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Voykit pocket guide · Saudi Arabia
Khaybar
خَيْبَر
Skip unless you are on an Experience AlUla tour that includes it: most sights are closed for renovation and access is restricted. A half-day stop on the Medina–Tabuk highway if you have a permit.
Khaybar is an oasis town 153 km north of Medina, known for its pre-Islamic Jewish history and the Battle of Khaybar. As of early 2025, most sights are closed for renovation and access to the old town is limited to guests of Experience AlUla tours. The lava fields (Harrat Khaybar) and the Ain al-Jammah oasis are visible from the road or on guided trips, but the town itself offers little for independent travellers.
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
- Local name
- خَيْبَر
- Best months
- Nov–Mar
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (extreme heat)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- SAR
- Money
- SAR (riyal) is pegged to the US dollar at about 3.75.
- Daily spend
- Budget SAR 150–300 (day trip from Medina or AlUla) · Mid SAR 300–600 (includes tour) · High SAR 600+ (private tour) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- STC, Mobily and Zain sell tourist SIMs at arrivals; passport and fingerprint registration are required.
- Emergency
- Police 999 · Ambulance 997 · Unified emergency 911
- Plugs
- Types G, C, F · 230 V · 60 Hz · UK-style three-pin (G) is the standard; older buildings may have European sockets. Bring a universal adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% if no service charge; small change at cafés.; Ride-hailing / taxi: Round up or tip in the app.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: SAR 5–10.; Guide / driver day: SAR 50–100 guide; SAR 30–50 driver.; Fuel station attendant: SAR 2–5 if they clean the windows.
- Water
- Tap water is desalinated and treated; most people drink bottled water, sold everywhere for SAR 1–2.
- Toilets
- Western toilets with a hand shower in malls, hotels and mosques; squat toilets at older fuel stations. Malls and mosques are the free public options.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Guided tour (Experience AlUla) | SAR 300–500 |
| Car rental per day | SAR 200–400 |
| Fuel (full tank) | SAR 100–150 |
| Bottled water (1.5 L) | SAR 2–5 |
| Dates (1 kg (2.2 lb))Dates (2.2 lb (1 kg)) | SAR 20–50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MED · Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport (Medina)
- About 1.5 h south by car; check
- ULH · AlUla International Airport
- About 2 h north by car; check
Typical fares
- Medina to Khaybar (car)
- about 1.5 h, fuel ~SAR 50
- AlUla to Khaybar (car)
- about 2 h, fuel ~SAR 70
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Car or tour vehicle required. No public transport within the town.
See and do
Known for
- Khaybar Historical City (mud-brick ruins)
- Ain al-Jammah oasis
- Harrat Khaybar lava fields
- Battle of Khaybar (628 CE)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| AlUla | Car via Highway 15, about 2 h north | 2 h |
| Medina | Car via Highway 15, about 1.5 h south | 1.5 h |
| Harrat Khaybar lava fields | Car or guided tour; trail to Jabal Abyad crater | 30 min from town |
Sleep
- Khaybar town
- Limited options; most visitors stay in AlUla or Medina and visit as a day trip.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام عليكمas-salamu alaykum |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much? | كم؟kam? |
| Yes / No | نعم / لاna'am / la |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say as-salamu alaykum; wait for a woman to offer her hand first; avoid: Hugging or touching the opposite sex
- Hospitality: Accept coffee and dates; eat with the right hand; avoid: Refusing all offers or showing the soles of your feet
- Prayer times: Wait quietly when shops close; step aside for people praying; avoid: Walking in front of people praying; loud music near mosques
- Dress: Loose, covering clothes in public; headscarf in mosques; avoid: Shorts, sleeveless tops and swimwear in town
- Photos: Ask before photographing people; avoid: Photographing women, families or official buildings
- Conversation: Talk about family, food, football, travel; avoid: Criticising religion, the royal family or the government
- Queues and sections: Follow signs for family and women's sections where they exist; avoid: Entering women-only areas
Scams and watch-outs
- Most historical sights are closed for renovation as of 2025; check the Experience AlUla website for current access.
- Access to Khaybar Historical City is restricted to guests of Experience AlUla tours.
- No fuel stations between AlUla and Khaybar; fill up before leaving.
- Summer temperatures exceed 45°C; carry water and avoid midday travel.
Safe for tourists on guided tours. The main risks are extreme heat, dehydration and limited services. Always travel with a full tank of water and fuel.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Khaybar yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Khaybar Historical City (mud-brick ruins)
- Ain al-Jammah oasis
- Harrat Khaybar lava fields
- Battle of Khaybar (628 CE)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Experience AlUla – Khaybar: www.experiencealula.com/en/places-to-go/khaybar
- Wikivoyage: Khaybar, revision 5095637 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5095637
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/khaybar). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.