Full-Day Dubai City Tour — AED 899 Per Car: The Short Answer
New Dubai in the morning, Old Dubai in the afternoon. The Burj Khalifa, the Frame, Jumeirah, the Palm, the Marina, Al Fahidi, the abra and both souks.
- How much is a full-day Dubai city tour?: AED 899 per car with us — not per person — for up to six people in a private air-conditioned 4×4 with hotel pickup.
- How long is a full-day Dubai city tour really?: Eight hours door to door, but that gives you roughly 5.5 to 6.5 hours of actual sightseeing.
- What time does the full-day tour start?: Typically 9:00 AM, finishing around 5:00 PM. From May to September we recommend asking for a later start — around 11:00 AM — so that the hottest hours become your lunch break and Old Dubai is done in the evening when the souks are actually open and the temperature is bearable.
- What is included in a full-day Dubai city tour?: Our side is the private Land Cruiser, the driver, hotel or airport pickup, the route and the photo stops.
- Do I have to pay a deposit, and can I cancel?: No deposit and no booking fee. You pay on the day, and cancellation is free up to 12 hours before pickup.
- Is a full-day Dubai city tour worth it?: For two or more people, yes — it is the only tour that shows you both halves of a city whose landmarks are spread over 40 km, and at AED 175 each for a family of four it costs less than most per-person half-day tours.
Every Dubai tour and transfer we run, with the price on the card
All prices are per car, not per person, unless the card says otherwise. You are booking the operator, not a reseller.
8 hoursFull-Day Dubai City Tour
New Dubai in the morning, Old Dubai in the afternoon. The Burj Khalifa, the Frame, Jumeirah, the Palm, the Marina, Al Fahidi, the abra and both souks.
- The only tour that reaches both Dubais
- Up to 6 people in one car
- 5.5–6.5 hours of actual sightseeing
- Runs into the evening Fountain show
8 hoursLand Cruiser Full-Day Tour
The same eight hours in a premium Land Cruiser — seven seats, more luggage room, the right call for a family of five or six.
- Up to 7 guests in one vehicle
- Chilled water on board
- Child seat on request
- Same route, more room
4 hoursHalf-Day Dubai City Tour
New Dubai only — the Burj Khalifa, the Frame, Jumeirah, the Palm and the Marina. It does not reach the souks.
- Hotel pickup and drop-off included
- Private 4×4, no other guests
- Morning or evening, same price
- Photo stops, not a drive-past
4 hoursOld Dubai and the Souks
Al Fahidi wind-tower district, the AED 1 abra across Dubai Creek, the Gold Souk and the Spice Souk — the half the New Dubai tour misses.
- Abra crossing costs AED 1 per person
- Short, flat walking
- Best in the morning
- Car waits, you walk
4 hoursDubai by Night
The Fountain show, Downtown at full light, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Marina, JBR and Bluewaters with Ain Dubai.
- Starts around 5:30 PM
- Fountain show every 30 minutes
- Marina and JBR walk time
- Most of the stops are free
By the hourCar with Driver, As Directed
No fixed route at all. Your own car and driver by the hour — shopping, meetings, a school run, whatever the day needs.
- AED 250 per hour
- Four-hour minimum
- Wait time included
- Same driver all day
Return transferDubai Miracle Garden Run
Private return transfer with your driver waiting. Entry ticket is not included — buy it at the gate or online.
- Transport only, ticket not included
- Driver waits, no second fare
- Mornings are coolest
- Seasonal — closed in summer
Return transferGlobal Village Run
Private return transfer to Global Village, evenings. Entry ticket is not included — it is inexpensive and sold at the gate.
- Transport only, ticket not included
- Driver waits until you are done
- Evenings only
- Seasonal — closed in summer
Return transferDubai Garden Glow Run
Private return transfer to Garden Glow in Zabeel Park. Entry ticket is not included. Best after dark, when the installations are lit.
- Transport only, ticket not included
- Driver waits at the gate
- After sunset is the point
- Good with young children
One wayDXB Airport Transfer
Meet and greet with a name board at arrivals, flight tracking, luggage handled, one fixed price at any hour. No night surcharge.
- Name board at arrivals
- Flight tracked, delays covered
- No surge at 3 AM
- Fixed price, per car
6 hoursDesert Safari from Dubai
Dune bashing, camel ride, sandboarding, a Bedouin camp with BBQ dinner and live shows — in a private 4×4 for your group only.
