseer National Park is famously known for being home to some of the exotic birds. It also houses dense juniper forests. The city is famed for its mild temperatures and is hence, a prominent tourist destination in Saudi Arabia.

Best time to visit Abha

Unlike some parts of Saudi Arabia, Abha actually enjoys some pleasant weather with equal summers and winters. In fact, it is one of the colder parts of Saudi, which enjoys a mild climate all year long. The temperatures go as high as 34 degree Celsius during summers and are surprisingly quite low during winters. In fact, there was a time when the recorded temperature crossed the negatives. While this might have happened in the past, the temperatures don't cross negatives anymore. However, it is one of the pleasant cities in Saudi Arabia with a lovely weather that makes travelling ideal for every season. The winter season in Abha is from December to February. During these months, the temperature could touch a staggering low, and you might need to carry enough parkas to ensure that you don't have trouble breathing. The city's rough climate does make it unfavourable to travel and engage in touristy activities. The season does see a drop in the hotel prices as well. If you are okay with the excessively cold winters in Abha, then you should book your tickets and hotels too.

June to September is considered to be the best season for a tourist excursion in Abha. The summers are quite decent as the temperatures don't touch beyond 34 degree Celsius. While it might seem too much for some people, it is actually quite convenient as there is less humidity in the air during this time. The hot and dry summers are tolerable as long as you carry proper bottles of water and hydrate yourself at all times. Out of the summer months, August is recognised as the best month to visit Abha. The city has perfect temperatures and doesn't require you to go beyond your limits to enjoy the vibe. The hotel prices in Abha during the peak season does see a surge though. Since many folks from around Saudi Arabia also flock over to Abha for a summer vacation, it could be a little crowded with a spike in the hotel prices. You might want to make prior bookings of flights and hotels in Abha if you want to evade the tourist crowd. Or you can avoid the tourist crowd altogether by visiting the city during spring, which is from March to May.

Places to visit in Abha

Abha's pride comes from the exquisite Green Mountain, which is located at the heart of the city. It is basically a mountain that has been lined up with green lights to complement the name. Abha Dam is another place that you should visit. The water body is surrounded by lovely land on all sides. There are many restaurants too around the dam that would add to the quaint vibe of the place. Do not miss the Art Street in Abha. It is more of a park laced with well-maintained streets and has shrubs on either side of the track. The place is beautiful, and you will have a good time hanging out here. You should also visit the Aseer National Park. Connected to the Jabal mountains, the coastal park has many cold spots. You would find the best air and vibe in the national park. Al Sahab Park is another such place that would keep you engaged. You will have to rent a car out and drive up to the amusement park. It is actually one of the first amusement parks that were constructed in Abha. The park is second to the Al Saudah Park, which is about 15 km away.

Things to do in Abha

Do not be surprised by the greenery that you will find in the desert city of Abha. As part of your excursion in Abha, you can visit Jabal Sawda by trekking up the peak. Aside from the Sawda, you should also trek up the trails of Jabal Ferwa. The two Saudi Arabian mountains would be cold, so make sure to carry a light jacket and lots of water. If trekking is not your thing, then you should visit Abu Kheyal Park. It is relaxing and has lovely floral trees lined up that adds to the beauty of the place. As the city has many parks and green spaces, you should also check out the Andalus Park. This place is especially perfect if you are travelling with kids. They can have fun on the slides while you can relax and enjoy the breeze while lying on the grass. As the city is surrounded by many parks and mountains, you will always be up for something to do.

Food and restaurants in Abha

Jalamah is a famous dish that you will find in the city. It is a traditional Saudi Arabian dish which is made from lamb. The meat is blended perfectly with Arabic spices consisting of cinnamon, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom and coriander. The aromatic stew certainly brings a lot of flavour on the plate that you would enjoy. Saleeg is another famous dish of the Saudis which is basically rice porridge topped with a marinated and roasted piece of meat. It could be lamb or chicken or any meat of your choice. The lovely dish is comforting and would be a nice indulgence. Another dish that you would find in Abha, a common Saudi meal is the Martabak. A roti-like bread is stuffed with ground meat, garlic, eggs, curry, peppers and onions. It is basically a Saudi version of a paratha. You can actually eat this when you are not in the mood to eat excessively. Do leave some room for dessert as the famous Saudi savour Ma'amoul is a must-have. It is basically a dome-shaped tasty sweet made with fillings of fruits, walnuts, dates and more.

The options of indulgence in Abha is minimal. The city does not have a plethora of food joints with international or fusion cuisine. The place is humble and serves most of Saudi-inspired menu at their restaurants. Most of their restaurants are for a family setting. You can find some tasty Saudi dishes along with plates of mezze meals. Some of the main restaurants include Al-Tahy, N Lounge, Maharaj Indian Restaurant, to name a few. The Green Mountain Restaurant is actually a good place for you to hang out with your family or friends. The place is perched atop a lovely hill and illuminates the scintillating lights of the city. The breath-taking view interspersed with tasty food is definitely unmissable. You can also get coffee and cake as the establishment serves a lot of things.

