Yemen is one of the least developed and poorest countries in the Middle East and has endured a bloody civil war since at least 2011. Despite being adjacent to Saudi Arabia and on the same peninsula as the United Arab Emirates, Yemen is definitely a place apart.
As of February 2020, it is not possible to travel as an independent tourist to Yemen. Obtaining a tourist visa is very difficult without a tour operator. Given the limited tourism infrastructure, you can’t travel independently to many destinations. The only option is to have a driver and guide take you around. Travel permits are necessary for almost everywhere. You have to pass through many checkpoints and you are only allowed in certain regions that are deemed safe for foreigners.
Foreigners are not allowed to visit too many places. The only parts of the country that can be visited as a tourist are the island of Socotra and the eastern part of the Yemeni mainland (Hadramout governorate). It is not possible to visit Aden and Western part of Yemen.
You are generally not allowed to use public transportation. The guards will not let you through the checkpoints if you are on a bus. You need to have a licensed driver who can obtain the necessary permits for you to travel to parts of the country so this is not the kind of country where you can simply travel around by bus unfortunately.
Require double entry Yemen visa (e-visa).
Hotel in Salalah: Al Dyafa, 214 Central Ave, Salalah
Capital: Sana’a
Currency: Yemeni rial (YER). Banknotes circulate in denominations of 50, 100, 200, 250, 500 and 1000 rials, and you are also likely to come across 10 and 20 coins. The rial is freely convertible and subject to frequent fluctuations.
Population: 26.1 million
Language: Arabic. Independent visitors need some Arabic if traveling outside the capital as the bilingual signs common throughout most of the Middle East are commonly absent.
Country code: +967
GET IN
VISA. Visa regulations change quite regularly, and an embassy should be contacted to make certain that the relevant documentation is obtained (it is recommended also to ask one of the licensed tour operators in Sana’a). Citizens of most countries must obtain visas in advance. The easiest way to get the visa is directly from Embassy of Yemen in your home country. Most visas are valid for 30 days from the date of issue (3 months for European Union).
Another way of getting visa is via one of the licensed tour operators, as they are allowed to prepare pre-visa paper in the Ministry of Foreign affairs on the mainland or Socotra Island for a visa on arrival. Require a colour copy of passport and a personal photo (passport size). Takes 5-7 working days. Such pre-visa paper is valid for 30 days from the day of issue and upon this a real visa is issued at the Sana’a or Socotra airport.
Note that require an Oman one year multiple entry visa – easy to get online for 50 OMR. It took 2-7 days to process.
By plane. As of fall 2018, most flights to Yemen are suspended due to the official no-fly zone. Yemenia runs a skeleton service based in Aden with flights from Amman, Cairo, and Riyadh. Other airports are either closed permanently or operates only infrequently.
Socotra. Yememia Airways has a flight from Cairo to Socotra Island once a week (every Wednesday).
By car. East Yemen. Flights from Cairo to Salalah, Oman – cross Yemen-Oman border by car. Crossing from Saudi Arabia in a car is substantially more difficult, as regulations for getting a car into Saudi are very intricate.
By train. There are no trains to or within Yemen.
By bus. Some buses operating throughout the Arabian peninsula connect to Yemen. Tourists (especially from non-Arab countries) are not allowed to use public transport on roads linking the East and the West of Yemen: Mukallah – Aden and Say’un – Sana’a. If flights exist, tourists have to take a plane to come from the west to the eastern part of the country. Buses from Salalah, Oman go to Sayu’n in Wadi Hadramawt and Mukallah on the Indian Ocean.
TOURS – Eastern Yemen – Hadramout governorate. There are several tour operators. The two main ones offering trips to Shibam and Wadi Dawan in February 2020 seemed to be these two. Both included: pick up at the airport in Salalah and driving back, car and driver, accommodation, food and drinks, visa to Yemen, tour guide. The best itineraries divide day one and five into two days each – 750km and 675kms and make it a 7-day trip.