- Private 4×4, up to 7 people
- Hotel pickup and drop included
- Licensed operator, DCT Abu Dhabi
- Afternoon pickup, back by 9:30 PM
Best Abu Dhabi desert safari from AED 35. Dune bashing, camel ride, BBQ dinner & live shows. Hotel pickup included. 5,000+ guests. Instant WhatsApp booking!
Full-Day Dubai City Tour Packages — Book Direct, Best Price Guaranteed
AED 899Full-Day Dubai City Tour
The complete city. New Dubai in the morning, Old Dubai in the afternoon — the Gold Souk, the Spice Souk, Al Fahidi and the AED 1 abra across Dubai Creek.
- Per car — up to 6 people
- AED 175 each for a family of four
- Old Dubai + New Dubai — the only tour that reaches both
- Runs into the evening at no surcharge
- Entry tickets NOT included — photo stops
AED 1,199Full Day, Private Land Cruiser
The same eight hours in a Land Cruiser. What we recommend for families of five or six, and for anyone adding the desert.
- Per car — Land Cruiser, full day
- More comfortable on the long Deira legs
- Custom routes and multi-day on request
- No peak-season or evening supplement
- DCT Abu Dhabi-licensed · ask us for the number
AED 699Half-Day Dubai City Tour
New Dubai only — the Burj Khalifa, the Frame, Jumeirah, the Palm and the Marina. It does not reach the souks.
- Per car — up to 6 people
- AED 125 each for a family of four
- No Old Dubai, no souks, no abra
- Good for tight schedules and layovers
- Morning or evening — same price
Add-Ons & Extras
Customise your safari — add any of these to your chosen package.
Quick Answer
A full-day Dubai city tour is 8 hours and costs AED 899 per car with us — not per person — for up to six people, which is AED 225 each for a family of four. It is the only city tour that reaches both halves of Dubai. The morning covers new Dubai — the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Frame, the Museum of the Future, Jumeirah Mosque, the Burj Al Arab, Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Marina. The afternoon covers Old Dubai — Al Fahidi Historical District, the Gold Souk, the Spice Souk, and the abra across Dubai Creek for AED 1. This is also sold across the market as the “Dubai Classic City Tour”. The honest bit: an 8-hour tour gives you roughly 5.5 to 6.5 hours of actual sightseeing — lunch and the hotel transfers consume the rest. And entry tickets are not included: every stop is a photo stop, and the Burj Khalifa At the Top ticket is sold separately by Emaar. Market full-day tours typically cost AED 250–500 per person, so a family of four often pays AED 1,000–2,000 elsewhere. WhatsApp +971 58 228 2683.
On this page
- Why the full day is the only complete tour
- The 8-hour truth: what you really get
- Hour-by-hour itinerary
- Every place on the full-day tour
- The Old Dubai half — what the half-day misses
- Is this the “Dubai Classic City Tour”?
- Price and the per-person maths
- What’s included and what is NOT
- The Burj Khalifa ticket question
- Full day vs half day
- Timings and the summer version
- Who should NOT book a full day
- Ten things to know before you go
- The landmarks, explained
- Pickup and transfer times
- How to book
- Key facts
- FAQ
Why the full day is the only complete Dubai city tour
Dubai is two cities 30 km apart, and only an 8-hour tour can reach both. The modern Dubai everyone photographs — the Burj Khalifa, the Palm, Dubai Marina — sits along the western coast. The Dubai that has been there for 200 years — the Creek, the Gold Souk, the Spice Souk, Al Fahidi’s wind-tower lanes — sits in Deira and Bur Dubai at the far north-eastern end. In traffic, the drive between them alone can take an hour. A four-hour half-day tour simply cannot do both: it would spend most of itself in the car. That is the entire reason the full-day tour exists, and it is a geographic fact rather than a sales tactic.
| Half day (4 hrs) — AED 699 | Full day (8 hrs) — AED 899 | |
|---|---|---|
| New Dubai — Burj Khalifa, Palm, Marina | ✓ | ✓ |
| Old Dubai — Al Fahidi | ✗ | ✓ |
| The Gold Souk | ✗ | ✓ |
| The Spice Souk | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dubai Creek & the AED 1 abra | ✗ | ✓ |
| Time to actually walk around | Tight | Comfortable |
| Per person (family of 4) | AED 125 | AED 175 — just AED 50 more each |
The number that decides it. The full day costs AED 201 more than the half day. Split across a family of four, that is AED 50 each — for the entire other half of Dubai, including the souks and the Creek, which is the half most guests tell us they remember. We say this knowing it upsells you, and we would say it anyway.
