Dates are the whole point of this half day. You leave Madinah for the farms on the edge of the city, walk between the palms with the people who work them, see how the trees are watered and pollinated, and taste several varieties one after another rather than settling for one.
It is a slow, shaded morning and it works well with children, who tend to like the tasting more than the walking. If palms hold your attention beyond one morning, the Al-Ahsa Oasis in the Eastern Province spans more than 85 square kilometres and holds more than 2.5 million palm trees, and AlUla is worth a day of its own if you are travelling on.
Day by day
Morning
Pick-up from your hotel and a short drive out to the farms. You walk into the grove while the air is still cool, under the palms rather than beside them, and see how the water is directed row by row. Your guide explains the growing year, from pollination through to harvest and packing.
Late morning
The tasting is set out under the palms: several varieties together, with coffee alongside, so the differences in texture and sweetness are obvious rather than described. There is time to buy dates directly from the farm if you want to take some home. You are back at your hotel before the middle of the day.
What is included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Madinah
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver
- English-speaking guide for the half day
- Walk through a working date farm
- Date tasting with coffee
- Bottled water
- Fuel and parking
What is not
- Dates and produce bought to take away
- Meals
- Tips for the guide and driver
- Travel insurance
The places on this trip
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