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Evenings out, theme parks and dunes
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Desert, water, city and day trips
Top Dubai Tourswith theMX-Academy
Top Dubai tours come in a few clear types: desert trips, boat rides, city tours and day trips out of town. This guide shows what each type involves, how they differ and what to check before you book.
Dubai, United Arab EmiratesDay trips to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and HattaMX desert ride on a date of your choiceAround six hours' flight from Switzerland
Dubai desert tours: safari, camp and camels
Many Dubai desert tours begin with a hotel pick-up in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Out in the sand, a driver who knows the terrain takes you up and down the dunes – the bumpy, noisy ride known as dune bashing. Many trips add a short camel ride and, in winter and when the weather allows, a go at sandboarding down a slope.
You can pick a morning desert safari, an evening trip that ends with a barbecue dinner at a desert camp, or a night trip with stargazing. If you prefer something calmer, some operators run heritage safaris: a wildlife drive in vintage Land Rovers with no dune driving at all, followed by a falcon show and an Arabic dinner. On some tours, a ride on a quad bike costs extra and is booked on site, so ask in advance.
MX-Academy Dubai
Ride the dunes yourself
In a 4x4, on a quad or in a buggy you see the desert – on a motocross bike you ride it. MX-Academy Dubai, the school of Chris Möckli and Mohammed Al Balooshi, takes you into the dunes on a guided desert ride in Dubai.
- On the handlebars yourself instead of in the passenger seat
- First the basics on the training track: riding standing up and in sand
- Bike and a full set of protective gear for hire
- Experienced desert riders as your guides, on a date of your choice
Top Dubai tours on two wheels
If you would rather steer than sit in the back of a car, a desert ride on a motorbike shows you the sand from a completely different angle. MX-Academy Dubai is the school run by Mohammed Al Balooshi and Chris Möckli. Both have a background in motocross and rally riding and know the desert around the city well, and the school offers motocross and enduro in the dunes.
The date is up to you. From Switzerland, the flight takes around six hours. You can book the whole MX package, or sort out your flight and hotel on your own and simply get in touch with the MX-Academy for the riding. All course details are on the MX-Academy Dubai website.
Dubai tours on the water: dhows, abras and yachts
A dhow is a traditional wooden boat, and a dhow cruise is one of the classic Dubai tours for an evening. Operators sail either on Dubai Creek, the old harbour that historically divided the city into Deira and Bur Dubai, or in Dubai Marina. Many trips are dinner cruises, so check what is served and how long you stay on board.
For a short taste of the water without a full cruise, take an abra. These small boats still work as water taxis on the Creek and carry passengers across from one bank to the other, which makes them a quick addition to an old town walk.
Dubai Marina, lined with yacht moorings, is also where several private boat tours and yacht charters set off. With a private charter the boat is reserved for your group instead of being shared with other guests, so compare offers carefully: ask how long you stay out on the water, who crews the boat, what is on board and exactly where you embark.
Dubai city tour: open-top buses and old town walks
A Dubai city tour helps you understand how spread out the city is. Open-top hop-on hop-off buses run on more than one route with recorded commentary in several languages, so you can get off where something interests you and catch a later bus. It works well on your first day, before you decide which Dubai attractions deserve more of your time.
Guided walks through Old Dubai are the slow, close-up alternative. They often start among the wind-tower houses of Al Fahidi, cross the Creek by abra and finish in the Spice Souk and Gold Souk in Deira. For a wider look at the different neighbourhoods, read more about places to visit in Dubai.
Day trips from Dubai: Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, is the obvious choice among day trips from Dubai. A tour there can combine the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with the Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island, designed by the architect Jean Nouvel. Visitors to the mosque book an online access pass in advance and dress modestly in long, loose clothing; women also cover their hair.
If you have time left, stay by the water. On Saadiyat Island, a wooden boardwalk crosses a protected dune zone to Saadiyat Beach, a long strip of white sand where critically endangered hawksbill turtles nest. Back on the main island, the Corniche sweeps for about eight kilometres along the shore, with separate paths for cycling and walking, parks and the Blue Flag-certified Corniche Beach, which faces north-west towards the sunset. The Emirates Palace, a landmark building that today operates as a hotel, stands at its southern end.
Sharjah and Hatta: two more day trips
Sharjah, the emirate right next to Dubai and often described as the cultural capital of the UAE, suits a day of museums and old streets. In the Heart of Sharjah, a heritage project restores the old town, with traditional markets such as Souq Al Arsah. Just north of it, on the Corniche, the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization displays thousands of objects, from manuscripts and ceramics to coins and astrolabes.
Hatta is a very different trip. This part of Dubai lies inland, separate from the rest of the emirate, high in the Hajar Mountains on the border with Oman. Instead of glass towers you find rocky hills, the Hatta Dam with kayaks for hire, a heritage village with rebuilt traditional mountain houses and a network of mountain-bike routes for different levels.
How to choose between top Dubai tours
Tours are only one part of a trip. Our guide to things to do in Dubai gives first-time visitors a broader overview, and our page on Dubai activities is for the days when you want to be active yourself instead of being driven around.
Within one category, the same tour name can hide very different trips, so compare the details rather than the headline. Before you book, ask the operator these questions and get the answers in writing:
- Is the vehicle shared with other guests or private for your group?
- Is hotel pick-up included, and from which parts of the city?
- What exactly is included: meals, a camel ride, sandboarding, a quad bike?
- Does the trip include dune driving, and is there a calmer option?
- Which language does the guide speak?
- Is there a dress code for any stop on the route?
FAQ: Top Dubai Tours
What is included in a typical Dubai desert tour?
Usually a pick-up in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, a drive through the dunes and a short camel ride; sandboarding is often offered in winter, weather permitting. Evening tours add dinner at a desert camp, so read the inclusions of each offer.
Is there a desert tour in Dubai without dune driving?
Yes. Some operators run heritage safaris in vintage Land Rovers with a wildlife drive instead of dune driving, plus a falcon show and dinner at the camp.
What should I wear to visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque?
The mosque asks visitors to wear long, loose clothing that covers arms and legs, and women must also cover their hair. You book an online access pass in advance.
Where do dhow cruises in Dubai sail?
Most sail either on Dubai Creek in the older part of the city or in Dubai Marina. Many of them are dinner cruises.
Can I ride a motorbike in the desert during a holiday in Dubai?
Yes. MX-Academy Dubai offers motocross and enduro rides in the dunes, and you choose the date. You can book the MX package or arrange your own flight and hotel and contact the MX-Academy directly.
What can you see on a day trip to Sharjah?
The Heart of Sharjah heritage district with traditional souks such as Souq Al Arsah, and just north of it, on the Corniche, the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization.
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