The 8-hour truth: what you actually get
An 8-hour full-day Dubai city tour gives you roughly 5.5 to 6.5 hours of actual sightseeing. The rest goes to two things nobody mentions on a booking page: the hotel transfers (30–45 minutes each way, more if you are staying in Deira or the Marina) and a lunch break (typically an hour). That is not a criticism of the product — it is what eight hours in a 40 km city with a lunch stop actually looks like. But you should book it knowing the real number, so you plan your evening around 6:00 PM rather than 5:00 PM.
| Segment | Time | What is happening |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel pickup → first stop | 30–45 min | Driving. Depends heavily on your hotel. |
| Morning — New Dubai | ~3 hours | Burj Khalifa, Frame, Museum of the Future, Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab, Palm, Marina |
| Lunch break | ~1 hour | Your choice, your cost. We stop wherever you like. |
| Afternoon — Old Dubai | ~2.5–3 hours | Al Fahidi, the abra, the Spice Souk, the Gold Souk |
| Last stop → hotel | 30–45 min | Driving. |
| Total | 8 hours | ≈ 5.5–6.5 hours of real sightseeing |
The full-day Dubai city tour itinerary, hour by hour
New Dubai in the morning, Old Dubai in the afternoon — and that order is deliberate. The modern landmarks are best in the morning light and the souks are best later, because many Deira shops close for an afternoon break from roughly 1:00 to 4:00 PM and reopen into the evening. Running the route this way means you reach the Gold Souk when it is actually trading. Every stop is a photo stop; the car waits with the air conditioning running.
| Time | Stop | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 | Hotel pickup | Anywhere in Dubai. Private 4×4. |
| 9:30 | Dubai Frame | 150 m gilded frame — old Dubai on one side, new on the other. |
| 10:00 | Museum of the Future | 77 m torus, Arabic calligraphy cut through the steel skin. |
| 10:30 | Burj Khalifa & Downtown | 828 m — the tallest building on earth. Photo stop at the base. |
| 11:15 | Jumeirah Mosque | Photo stop. Cover shoulders and knees. |
| 11:45 | Burj Al Arab | The famous angle, from Umm Suqeim public beach. |
| 12:15 | Palm Jumeirah & Atlantis | Drive the trunk, photo stop at Atlantis. |
| 12:45 | Dubai Marina & JBR | ~200 towers around a 3 km canal. |
| 1:15 | Lunch | Your choice, your cost. We stop wherever you want. |
| 2:30 | Al Fahidi Historical District | OLD DUBAI BEGINS. Coral-and-gypsum lanes and wind towers from the 1890s. Free to walk. |
| 3:15 | Dubai Creek & the abra | AED 1, cash, paid to the driver. The best dirham you will ever spend. |
| 3:45 | The Spice Souk | Saffron, dried lemon, frankincense. The smell is the point. |
| 4:15 | The Gold Souk | One of the largest concentrations of gold retail on earth. Covered and cool. |
| 5:00 | Drive back | Drop-off. Add 30–45 min. |
Want the fountain? Ask us to run the day later — start at 11:00 AM and finish Downtown at the free Dubai Fountain show (every 30 minutes until 11:00 PM). Same AED 899, no evening supplement. In our opinion this is the best possible version of the day, and almost nobody asks for it.
Every place on the full-day Dubai city tour
Eleven landmarks across both halves of the city — this is the complete “Dubai city tour places” list. Seven in new Dubai, four in Old Dubai. Every one is a photo stop, and the four Old Dubai stops are the ones no half-day tour in the city can reach.
| Place | Half | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Burj Khalifa | New | 828 m. The tallest building in the world. Photo stop at the base. |
| The Dubai Fountain | New | Free — every 30 min, 6:00–11:00 PM. On later-running tours. |
| Dubai Frame | New | 150 m gilded frame in Zabeel Park. |
| Museum of the Future | New | The calligraphy glows after dark. |
| Jumeirah Mosque | New | One of the few Dubai mosques open to non-Muslim visitors. |
| Burj Al Arab | New | The sail, from the free public beach at Umm Suqeim. |
| Palm Jumeirah & Atlantis | New | The artificial island visible from orbit. |
| Dubai Marina & JBR | New | ~200 towers. The densest high-rise cluster in the Middle East. |
| Al Fahidi Historical District | OLD | Full day only. The oldest surviving neighbourhood in Dubai (1890s). |
| Dubai Creek & the abra | OLD | Full day only. AED 1. The harbour the city was built on. |
| The Spice Souk | OLD | Full day only. Covered, cool, and the smell is the point. |
| The Gold Souk | OLD | Full day only. Often quoted at ~10 tonnes of gold on display. |
The Old Dubai half — what the half-day tour never shows you
This is the part of the tour that people write home about, and it is the part a four-hour tour cannot reach. Old Dubai is not a museum exhibit — it is a working harbour district that has been trading for two centuries. Wooden dhows still load cargo along the Deira wharfage. The abra — a wooden boat, AED 1, cash to the driver — still ferries thousands of people across Dubai Creek every day, because it is the fastest way across. The Gold Souk is a covered lane of shop windows holding what is often quoted as around ten tonnes of gold. The Spice Souk smells of saffron and frankincense. And Al Fahidi is a maze of coral-and-gypsum houses with wind towers — the original air conditioning — from the 1890s.