1. Easy Travel to Yemen (Abdulhameed Ghanima)
Talha Street – Old City, Sanaa
www.easyyementours.com
e-mail: easyyemen@easyyementours.com
phone: +967 711 444 192
Cost € (Feb 2020): one person – 1772, two – 1507, three – 1319
Reviews were terrible. Apparently Abdul’s brother runs part of the trip – he has lots of issues and abandoned a woman with 2 days left in her trip. The only positive reviews on Trip Advisor were from one traveler whose only TA reviews were these two and occurred immediately after the bad reviews. Their 5 day itinerary does not make sense as Day 1 and 5 are both incredibly long drives from Salalah, Oman to Seijun.
2. Kais Ahmed Al-Kalisi (also runs the tour for Inertia Network)
Radfan Tourist Agency www.visityementours.weebly.com (prntscr.com/ofpxyv – this is simply a document with a 5-day itinerary)
kaisahmed@yahoo.com or rta@y.net.ye
Phone: +967 777 007 706
Website:
3. Inertia Network
Inertianetwork.com. This is not a tour company.
Their main activity is an 8-day trip to Socotra Island involving a trek $3900 Oct 20-29, 2020 and again in February 2021. They offer an “add-on” trip to the Yemen mainland in the east $2200 Oct 15-21 and again preceding their Socotra trip. It sounds identical to the trip offered by Kais.
Itinerary in East Yemen
Day 1, 2: Salalah, Oman – Seiyun, Yemen. Salalah, Oman, cross border, Al Ghardha, overnight in Shihan. 220kms on day one. Day two is 550kms on broken road, long drive to Seiyun.
Day 3: Seiyun – Tarim – Shibam – Seiyun. From Seiyun drive to Tarim – built before Islamic era. From Tarim driver to Shibam. On the top of the mountain we will watch the beautiful sunset. In the evening time we will go around Shibam and then drive back to Seiyun. Only 25kms between towns. Overnight in Seiyun.
Day 4: Seiyun – Wadi Dawan – Al-Hajjarein – Saif – Beit Bukshan. From Seiyun drive to Wadi Dawan – one of the largest southern valleys full of date palms and small villages on both side of rivers. Al-Hajjarein City located in the wadi built before Islamic era and at this time with many beautiful mosques. Then drive to Saif – small village in the middle of Wadi Dawan. In the evening arrival in Beit Bukshan. Overnight in Beit Bukshan or Al Mukalla. 350kms Al – Khoreiba – village with beautiful architecture.
Day 5,6: Al Mukalla to Surfeet. 675kms
Day 7. After breakfast drive to Salalah (Oman).
GET AROUND
Independent travel is possible in Socotra and to Hauf (just barely past the Oman border) in east Yemen. Before the travel restrictions, the local transport (taxis, buses, aircraft) was perfect to get around on the cheap. More intrepid travellers could take advantage of the local intercity bus service, which was comfortable, and a wonderful way to see the country. The buses usually took a pit stop every hour or so, making this a slower but much more interesting way to travel for those who are up for an adventure and some friendly conversation. The biggest company in Yemen is Yemitco, their offices can be found in major cities. Now it is not possible to travel past Hauf by bus.
More expensive, but now the only real way to see much of the country, and a more efficient travel is to book your tour via one of the registered tour operators, that are found on the Yemen Ministry of Tourism webpage. Be aware that there are many non-registered tour operators in Yemen. For trips outside the capital, many travellers prefer a car (preferably 4WD) and may choose to hire a driver through a local travel agency.
For trips outside Sana’a, however, a 4-wheel-drive is almost mandatory as most roads away from the routes connecting main cities are not paved. Travellers should also give serious consideration to hiring a local driver/guide, as maps tend not to be as useful as they can be in other countries. A city limits border pass is required as only the cities are well protected by the military. It is also worth noting that Yemen has one of the largest populations of armed civilians outside of Texas so be polite.