How to reach Abha

The flight connectivity to Abha is quite decent. Although there are no direct flights to Abha from Indian cities, there are flights connecting to the Saudi city. The most popular route to Abha is from Jeddah and Riyadh. Both the cities are located in Saudi Arabia, and this domestic route to Abha is perfect and well-connected. Airlines such as Air Arabia, Flynas, Saudia, flydubai, Emirates, Etihad Airways, to name a few, have immaculate flight connectivity to Abha. A majority of these flights have layovers in Sharjah, Jeddah, Riyadh and Dubai. These cities offer enough options to reach Abha and hence, are more popular. It is imperative that you get a transit visa as it is required in Saudi cities. Interestingly, Jeddah and Riyadh are the only cities where you will need a transit visa. You can either get it from the embassy, or you can apply for the same online. Saudi Arabia's embassy website has the form that you need to fill out to apply for the transit visa. The flight duration to Abha ranges from 11 hours to 13 hours approximately.

The domestic route from Jeddah is considered to reach Abha. Since flight connectivity to Jeddah is much better than Abha, it is often a better way to reach the Saudi city. The flight tickets to Abha are quite reasonable. The ticket price to Abha ranges from INR 19,000 to INR 25,000. You can actually get tickets to Abha for cheap, provided you spend time on the internet and get hold of some flight deals. A little snooping around on the internet will help you find the best flight deals to Abha online. Along with the flight tickets, you can also book your hotel in Abha. This will actually enable you to receive more discounts and offers. You will have to check for peak season as the flight tickets will be expensive during this time.

  About Saudi Arabian Airlines

Saudi Arabian Airlines or more popularly known as Saudia, is the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia and is based out of Jeddah. The airline's main hub is at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. The secondary hubs for Saudi Arabian Airlines are in Riyadh and Damman's King Khalid International Airport and King Fahd International Airport, respectively. With respect to revenue, Saudi Arabian Airlines is the third-largest in the Middle East and falls right behind Emirates and Qatar Airways. The airline caters to a slew of domestic routes and international routes spread across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. Much of the domestic and international charter flights are deployed and operated during the Ramadan period and the Hajj pilgrimage season. In 2012, Saudi Arabian Airlines joined the SkyTeam airline alliance and is also part of the Arab Air Carriers Organization. It is a non-profit non-political organization that comprises of airlines from 18 countries and has its headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon.

The airline came into existence in 1945 following the reception of a Douglas DC-3 as a present to King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud by the then US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. This gave the kingdom a nudge to put their resources towards building their civil aviation. Saudia Arabian Airlines was also founded at the same time and fell directly under the government rule with all its controls handled by the Ministry of Defence. The airline's management contract was handed over to Trans World Airlines (TWA). The first airport for the airline's operations was in Kandara Airport, located close to Jeddah. However, the airport has been demolished. Its early operations consisted of flights heading from Lydda (present-day Israel) to accommodate transport for Hajj pilgrims to Jeddah. Following this, Saudi Arabian Airlines introduced various domestic route operations such as Jeddah-Riyadh-Hofuf-Dhahran. The airline also brought in delivery of two Boeing 720s and became the fourth Middle Eastern airline to operate a jet aircraft. In 1963, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia announced that the airline would become a registered company instead of complete independence.

Later, Saudi Arabian Airlines purchased DC-6s and Boeing 707s. The airline further extended its reach from domestic routes to international routes with connections to destinations such as London, Mumbai, Sharjah, Frankfurt, Tripoli, Geneva, Tehran, Rabat, Tunis and Khartoum. By the 1970s, the carrier changed its name from Saudi Arabian Airlines to Saudia. Further, the airline also included Jumbo Jets to its fleet that was leased from Middle East Airlines. These jet planes were mainly deployed for operations in the London sector. During the same period, Saudia also operated Special Flight Services (SFS) that were reserved for the royal family and Saudi Arabia's government agencies. Following this, the airline expanded its international route network by chartering services to Rome, Stockholm, Paris, Kano and Muscat. A joint service of Pan Am/Saudia started in 1979 between Dhahran and New York City. In the 1980s, Saudia accommodated Horizon Class, a business class service, to enhance its in-flight services. In 2016, the airline announced that they would be starting a low-cost carrier subsidiary going by the name Flyadeal. Launched under the Saudia Group's SV2020 Transformation Strategy, the airline began operations in 2017 with flight services to domestic and regional destinations.

Fleet size of Saudi Arabian Airlines

As of 2020, Saudia owns a fleet size of 142 aircraft that comprises mainly Airbus and Boeing. The airline plans to continue adding world-class aircraft to its fleet and reach the top position as the best airline in the Middle East. They have constantly been rooting to enhance and modernize their fleet. Thorough studies and comprehensive deductions are made before the airline invests in acquiring new aircraft. Not to mention how an outline of their requirements from the aircraft is also charted out to get a better understanding of which aircraft will do justice to Saudia's brand name. This is in accordance with the airline's operations for domestic routes, regional routes and international routes.

