Islamic Bahrain
Departures 9.30 am, Saturdays & Tuesdays
Passing the Old Palace and the Guest Palace in
the Gudaibiya area of l\/lanama, the tour
continues to Al Fatih Grand Mosque, the island's
largest mosque that is a magnificent piece of
architecture. We then proceed to the island of
l\/luharraq to visit Shaikh lsa House, a fine
example of l9th—century patrician residence.
Next is the nearby Arad Fort which was built
in the 15th century in typical period st.yle. lt
was occupied by the Portuguese for 100 years
and is also referred to as the Portuguese Fort.
Then get ready to savour t.he finest Arabic
sweets and pastries at a typical Arabic
confectionery. The tour concludes with a visit.
to the House of 0ur'an where you will see rare
and precious collections of ancient Quranic
manuscripts as well as islamic works of art
dating back to centuries.
Archaeology & Crafts - Departures
9.30 am, Sundays & Wednesdays
We begin with handicrafts villages where you
will see baskets. textiles and pottery being
made the traditional way with skills passed on
from generation to generation. A brief stop is
made at the A'ali Burial Mounds, the oldest in
the world dating back to prehistoric times. Then
it's time t.o explore the imposing 3000 BC
Bahrain Fort which will take you to the
battlement areas, main tower, corridoors and
a vantage point over the excavation site of an
ancient courtyard. The tour concludes with a
visit to the 7th-century Al Khamis Mosque,
believed to be the first mosque in the region.
Bahrain Heritage
Departures 9.30 arn, Mondays & Thursdays
Starting at the Heritage Centre with exhibit.s
depicting local culture, customs and traditions.
we proceed to see traditional Bahraini homes
with windtowers, the ancient syst.em of cooling
in pre-electricity days. We then go to Al Fatih
Grand Mosque or (House of 0ur'an if it`s
Thursday). The tour concludes with a visit to
the National Museum featuring exhibits
depicting regional history and heritage.
Wildlife and Ancient Dilmun
Departures 3 pm, Thursdays
We begin with a visit to a camel stable and then
proceed to Al Areen Wildlife Park to see native
fauna in their natural habitat including rare
oryxs and gazelles. The tour ends with brief
stops at Al A‘ali Burial Mounds and Al Khamis
Mosque.
Desert Delights
Departures9.30 am, Fridays
We begin by taking a wonderful drive through
the desert to reach the venerable Tree of Life,
a 4i00~year old tree that stands alone in the
desert with no known source of water. We also
visit Jebel Al Dukhan (Mountain of Smoke)
which is the island's highest point, the Oil
Museum and the Culfs first 0il Well. A stop is
also made at a camel stable.
Bahrain - Ancient & Modern
Departures 3 prn daily except Thursdays
We begin with a visit to Saar where a 3900 BC
town is being excavated. We then proceed to Al
Jasra Handicraft. Centre where we meet locals
displaying their craft. We then go past Al Jasra
House which is the birthplace of the Amir, en
route to the 25-km breathtaking Causeway linking
Bahrain to Saudi Arabia. We also pass a 5,000-
year old burial mound and on Fridays we visit
the interior of Al Jasra House.