GEOGRAPHY
Central Plateau. From the Yemeni mountains and highlands of the west, the land descends slowly eastwards and eventually levels off at the Central Plateau with an elevation of 915-1,525 m (3,000-5,000 ft). The plateau is bisected by valleys and wadis, or streams. This terrain is not as rough as the central or western highlands, but vegetation is only possible in the valleys or near wadis, for they provide a lot of irrigation water from precipitation that only occurs in the remote areas. Flash floods are very common. This extends from Shabwah though Hadhramaut and Al Mahra, continuing into Dhofar in Oman, which also revered by many Yemenis as part of Greater Yemen, not to mention also Najran, Jizan, and Asir in Saudi Arabia.
Desert: Rub Al-Khali, aka the Empty Quarter, the most treacherous desert in the world, and also the largest expanse of sand in the world, is in northeastern Yemen, southeastern Saudi Arabia, and northwestern Oman. It receives no rain at all for periods of years, and little to no vegetation exists. Temperature can reach 61°C (142°F).
SEE – Hadhramaut
Hauf National Park: The only natural forest in the Arabian Peninsula due to the seasonal monsoon rains that also affect India. Mountains and hills are layered with a cap of rainforest that extends from Qishn, Yemen to Salalah, Omani.
Al Mukalla: East Yemen’s biggest city and bustling port, the gateway to the historical Hadhramaut region, it is perhaps the most developed-looking city in Yemen. Al Mukalla is the jewel of the Arabian Sea surrounded by beautiful beaches. , howeveris known to be at , which is a lengthy
Bir Ali, the best beach in Yemen, 100 km drive from Al Mukalla
Shibam /Seiyun/Tarim – the three famous historical towns of Hadhramaut, perhaps Yemen’s most fascinating and exotic destination.
Shibam: Commonly referred to as the Manhattan of the Desert, this town located in Wadi Hadhramaut has the first skyscrapers of the world. Hundreds of adobe homes ranging from 5-11 storeys high are boxed into a walled area that is simply marvellous. The tops are painted with gypsum, a mineral commonly found in Yemen. Some of the buildings are over 700 years old.
Tarim and Say’un: These nearby towns are made almost entirely of adobe. The towns are well organized and elegant, with famous palaces and mosques in each city.
NOMAD MANIA Yemen – Hadhramaut region (Mukalla, Al Ghaydah, Ataq)
Tentative WHS
Balhaf/Burum coastal area (08/07/2002) Balhaf, in the middle of the dunes which border the coast, is an oasis with its palm trees, then the white sand gives way to fields of black lava up to the fishing port of Bir-Ali. Then Qana, one of the major starting points of the Incense Route, was the great port of the ancient kingdom of Hadramawt, it is dominated by a hill, Husn al-Ghurab where there are ancient vestiges. Away is an extinct volcano, a crater lake with turquoise waters. The coastal “Corniche” road leads to Burum, which rises at times in the mountains to better dominate the sea. Burum, a typical fishing port, has also had a glorious past, an old village surrounded by gypsum ovens to do the quss. Not far away, through a spectacular fault, you can see the large bay of Mukalla. The lees are populated by migrating birds from
Sharma/Jethmun coastal area (08/07/2002). Shihr, small coastal (54 km east of Mukalla) as in Antiquity. From the city, the two gates have been restored, little remains of the old city of this architecture, a mixture of Yemeni, Arabic and Hindu techniques. The city is listed as a “tourist site” no doubt thanks to the superb village of Bada which houses hot spring baths. Further on, the village-port, al-Hami is also a delight for spa guests. (On the same coast, Omani side, thousands of turtles also come to make their nests)
XL Al Mahrah province (extreme east)
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Seiyun: Seiyun Palace
Tribes: Hadramaut: Hadhramis
Cities of Asia and Oceania
AL MUKALLA
Villages and Small Towns
WADI DAWAN
HAWF. Tentative WHS: The Hawf Area (08/07/2002)
SHIBAM
World Heritage Sites: Old Walled City of Shibam
Great Mosque of Shibam
TARIM. Tarim Palaces
Health. Tap water should be avoided. The country is exceptionally dusty and dry. When hiking, much of the country is at altitude, drink plenty of water and protect from the sun. Malaria is present in low-lying areas along the Red Sea.