Currently, the airline has 46 Airbus A320-214s, 15 Airbus A321s, 32 Airbus A330-343s, 33 Boeing B777-368ERs and 16 Boeing B787s as part of its fleet. Out of these aircraft, the Boeing B777-368ER is their largest aircraft which accommodates about 413 seats, 383 catering to the economy class cabin while 30 for business class. Meanwhile, the Airbus A330-343 and Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner are the second largest with a seating capacity of 298 that are segregated strategically. 274 seats have been reserved for economy class cabin while 24 have been placed in the business class cabin.

Baggage allowance

Baggage allowance, as stated by Saudia, vary from the journey type and the cabin class. They mostly follow the standard protocols set by the global aviation industry, which requires passengers in the first and business class cabin to have baggage weighing not more than 32 kg. As for passengers travelling from economy and guest class, the weight of the baggage cannot exceed 23 kg. In case the passengers do end up breaking the rules of baggage allowance and carry the weight that exceeds the said numbers, the airline will levy tariffs in SAR, per kg. Saudia also expects the passengers to follow the baggage dimension rules. Each piece of baggage needs to be within the dimensions of a total of 158 cm. In case the dimension does exceed, it cannot go beyond 205 cm.

Failing to meet the criteria would result in the airline requesting the passenger to ship the baggage by cargo. The same rules apply for domestic route flights and international route flights of Saudia. Depending on the cabin class that the passengers travel by, the airline would accordingly allow pieces of baggage. Flights to Asia from Saudia have two pieces of baggage allowed for economy class with one hand baggage that cannot weigh more than 7 kg. Business and first class passengers are allowed to car two pieces of checked baggage and one hand baggage that cannot exceed the weight of 12 kg.

In-flight

Saudia's in-flight services are exceptional as they offer a slew of luxurious amenities and hospitality. The airline boasts pristine seating which comes with comfortable leather. The seats are equipped with personal entertainment systems, spacious legroom and other such facilities. There is a special Saudi magazine that passengers can find as part of the entertainment package. These are mostly available on medium and long-haul flights. Part of Saudia's in-flight services also includes seat upgrades that can be requested at the check-in or even onboard. The airline also offers in-flight meals and beverages. However, it is one of the few airlines in the world, not to serve alcohol and pork. As per the Islamic dietary laws and restrictions, alcohol and pork are considered to be omitted from the diet.

Hence, the airline adheres to the same beliefs and does not serve the two items on the flight. It does offer a menu that has a rich list of dishes from global cuisine. One can immerse themselves in the delicious food while enjoying some good entertainment content. Some of the select few aircraft in Saudia's fleet also offer WiFi and mobile network portability. Interestingly, the airline's fleet also has prayer areas along with a recorded prayer that is played before the flight's take-off.

Popular routes and top cities for Saudi Arabian Airlines

Saudia has enabled a successful domestic route and international route of flight connectivity. They have an extensive range of destinations to cater to that include about 80 cities spread across Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. Some of the international destinations include Vienna, Brussels, Hong Kong, Cairo, Addis Ababa, Paris, Frankfurt, Athens, Chennai, Delhi, Kochi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jakarta, Baghdad, Milan, Rome, Amman, Nairobi, Kuwait City, Kuala Lumpur, Rabat, Amsterdam, Lagos, Muscat, Lahore, Karachi, Doha, Singapore, Khartoum, Johannesburg, Madrid, Colombo, Geneva, Bangkok, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, London, Los Angeles, New York City and Washington DC. With hubs in Riyadh, Medina, Jeddah, Abha and Dammam, Saudia's domestic route connectivity is also quite strong as it connects to a vast number of cities within Saudi Arabia. These include cities such as Abha, Dammam, Jeddah, Medina, Riyadh, Tabuk, Najran, Neom, Yanbu, Rafha, Najran, Turaif, Wedhj and more. Further, the airline wishes to expand more of its destinations and add more cities to its list of connectivity.

Why travel from Saudi Arabian Airlines?

Saudia or Saudi Arabian Airlines is one of the best airlines as voted in the Middle East. It falls right behind Emirates and Qatar Airways to be the third-best in the aviation space of the Middle East. Much like the luxury standards set by the other two airlines, Saudia also meets with the same as it facilitates a slew of luxe in-flight services and convenience to the passengers. The airline is well-equipped with the best aircraft that have business class as well as economy class cabins. They recently introduced a mobile app to make travel procedures easier. Passengers can do their web check-ins from the app and also know more about the flight status. Further, there are provisions to book a Saudia flight on their app and other travel portals too, thanks to its popularity. Saudia's flight schedules have been mentioned on their website to help passengers pick the right option.