Az Zulfi travel guide

Az Zulfi, Saudi Arabia

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Az Zulfi

Getting around

Az Zulfi is a car-oriented city: there is no practical public bus network within the city, no metro, no tram and no railway station, so plan on taxis booked through mobile apps or a rental car as your default way of getting around. Traffic congestion is rare, which makes moving between the centre, the palm groves and the desert edge generally quick and stress-free. A rental car gives you the most flexibility if you want to explore the Al-Nafud dunes on the city outskirts or the palm groves at your own pace.

Walking works for specific pockets rather than for crossing the city. Evening activity centres on coffee shops, restaurants, markets and strolling the central squares, and the historic heart along Wadi Samnan with its palm groves, ancient irrigation systems and old quarters laid out around water sources is rewarding on foot. For anything beyond these areas, take a car or taxi. Summers are extremely hot, so reserve walking for the cooler months and for evenings; modest dress covering shoulders and knees is advised, sunglasses are useful year-round, and bottled water is recommended. If you arrive by intercity bus — SAPTCO coaches connect the city with Riyadh and Buraidah — expect to continue to your accommodation by taxi or ride-hailing app. There is no train station in the city; the nearest major railway stations are at Qassim, the closer of the two, and Riyadh, and from either you complete the journey by road.

Three days in Az Zulfi

Day one: Start with a walk through Az Zulfi itself, getting your bearings in the town before heading out towards Wadi Samnan. The wadi is the natural focus of the area, and a walk along it fills an afternoon nicely. In the evening, return to town and eat before an early night.

Day two: Give the day to the Nafud, the desert country around Az Zulfi. Walking is the way to see it, and summers are hot, so plan your time outdoors around the cooler parts of the day. Return to Az Zulfi in the evening.

Day three: Use Az Zulfi as your base for the wider area. SAPTCO services connect the town with Riyadh and Buraidah, so you can plan a day around either city, or spend it in Az Zulfi and the Qassim countryside before leaving. If you are driving, allow for traffic on the roads.

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