Makkah to Taif Taxi | Private Transfer & Day Trip
تاكسي من مكة المكرمة إلى الطائف
Quick Facts: Makkah to Taif — At a Glance
Eighty-five kilometres up the Sarawat escarpment to a city that runs ten to fifteen degrees cooler than Makkah. Private vehicle, fixed fare, licensed driver who knows the mountain road.
- Distance: Approximately 85–90 km
- Journey time: 1.5 hours via Highway 15; closer to 2 hours via Al Hada
- Fare from: SAR 500 one way · SAR 450 return with waiting [CONFIRM]
- Routes: Highway 15 (As-Sayl) or the Al Hada mountain road
- Best for: Half-day or full-day excursion after Umrah, Ziyarat, families escaping the heat
- Miqat: Both routes pass a Miqat — request a stop if you intend Umrah on return
Ninety minutes and a different climate
Taif sits at roughly 1,900 metres in the Sarawat Mountains, and the temperature difference is not marketing language — it is commonly ten to fifteen degrees cooler than Makkah. For pilgrims who have spent a week in the heat of the Haram, that alone is reason enough for the drive.
The road climbs steadily out of the Makkah basin. It is a genuinely beautiful drive, and it is also a mountain road with sustained gradients, which is why the vehicle and the driver matter more here than on a flat airport run.
The Two Routes — and which one you want
Most transport companies do not tell you there is a choice. There is, and it changes the journey considerably.
Highway 15 (As-Sayl al-Kabeer)
The faster, wider, more gradual route. Roughly 1.5 hours. This is the default and the right choice for elderly passengers, anyone prone to motion sickness, and travellers who simply want to arrive.
The Al Hada Road
The escarpment road — a sequence of tight switchbacks climbing the mountain face, with genuinely spectacular views back over the plain. Closer to two hours, and considerably more demanding on both vehicle and passengers.
Take Al Hada if the drive itself is part of the day and everyone in the car travels well. Avoid it if you are carrying young children, elderly parents, or anyone who suffers on winding roads. Descending it in the dark is not something we recommend to anyone.
Tell us which you prefer at booking. If you do not specify, we take Highway 15. Many groups ask us to climb via Highway 15 and descend via Al Hada in daylight, which is a sensible compromise.
إذا كنت تنوي العمرة عند العودة
A Miqat Note for Pilgrims
This is the part most transport pages leave out, and it matters.
Both routes to Taif pass a designated Miqat. Highway 15 passes Qarn al-Manazil, known today as As-Sayl al-Kabeer. The Al Hada road passes Wadi Muharram, which many scholars treat as the same Miqat at higher elevation.
If you intend to perform Umrah when you return to Makkah, you will need to enter ihram at the Miqat rather than after you arrive back. Both locations have mosques with washing and changing facilities.
Tell us at booking if you want a Miqat stop so the driver builds it into the schedule rather than being asked at the last moment on a highway. There is no extra charge for the stop.
Rulings vary with your circumstances and your route. We are drivers, not scholars — please confirm your own situation with someone qualified before you travel.
What People Visit in Taif
Masjid Addas
The site associated with the Prophet ﷺ taking shelter in a vineyard after the people of Taif rejected his call. A place to sit with the Seerah.
Masjid Abdullah ibn Abbas
Central Taif. Associated with the companion and cousin of the Prophet ﷺ, رضي الله عنه, who died in Taif.
Al Hada and Al Shafa
Mountain viewpoints. Al Hada has the cable car; Al Shafa is higher, cooler and greener, with terraced farms.
The Rose Farms
Taif rose — ward Ta'ifi. The harvest runs through April into early May. Outside season you can still tour a factory.
A Realistic Day
Depart Makkah around 8 am, reach Taif by 9:30. Masjid Addas and the mountain viewpoints through the morning, lunch, rose farm and markets in the afternoon. Back in Makkah for Maghrib or Isha. That is a full day and a comfortable pace.
