Jeddah is hot and humid for much of the year and Taif is up in the mountains. Many Jeddah families drive to Taif for a weekend or a summer break. The distance is about 170 km, so it is a longer trip than Makkah to Taif.
A weekend away
Weekend trips and school holidays are the busiest times, and the road up to Taif can be crowded. If you are going on a Thursday evening or a Friday morning, leave earlier than you think you need to. Tell us the day and time and we will plan around the traffic. Returning on a Friday afternoon or a Saturday evening can be slow too.
Send your pickup, destination, date and passengers and we will confirm the vehicle and price.
What the drive is like
The first part is flat coastal road. After that the road climbs into the mountains and the temperature drops. The whole trip takes about two to two and a half hours. If you want a stop on the way, for prayer or a meal, tell us.
Luggage for a stay
A weekend with children means more bags. Tell us how many. A Premium SUV takes five passengers and four bags and a Luxury Van eight passengers and six bags. See the fleet.
The return on a busy weekend
Everyone going back to the coast leaves on the same afternoon, so the descent can be slow. If you can, return midweek, or leave Taif in the morning instead of the evening. Tell us the day and we will suggest a time. If you are flying out of Jeddah the next morning, plan the return so you are not arriving late the night before.
Staying in Taif
Hotels and resorts in Taif can be some way from the centre and from the viewpoints. If you want a driver while you stay, see private chauffeur or Taif taxi service. Many visitors like to visit Al Hada, Al Shafa or the rose farms in spring, so tell us your plans.
Going the other way
For the return, see Taif to Jeddah, which covers connecting to a flight.
Two roads and one time of year
The way to Taif from Jeddah passes close to Makkah before heading up into the mountains, so a Jeddah trip to Taif is really a coastal run followed by a climb. In summer, when the heat on the coast is hardest, it feels like a different country at the top. In winter, evenings in Taif can be cold enough that visitors wish they had packed a coat.
Because the drive is long enough that you will want a stop, plan one: a service station on the way, or a short break before the climb begins. Tell the driver if anyone in the group is likely to need one early.
Staying over or heading back
Some families travel up for a weekend, others for a single day. For a day trip, it is wise to agree the return pickup before you leave, since Taif is busy on Friday evenings. For a longer stay, you can book the way back later using Taif to Jeddah, and we will plan it for the day you choose.
Planning around Friday
Friday changes everything in Saudi Arabia: shops close for prayer, roads empty and then fill, and the road up to Taif is crowded by families in the late morning and early evening. If you can, travel up on a Thursday evening or early on Friday, and come down on Saturday rather than on Friday night. If you must travel on Friday, leave plenty of time and avoid the hour around Jumu'ah prayer.
Drivers are accustomed to this pattern and will tell you if the road is slow, but they cannot create time that is not there, so the best plan is one that does not depend on it.
A Taif trip with older parents
Altitude and cooler air suit many older travellers, but steps and walking distances at parks and viewpoints can be tiring. Choose places with easy access and seating, and ask the driver to drop you close to the entrance. We can plan shorter hops with a private chauffeur if you prefer to see fewer places at a slower pace.