- The abra costs AED 1. Bring a coin. It is the cheapest great thing in Dubai and it is not included in any tour price, because it costs one dirham.
- Gold is priced by weight against the daily international rate — that part is not negotiable. What you negotiate is the making charge, the craftsmanship fee on top. Ask for it separately.
- The “saffron” in the Spice Souk is very often safflower. Real saffron cannot be sold at that price. The dried lemon and the frankincense are real.
- We take no commission from any shop. If your driver is being paid to bring you somewhere, you are the product. Ours isn’t.
- Al Fahidi’s lanes are free and largely empty. The museums inside are separately ticketed.
If Old Dubai is the only thing you want, we run a dedicated Old Dubai city tour.
Is this the same as the “Dubai Classic City Tour”?
Yes. “Dubai Classic City Tour” is simply another name for the full-day tour covering both Old and New Dubai — Emirates and several other operators market it under that name, and the itinerary is the same set of landmarks: the Burj Khalifa, Jumeirah Mosque, the Burj Al Arab, the Palm, Dubai Marina, plus Al Fahidi, Dubai Creek and the souks. If you have seen it advertised as a “classic” tour, a “traditional and modern” tour, or an “old and new Dubai” tour, you are looking at this product. The differences between operators are not in the route — they are in whether the price is per person or per car, how many passengers the vehicle takes, and whether they tell you the entry tickets are excluded before you pay.
Full-day Dubai city tour price
AED 899 per car — not per person — for up to six people. A private Land Cruiser for the full day is AED 1,199. Fuel, tolls, parking, the driver and hotel pickup are all inside that number, and there is no evening, weekend or peak-season supplement. Across the market, full-day Dubai city tours are typically priced per person at AED 250–500, so a family of four commonly pays AED 1,000–2,000 elsewhere for the same route. With us that family pays AED 899 in total — AED 175 each.
| People | Our full day (total) | Per person | Market (~AED 350 pp) | Who wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AED 899 | AED 899 | ~AED 350 | The market. Or the Metro — honestly. |
| 2 | AED 899 | AED 350 | ~AED 899 | Us — same money, private car. |
| 3 | AED 899 | AED 233 | ~AED 1,050 | Us, comfortably. |
| 4 | AED 899 | AED 175 | ~AED 1,400 | Us — by AED 899. |
| 6 | AED 899 | AED 117 | ~AED 2,100 | Not close. |
Full breakdown: Dubai city tour price and packages.
Dubai city tour inclusions — and what is NOT included
The AED 899 buys the vehicle, the driver, the pickup and the route. It does not buy attraction entry tickets, and no honest full-day tour at this price does. Every stop is a photo stop. Lunch is your choice and your cost. The abra across Dubai Creek is AED 1, paid in cash to the boatman. We publish this table because “the ticket wasn’t included” is the single most common complaint about Dubai city tours, and it is entirely avoidable.
| Item | |
|---|---|
| ✓ | Private air-conditioned 4×4 — up to 6 people |
| ✓ | English-speaking driver, waiting at every stop |
| ✓ | Hotel or residence pickup and drop-off, anywhere in Dubai |
| ✓ | Fuel, tolls (Salik) and parking |
| ✓ | 11 landmark photo stops — Old Dubai AND New Dubai |
| ✓ | A flexible route — tell the driver to linger and he will |
| ✗ | Burj Khalifa “At the Top” ticket — separate, from Emaar |
| ✗ | Museum of the Future ticket — separate, sells out days ahead |
| ✗ | Dubai Frame ticket — separate |
| ✗ | Lunch — your choice, your cost. We stop anywhere. |
| ✗ | The abra — AED 1, cash. Bring a coin. |
| ✗ | Shopping — and we take no commission from any shop |
| ✗ | A licensed tour guide — your driver is a driver. We won’t pretend otherwise. |
| ✗ | Tips — never expected |
“Full-day Dubai city tour with Burj Khalifa” — the honest answer
Every full-day Dubai city tour includes the Burj Khalifa. Almost none include the ticket to go up it. On our tour it is a photo stop at the base. The At the Top observation deck ticket is sold separately by Emaar, and sunset slots cost the most. Because a full day gives us eight hours to work with, this is actually the ideal tour to combine with a Burj Khalifa visit: send us your ticket time and we will build the entire day around it at no extra charge, finishing at the free Dubai Fountain show. What we will not do is quote AED 899 and let you assume the ticket is inside it.
