UAE Experiences
A sandstone fort with twin towers glowing at sunset in the Liwa region
Experiences

Places worth the drive, across the Emirates

40 experiences, each with the time to allow, the months it is at its best, a realistic note on cost and where to go for the details.

Photo: Riaksharma, CC BY-SA 4.0
Clear

21 of 40 experiences

Looking from beneath the dome of Louvre Abu Dhabi across the water towards the Gulf
Abu Dhabi
Heritage & Culture · Romance

Louvre Abu Dhabi: the museum under the dome

A universal museum beneath Jean Nouvel's dome, on the Saadiyat waterfront.

2 to 3 hours$$$$
A castle made of flowers at Dubai Miracle Garden
Dubai
Family · Romance

Dubai Miracle Garden, Season 15

Over 200 million flowers, a floral Emirates A380 and weekly themed celebrations.

2 to 3 hours$$$$
Turquoise water on the beach at Khor Fakkan
Sharjah
Coast & Water · Family

Khorfakkan: the east coast's easiest day by the sea

Clear water and mountains behind it, about two hours from Dubai.

A full day or overnight$$$$
The summit of Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah
Ras Al Khaimah
Adventure · Family

Jebel Jais: the UAE's highest peak, and its zipline

A cooler summit at 1,934 metres, with the world's longest zipline.

Half a day to a full day$$$$
The white watchtower of Qasr Al Hosn with the Abu Dhabi skyline behind it
Abu Dhabi
Heritage & Culture · Family

Qasr Al Hosn: Abu Dhabi's oldest building

The white fort the city grew around, with guided tours and a living craft house.

1.5 to 2 hours$$$$
Sunset over the sea from the beach at Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Romance · Family

teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi: an art space you walk through

Light, water and mirrors in rooms with no fixed route.

About 2 hours$$$$
A flypast over Yas Island during Abu Dhabi Grand Prix week
Abu Dhabi
Family · Adventure

Yas Island: how to spend a day (or two)

Five parks, a Formula 1 circuit and a waterfront: pick two, not five.

A full day per park$$$$
The Abu Dhabi skyline at sunset from the Corniche promenade
Abu Dhabi
Coast & Water · Family

The Corniche and Saadiyat beach: Abu Dhabi by the water

An eight-kilometre promenade, public beaches and the city's best sunsets.

Half a dayFree
A traditional mud-brick building among the date palms of Al Ain Oasis
Al Ain
Heritage & Culture · Slow & Wellness

Al Ain Oasis: a walk through the date palms

Shaded paths, ancient irrigation and a thousand years of farming.

1.5 to 2 hoursFree
Al Jahili Fort in Al Ain with its crenellated walls and round towers
Al Ain
Heritage & Culture · Family

Al Jahili Fort and the Thesiger collection

A 19th-century fort with a famous photographer's Arabia inside.

About 1 hour$$$$
Baobab sculptures on the main plaza at Dubai Safari Park
Dubai
Family · Adventure

Dubai Safari Park, Season 8

A walk-through wildlife park, back for its eighth season.

3 to 4 hours$$$$
Hatta Dam reflecting the Hajar Mountains
Dubai
Adventure · Family

Hatta: mountains, a dam and a wadi park

A cooler, greener hour and a half from the Dubai skyline.

A full day$$$$
An Arabian oryx walking through the UAE desert
Sharjah
Family · Adventure

Sharjah Safari: the big park in the desert

A large walk-and-drive safari park at Al Dhaid, back for the cool season.

Half a day to a full day$$$$
Al Hisn Fort and the Heart of Sharjah at night
Sharjah
Heritage & Culture · Food & Markets

The Heart of Sharjah: forts, souks and museums

The most walkable heritage district in the UAE.

A full day$$$$
Dhayah Fort on its hilltop in Ras Al Khaimah
Ras Al Khaimah
Heritage & Culture · Family

Ras Al Khaimah: Dhayah Fort and the old town

A hilltop fort, an abandoned pearling village and a museum in a ruler's fort.

Half a day$$$$
Al Bidyah Mosque, the oldest mosque in the UAE, near Fujairah
Fujairah
Heritage & Culture · Coast & Water

Al Bidyah Mosque and Fujairah Fort

The UAE's oldest mosque and one of its oldest forts, on the east coast.

Half a dayFree
An illuminated manuscript displayed at the Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Our guide
Heritage & Culture · Family

Zayed National Museum and the Natural History Museum

Two new Saadiyat museums, and how to see both.

Half a day$$$$
Falcons resting on perches on a majlis carpet in the UAE
Abu Dhabi
Our guide
Heritage & Culture · Desert & Dunes

Falconry in the UAE: the tradition and the experiences

A UNESCO-listed heritage practice you can see up close.

1 to 3 hours$$$$
A saddled camel standing on sand in the UAE desert
Abu Dhabi
Our guide
Desert & Dunes · Family

Camel riding in the UAE: what to know first

Rides, ethics and how to choose.

30 minutes to 2 hours$$$$
Two people crossing the crest of a dune in the UAE desert
Dubai
Our guide
Adventure · Desert & Dunes

Sandboarding in the UAE: a beginner's guide

Boards, dunes and what to expect.

1 to 2 hours$$$$
A camel ride during a desert safari tour
Dubai
Our guide
Desert & Dunes · Adventure

Desert safari or a private desert evening?

The shared safari and the private camp are not the same product.

4 to 6 hours$$$$
Make it private

Want a private version of this?

We run a private desert camp at Al Khatim, 50 minutes from Abu Dhabi city and 90 from Dubai. One booking a day, nobody else on the dunes. Tell us the occasion and the number of guests and we will send a proposal within a working day.

Plan it with us WhatsApp us
  • 4.9 from 60 Google reviewsGuests, wedding parties and corporate planners.
  • 500+ events since 2012Our own licensed camp at Khayal Al Sahra. See the camp
  • A proposal in one working dayItemised, with a real figure, not a brochure.