Can travellers who are not Muslim visit Taif from Jeddah?

Yes. The road from Jeddah to Taif uses bypass roads around Makkah, so it stays outside the Muslims-only area. Tell us when you book and the driver plans the route.

Is Taif cooler than Makkah?

Yes. Taif sits high in the mountains and is noticeably cooler than Makkah and Jeddah, which is why it is known as the summer city. Bring a light jacket for evenings and for Al Hada.

Yes. Taif Airport is 25 km from the city, and a taxi costs from SAR 60 per car. International flights are seasonal, so check with your airline.

Does a day trip from Makkah include waiting time?

Two one-way rides do not include waiting. If you want the same driver all day, book an hourly driver from SAR 80 per hour; we quote the whole day as one fixed price before you go.

Which vehicle suits the mountain roads?

Any of our cars can make the drive. An SUV or family van gives families more room on the bends; tell us if anyone gets car-sick and the driver keeps a gentle pace.

Getting around Taif: taxis, mountain roads and day trips

Getting around Taif is easiest by car, because its sights are split between the city centre, the Al Hada escarpment on the Makkah road and the farming villages of Al Shafa to the south. City taxi rides start from SAR 60 per car, an hourly driver from SAR 80 per hour, and Makkah is 90 km away, about 1 h 30 min.

Updated 29 October 2026 · Saudi Arabia Taxi Services

How do you get around Taif?

Getting around Taif takes a little planning, because the places most visitors want to see are spread out. Shubra Palace, the central souq and Masjid Abdullah ibn Abbas are in the city. Al Hada, with its cable car and resorts, sits on the escarpment west of the city on the road to Makkah. The terraced villages and fruit farms of Al Shafa lie south of the city, and the rose farms are up in the highlands.

For single trips in the city, a taxi or ride-hailing app works. For a day out to Al Hada or Al Shafa, a driver who waits at each stop is simpler, since the mountain areas are some way from the city and you will need a ride back.

Where are Taif's main places?

Place	Area	Distance from central Taif	Typical visit
Shubra Palace	City centre	About 2 km	1 hour
Masjid Abdullah ibn Abbas	City centre	In the centre	A short visit, often with the souq
Al Rudaf Park	South side of the city	About 6 km	1 h 30 min
Al Hada Cable Car (Al Kar)	Al Hada escarpment, toward Makkah	About 25 km	2 hours
Taif Rose Farms	Highlands	About 25 km	2 hours, in March and April
Al Shafa	Mountains south of the city	About 30 km	3 hours
Taif Airport (TIF)	Outside the city	25 km	30 min drive

How do you get to Taif?

Fares are per car, fixed before the ride, with fuel included. The Jeddah route goes around central Makkah, so travellers who are not Muslim can use it. Taif Airport receives domestic and seasonal international flights; our Taif Airport guide explains the arrival.

From	Distance	Drive	Economy sedan
Makkah	90 km	1 h 30 min	SAR 160
Jeddah, via the Makkah bypass	170 km	2 h	SAR 290
Taif Airport (TIF)	25 km	30 min	SAR 60
Jeddah Airport (JED)	184 km	2 h 30 min	SAR 320
Riyadh	788 km	9 h 5 min	SAR 1,340

Mountain roads: what to expect

The Al Hada road between Makkah and Taif climbs the escarpment in a long series of steep, sharp bends, and drivers take it steady. The road via As-Sail is about 20 km longer but flatter, and drivers use it when the Al Hada road is closed or if you prefer to avoid the bends. Our post on the Makkah to Taif road describes both.

The roads to Al Shafa and the rose farms also wind through the mountains, so allow extra time and tell the driver if anyone gets car-sick. Taif is cooler than Makkah and Jeddah, especially in the evening and up at Al Hada, so bring a light jacket.

Hourly driver or separate rides?

Al Hada and Al Shafa are in different directions from the city, so a day that covers both is long. It is easier to give each area its own half-day.

Plan	Good for	Cost from
Single taxi rides	One or two stops in the city	SAR 60 per car per ride
Hourly driver	Al Hada, Al Shafa or the rose farms with stops	SAR 80 per hour, 3-hour minimum
Hourly SUV or family van	Families and groups of up to 11	SAR 180 (SUV) or SAR 150 (van) per hour
Day trip from Makkah	Taif Ziyarat and Al Hada in one day	SAR 160 each way, or an hourly driver

Seasons: summer, roses and weekends

Summer is Taif's busy season, when visitors come up from the hot coast and lowlands, so book drivers ahead.
The rose harvest is short, usually around March and April, when the Taif Rose Festival is held. Check the dates before you plan a farm visit.
Weekends are busy at the Al Hada cable car in summer.
Check opening hours for Shubra Palace and the cable car before you go.
Winter evenings in the highlands are cool, so pack a warm layer.

Going on to Makkah for Umrah

If you travel from Taif to Makkah to perform Umrah, you enter Ihram at the Miqat of Qarn al-Manazil before you reach Makkah: at Wadi Muhrim on the Al Hada road, or at As-Sail al-Kabir on the As-Sail road. Tell the driver you need the stop; it is included at no extra charge. Our Miqat guide explains all five Miqat points.

Many pilgrims staying in Makkah do the trip the other way, as a Taif Ziyarat that takes in Masjid Abdullah ibn Abbas and Al Hada in one day, with the Miqat stop on the way back if they plan another Umrah.

Further afield: Al Bahah and the south

Taif is also the start of the mountain road south. Al Bahah, with its juniper forests and the white stone village of Dhee Ain, is 220 km away, about 3 h, from SAR 380 per car. Abha is further on, 533 km from Taif, a long drive that is easier split with a night in Al Bahah.