Saiysad National Park & Al Kar
Green space and a family recreation area. Useful if you are travelling with children who have spent a week indoors. Finish at the fruit markets for pomegranates, figs, grapes and honey.
Fares and Vehicles
Fixed price, agreed before you travel. It covers the vehicle, driver, fuel and tolls. There is no meter and no renegotiation at the roadside.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Luggage | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Camry | 4 | 2 bags | Couples, small families, most economical |
| Hyundai Staria | 7 | 5–6 bags | Families; high roof, easy step-in, strong AC |
| GMC Yukon | 7 | 5 bags | Elderly parents, best ride quality on the gradients |
| Hyundai Starex | 7 | 4 bags | Budget group option |
| Toyota Hiace | 10–11 | 10 bags | Larger groups travelling together |
| Toyota Coaster | 22 | 15 bags | Organised groups and extended families |
Published rates:
- Makkah to Taif, one wayfrom SAR 500
- Makkah to Taif and return (Staria)from SAR 450
- Jeddah to Taif and returnfrom SAR 600
[CONFIRM: waiting-time allowance included in the return fare, and hourly rate beyond it]
On vehicle choice for this route specifically:
The Al Hada gradients are hard on an underpowered, fully loaded car, and air conditioning working against a sustained climb in summer is a real consideration. If you are six adults with luggage, take the Hiace rather than squeezing into a seven-seater. We would rather tell you that than collect the fare and have you uncomfortable for two hours each way.
Why Book with Al Aqsa
Nusuk registered and licensed
Every vehicle registered under the Nusuk system and licensed for pilgrim transport.
Drivers who know the mountain
The Al Hada descent is not a road to learn on a Tuesday afternoon with your family in the back.
Fixed price, agreed first
No meter, no surge, no negotiation at the kerb.
Pay on arrival
No prepayment required for standard transfers. Cash or transfer to the driver.
[CONFIRM: group and charter terms]24/7 on WhatsApp
Before, during and after the trip.
How to Book
Send us your date, pickup hotel, passenger count and luggage count on WhatsApp. Tell us whether you want one way or return, which route you prefer, and whether you need a Miqat stop. We confirm within minutes with a fixed price and the assigned vehicle.
WhatsApp Us NowFAQ
Our fares start at SAR 350 one way and SAR 450 for a return trip with waiting time, depending on vehicle. The price is fixed and agreed before you travel — it covers vehicle, driver, fuel and tolls, with nothing added afterwards.
About 1.5 hours via Highway 15. The Al Hada mountain road takes closer to two hours because of the switchbacks.
Approximately 85 to 90 kilometres, depending on the route.
Yes, noticeably. Taif sits at roughly 1,900 metres and typically runs ten to fifteen degrees cooler. It is the main reason families make the trip in summer.
If you intend to perform Umrah on your return, you will pass a Miqat — Qarn al-Manazil (As-Sayl al-Kabeer) on Highway 15, or Wadi Muharram on the Al Hada road. Request a Miqat stop at booking and the driver will build it into the schedule at no extra charge. Please confirm the ruling for your own circumstances with a qualified scholar.
Yes. Our return fare includes waiting time so the vehicle stays with you for the day rather than you finding transport back. [CONFIRM: included hours]
Highway 15 by default, as it is faster and easier on passengers. We will take the Al Hada scenic road on request. Many groups climb via Highway 15 and descend via Al Hada in daylight.
Highway 15 is a comfortable, gradual climb and suits most passengers. We would steer you away from Al Hada if you are travelling with elderly parents or anyone prone to motion sickness — the switchbacks are demanding.
The harvest runs roughly through April into early May. Visit in that window and the distilleries are actively working. Outside it you can still tour a factory and buy the oil.
Yes. Jeddah to Taif and return starts from SAR 600. Airport pickups are available with flight monitoring.
Yes — up to 22 passengers in a Toyota Coaster, and larger parties across multiple vehicles.
Book Your Taif Trip
Send your date, hotel and passenger count and we will confirm a fixed price within minutes.
Nusuk registered · Licensed for pilgrim transport · Fixed fares, no prepayment