Respect. Don’t ever, ever try to take pictures of women as it is considered a great offense. Despite being close to the richer oil-producing countries, Yemen is one of the poorest states on earth. Living conditions for many locals are very tough. As a tourist, expect local merchants to demand higher prices from you.
NOMAD MANIA Yemen – Socotra
World Heritage Sites: Socotra Archipelago
Islands: Socotra (main island)
Borders
Socotra (sea border/port)
Yemen (sea border/port)
XL: Soqotra Outlying islands
World of Nature: Socotra Archipelago Biosphere Reserve
Beaches: Socotra: Qalansiyah Beach
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NOMAD MANIA Yemen – Aden Region (Aden, Zinjibar, Lahij)
Borders
Yemen (sea border/port)
Cities of Asia and Oceania
ZINJIBAR
ADEN World Cities and Popular Towns
Airports: Aden (ADE)
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Sira Fortress
Religious Temples
Aidrus Mosque
St. Francis of Assisi Church
Lighthouses: Aden: Ra’s Marshaq Lighhtouse
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NOMAD MANIA Yemen – Tihamah and Aljanad (Al Hudaydah, Taiz, Ibb, Raymah)
World Heritage Sites: Historic Town of Zabid
Tentative WHS
Jabal Bura (08/07/2002)
Jibla and its surroundings (08/07/2002)
Islands
Hanish islands
Kamaran
Borders: Yemen (sea border/port)
World of Nature
Jabal Bura Valley Forest
Otma Nature Reserve
Lighthouses: Abu Ali Lighthouse
Beaches: Al Khawkhah Beach
Villages and Small Towns
AL HAJJARAH
KAWKABAN
ZABID
World Heritage Sites: Historic Town of Zabid
Religious Temples: Zabid: Great Mosque of Zabid
Cities of Asia and Oceania
AL HUDAYDAH World Cities and Popular Towns
TAIZ World Cities and Popular Towns
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NOMAD MANIA Yemen – Azal (Sana’a, Amran, Dhamar) and Sheba (Al Jawf, Ma’rib)
World Heritage Sites: Old City of Sana’a
Tentative WHS
Archaeological site of Marib (08/07/2002)
Historic city of Saada (08/07/2002)
Jabal Haraz (08/07/2002)
The Madrasa Amiriya of Rada (08/07/2002)
XL
Sa’dah province
World of Nature: Hof Nature Reserve
Pedestrian Bridges: Shaharah Footbridge
Villages and Small Towns
THULA
Tentative WHS: The Historic City of Thula (08/07/2002)
Cities of Asia and Oceania
DHAMAR
IBB
SANAA World Capitals World Cities and Popular Towns
World Heritage Sites: Old City of Sana’a
Museums: National Museum of Yemen
Castles, Palaces, Forts
Aljabowbi Castle
Baynun
Dar al-Hajar
Ghumdan Palace
Religious Temples
Al-Saleh Mosque
Great Mosque of Sana’a
Monuments: Sana’a: Al Sabeen Square Memorial
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Yemen – Hadhramaut region (Mukalla, Al Ghaydah, Ataq)
NOMAD MANIA Yemen – Hadhramaut region (Mukalla, Al Ghaydah, Ataq)
World Heritage Sites: Old Walled City of Shibam
Tentative WHS
Balhaf/Burum coastal area (08/07/2002)
Sharma/Jethmun coastal area (08/07/2002)
Borders
Oman-Yemen
Yemen (sea border/port)
XL Al Mahrah province (extreme east)
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Seiyun: Seiyun Palace
Tribes: Hadramaut : Hadhramis
Cities of Asia and Oceania
AL MUKALLA
Villages and Small Towns
WADI DAWAN
HAWF
Tentative WHS: The Hawf Area (08/07/2002)
SHIBAM
World Heritage Sites: Old Walled City of Shibam
Religious Temples: Shibam: Great Mosque of Shibam
TARIM
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Tarim: Tarim Palaces
