Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
I cycled through Saudi Arabia’s beekeeping heartland, meeting migratory desert beekeepers using traditional Arabian beehives. This was a side of Saudi Arabia I never expected to see on my journey from Medina to Jeddah.
Continuing my 3,000km solo bicycle journey across Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, I leave the holy city of Medina and cycle south towards Jeddah through the foothills of western Saudi Arabia. What initially looked like barren Saudi desert gradually turned into green savannah filled with grasses, wildflowers, insects, wildlife and hundreds of beehives; this was the Southwestern Arabian Foothills Savannah.
Here I learned about one of Saudi Arabia’s lesser-known traditions: migratory beekeeping. Beekeepers move their hives through the plains and Hejaz Mountains following seasonal flowers and cooler temperatures, using cylindrical hives inspired by an ancient form of beekeeping on the Arabian Peninsula.
I'm invited out with local Saudi beekeepers as they collect honey and honeycomb, relocate a huge swarm of bees, capture the queen and handle thousands of bees with their bare hands. I also learn how smoke is used around a hive, how the queen guides the swarm through pheromones and how beekeepers keep their colonies alive in the Saudi heat.
But this is still a bicycle adventure across Saudi Arabia. Along the way I’m stopped by crowds of curious locals, warned about wolves, introduced to some camels, hosted by Saudi families and pushed through long days of cycling before finally attempting to ride into Jeddah.
This episode is part of my documentary series cycling across Saudi Arabia, exploring Saudi culture, Saudi hospitality, everyday life, traditional practices and parts of the country rarely seen by foreign visitors.
Support the channel on Patreon: patreon.com/c/TieranFreedman
#saudiarabia #beekeeping #cycletour #saudi #traveldocumentary
🎥 Filming Equipment
Mirrorless Camera - Sony A6700: amzn.to/4uWfQwV
Lens - Sony 18-135mm: amzn.to/4eFXVVe
Action Cam - GoPro 13: amzn.to/4w8ZEd1
Shotgun Mic - RØDE VideoMic NTG: amzn.to/4b6Llxg
Small Tripod - GorillaPod: amzn.to/4gBu8j2
Large Tripod - Benro RoadtripPro: amzn.to/4vslFmU
Drone - DJI Mini 5 Fly More Combo: amzn.to/4eI4Jlq
🚲 Bike Equipment
40L Rear Panniers: amzn.to/44oZAK2
12.5L Front Panniers: amzn.to/3Sp5RTx
The links above are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
00:00 Saudi Arabia’s Beekeeping Heartland
00:51 Leaving Medina | Cycling Across Saudi Arabia
02:06 Saudi Arabia’s Unexpected Green Desert
04:02 Beehives in the Saudi Desert - Southwestern Arabian Foothills Savanna
04:57 Saudi Hospitality & Desert Life
08:10 Meeting Saudi Arabia’s Migratory Beekeepers
09:11Arabian Beekeeping in the Hejaz
10:51 Harvesting Honey in Saudi Arabia
11:21 Inside a Massive Swarm of Bees
12:06 Capturing the Queen Bee
13:22 Why Saudi Beekeepers Use Smoke & Bare Hands
15:11 Cycling the Red Sea Coast to Jeddah
15:03 Cycling the Red Sea Coast to Jeddah
17:19 Miswak: Saudi Arabia’s Natural Toothbrush
18:15 Cycling Into Jeddah Goes Horribly Wrong
20:13 I Finally Reach Jeddah
21:28 Exploring Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
22:33 Wild Baboons in Saudi Arabia
22:44 Next Stop: Saudi Arabia’s Interior & Riyadh
I cycled through Saudi Arabia’s beekeeping heartland, meeting migratory desert beekeepers using traditional Arabian beehives. This was a side of Saudi Arabia I never expected to see on my journey from Medina to Jeddah.
Continuing my 3,000km solo bicycle journey across Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, I leave the holy city of Medina and cycle south towards Jeddah through the foothills of western Saudi Arabia. What initially looked like barren Saudi desert gradually turned into green savannah filled with grasses, wildflowers, insects, wildlife and hundreds of beehives; this was the Southwestern Arabian Foothills Savannah.
Here I learned about one of Saudi Arabia’s lesser-known traditions: migratory beekeeping. Beekeepers move their hives through the plains and Hejaz Mountains following seasonal flowers and cooler temperatures, using cylindrical hives inspired by an ancient form of beekeeping on the Arabian Peninsula.
I'm invited out with local Saudi beekeepers as they collect honey and honeycomb, relocate a huge swarm of bees, capture the queen and handle thousands of bees with their bare hands. I also learn how smoke is used around a hive, how the queen guides the swarm through pheromones and how beekeepers keep their colonies alive in the Saudi heat.
But this is still a bicycle adventure across Saudi Arabia. Along the way I’m stopped by crowds of curious locals, warned about wolves, introduced to some camels, hosted by Saudi families and pushed through long days of cycling before finally attempting to ride into Jeddah.
This episode is part of my documentary series cycling across Saudi Arabia, exploring Saudi culture, Saudi hospitality, everyday life, traditional practices and parts of the country rarely seen by foreign visitors.
Support the channel on Patreon: patreon.com/c/TieranFreedman
#saudiarabia #beekeeping #cycletour #saudi #traveldocumentary
🎥 Filming Equipment
Mirrorless Camera - Sony A6700: amzn.to/4uWfQwV
Lens - Sony 18-135mm: amzn.to/4eFXVVe
Action Cam - GoPro 13: amzn.to/4w8ZEd1
Shotgun Mic - RØDE VideoMic NTG: amzn.to/4b6Llxg
Small Tripod - GorillaPod: amzn.to/4gBu8j2
Large Tripod - Benro RoadtripPro: amzn.to/4vslFmU
Drone - DJI Mini 5 Fly More Combo: amzn.to/4eI4Jlq
🚲 Bike Equipment
40L Rear Panniers: amzn.to/44oZAK2
12.5L Front Panniers: amzn.to/3Sp5RTx
The links above are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
00:00 Saudi Arabia’s Beekeeping Heartland
00:51 Leaving Medina | Cycling Across Saudi Arabia
02:06 Saudi Arabia’s Unexpected Green Desert
04:02 Beehives in the Saudi Desert - Southwestern Arabian Foothills Savanna
04:57 Saudi Hospitality & Desert Life
08:10 Meeting Saudi Arabia’s Migratory Beekeepers
09:11Arabian Beekeeping in the Hejaz
10:51 Harvesting Honey in Saudi Arabia
11:21 Inside a Massive Swarm of Bees
12:06 Capturing the Queen Bee
13:22 Why Saudi Beekeepers Use Smoke & Bare Hands
15:11 Cycling the Red Sea Coast to Jeddah
15:03 Cycling the Red Sea Coast to Jeddah
17:19 Miswak: Saudi Arabia’s Natural Toothbrush
18:15 Cycling Into Jeddah Goes Horribly Wrong
20:13 I Finally Reach Jeddah
21:28 Exploring Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
22:33 Wild Baboons in Saudi Arabia
22:44 Next Stop: Saudi Arabia’s Interior & Riyadh
