Classic Dubai & Abu Dhabi

The rest of the day is yours to explore or relax.  Our convenient hotel is connected to the City Center Shopping Mall.  This evening we will meet for a welcome meeting and our first dinner together.

Accommodation: Aloft Dubai Creek

Discover the modernism of Dubai. You can feel this spectacular journey come to life when you visit the picturesque, iconic structures of Dubai. We pass by Jumeirah Mosque and then for a photo opportunity along the Jumeirah Coastline with stunning views of Burj Al Arab, the world’s luxury hotel. We then visit Madinat Souk, which combines the traditional Middle Eastern shopping culture of stands, barrows, and stalls with a mix of boutique brands, souvenir gift shops, luxury fashion, and jewelry. Our tour will continue to visit one of Dubai’s most prestigious areas, Dubai Marina, with its high-class boutiques, restaurants, and many skyscrapers. We will then drive on the largest man-made island, “The Palm Jumeirah,” where we will have a photo stop opposite the luxurious Atlantis Palm Hotel: a magnificent oceanic tribute to the mythological age.

Then we will visit the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Pause briefly at a unique viewing point for your first close-up view of the soaring Burj Khalifa, seen through a skylight framing its awe-inspiring height. Begin your vertical ascent to the observation deck in a high-speed elevator, travelling at 10 meters per second. As the doors open, floor-to-ceiling glass walls provide a breath-taking, unobstructed 360-degree view of the city, the desert, and the ocean. You can also walk the entire perimeter for the most comprehensive view. If you wish, venture out onto the open-air terrace to enjoy another perspective of the sweeping views below. Dinner tonight will be a 3-course meal at the Burj Club, located on the 5th floor. During dinner, you will be able to experience the Dubai Fountains that go off every 30 minutes.

Accommodation: Aloft Dubai Creek, Aloft Room (Breakfast, Dinner)

We will visit the Women’s Museum, a cultural initiative, unique in the Arab World and the Gulf Region. A space to explore and celebrate the lives of and appreciate the achievements of women of the UAE. The Women’s Museum aims to discover UAE society through the lives of women past and present, by highlighting the various roles played by women of the UAE.

After the visit to the Women’s Museum, we will visit the spice and gold souk market.  The group will discover a great selection of authentic spices, incense and traditional perfumes. The big entrance of the Gold souk welcomes you to see for yourself why Dubai is called the City of Gold and this is just the beginning. It is a good opportunity to bargain and purchase some personal gold and diamonds and you have free time to shop on your own.  Here, you will pick out your Abaya (paid locally) to wear when you visit the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.  

At 1:00 , we drive to Bastakiah for a walking tour.  Step back in time and enjoy the atmosphere of Bastakiah, one of the oldest traditional Emirati neighbourhoods set in Bur Dubai.

Enjoy a traditional lunch of Emirati cuisine and conversation in our interactive cultural experiences hosted by our Emirati presenters inside the traditional houses of Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, located in one of Dubai’s oldest communities, Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood. Guests can expect to taste new food, learn about the Emirati culture and traditions through the shared experience. All guests need to pack is curiosity, a camera, and lots of questions!

After lunch, group will have free time to get a Henna Tattoo.

After the tour, drop back to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at your own leisure.

Accommodation: Aloft Dubai Creek, Aloft Room (Breakfast, Lunch)

At the entrance of the desert, your driver deflates the wheels of the 4X4, and then the fun starts. Dune bashing has become known as a fun experience; you will feel the thrill of desert driving as your professional driver takes you up and down on golden dunes. A beautiful desert photo stop is also included, as are the drives to the Bedouin Camp, where you’re  greeted with a traditional cup of Arabic coffee.  You will have the opportunity to try riding a camel before it is time to settle down for your prepared barbecue dinner. Later on in the evening, enjoy the Tanura dance and a belly dancer that will enchant you with her dances, a truly magical night! 

Experience falconry and learn more about falcons in Dubai with a 30-minute falcon show and interactive birds of prey demonstration.

We will then return to our Dubai hotel.

Accommodation: Aloft Dubai Creek, Aloft Room (Breakfast, Dinner)

Once in Abu Dhabi, you can enjoy modern interpretations of traditional Arabian architecture in the many skyscrapers, villas, and palaces that line the Riviera-style Corniche. We first stop for a guided tour of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which is considered to be the best architectural treasure of contemporary UAE society and one of the largest in the world. 

There is a mandatory dress code to be followed for entry to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi. Long trousers or long skirts & long sleeves to the ankle /wrist. No shorts for men, no tight or transparent clothing. Women must cover their heads with a scarf; hence, we suggest bringing it along. There are no visible tattoos. 

Then we drive through the Corniche Road with a photo stop at the breakwater and the iconic hotel of Abu Dhabi Emirates Palace, and we visit the Heritage Village, a reconstructed traditional “oasis.”. Here, journey to the past and experience life in Abu Dhabi before oil revenues altered the landscape. We’ll experience different aspects of desert life attractively displayed in the open-air museum, along with workshops, where craftsmen demonstrate traditional skills and women sit weaving and spinning.  

After lunch on our own, we visit Qasr Al Hosn, the oldest and most significant building in Abu Dhabi, holding the city’s first permanent structure; the watchtower. Built around the 1790’s, the commanding structure overlooked the coastal trade routes and protected the growing settlement established on the island. 

Accommodation: Qasr Abu Dhabi (Breakfast)

Finish your shipping trip with a gold cappuccino at the beautiful Emirates Palace. After, we will visit the date market and the Louvre Museum.
Return to the hotel and freshen up before our last farewell dinner at our hotel, in the Artisan Kitchen. 

Accommodation: Qasr Abu Dhabi (Breakfast, Dinner)