Full day vs half day: which should you book?
Book the full day unless you genuinely cannot spare it. It is the only tour that shows you both Dubais, and per person the upgrade costs about AED 50. The half day is the right call if your schedule is tight, if you are on a layover, or if you only want the modern skyline. But if this is your first visit, if you have a whole day, or if the words “Gold Souk” mean anything to you — the half day will leave you feeling you saw a showroom rather than a city.
| Half day — AED 699 | Full day — AED 899 | |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 4 hrs (+60–90 min transfer) | 8 hrs (~5.5–6.5 hrs sightseeing) |
| Landmarks | 8 | 11–12 |
| Per person (family of 4) | AED 125 | AED 175 |
| Old Dubai, souks, the abra | ✗ | ✓ |
| Lunch stop | No time | ✓ |
| Book it if… | Tight schedule · layover · new Dubai only | First visit · families · you want the whole city |
See the half-day Dubai city tour.
Timings — and the summer version of this tour
The standard full day runs roughly 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. From May to September, ask us to shift it later — and we will, at no extra cost. Dubai’s summer highs are 40–45°C, and a full-day tour is an outdoor product: eleven stops where you get out of the car. A shifted day — starting around 11:00 AM, taking the hot hours as the lunch break and an indoor stop, then doing Old Dubai from 4:00 PM as it cools and finishing at the free Dubai Fountain — is enormously better. It also means you reach the souks in the evening, when they are open, covered and cool, rather than during their 1–4 PM closure.
| Season | Recommended start | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Nov – Mar | 9:00 AM (standard) | 24–30°C. Perfect. Everything works as written. |
| Apr & Oct | 10:00–11:00 AM | Shift the outdoor stops away from midday. |
| May – Sep | 11:00 AM — finish at the fountain | 40–45°C at noon. Do Old Dubai in the evening when the souks are actually open. |
No evening supplement, ever. See best time to visit Dubai.
Who should NOT book a full-day tour
Do not book eight hours if you are travelling solo on a budget, if you only have a short layover, or if you have young children who will not last the distance. Solo, the per-car price works against you — take the Metro, and see Old Dubai on foot for the price of an AED 1 abra. On a layover under eight hours, a full day does not fit and we will tell you so. And with a toddler, eight hours and eleven stops is a lot; the half day, or a custom shorter route, is kinder to everyone.
| If you are… | Book | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Solo, on a budget | Not us — the Metro | AED 899 for one person is poor value. The abra is AED 1; the fountain is free. |
| On a short layover | A custom 2–4 hr run | 8 hours won’t fit. Message us with your flight times. |
| With a toddler | The half day, or a custom route | 11 stops over 8 hours is a lot for small children. |
| A family of 3–6, first visit | The full day | AED 175 each. Both Dubais. The obvious answer. |
| Combining with a Burj Khalifa ticket | The full day | We’ll build all 8 hours around your slot, free. |
Ten things to know before your full-day tour
Eight hours goes better if you know these ten things, and none of them appear on a booking page. The three biggest: the tour is really 5.5–6.5 hours of sightseeing once lunch and transfers are removed; entry tickets are not included, so buy them yourself and send us the time; and bring cash, because the abra is AED 1 and most souk stalls do not take cards.
- Bring AED 1 in coins for the abra. It is not in any tour price because it costs one dirham.
- Bring cash generally. The souks are largely cash. Small notes.
- Wear comfortable shoes. Al Fahidi and the souks are walking; the rest is photo stops.
- Cover shoulders and knees for Jumeirah Mosque and the souks. It is expected, and it costs nothing.
- Buy your Burj Khalifa ticket yourself, in advance, and send us the slot. We’ll build the day around it free.
- Book the Museum of the Future days ahead if you want to go inside — it sells out.
- Lunch is your call and your cost. Tell the driver what you fancy; he knows where.
- In summer, ask for the later start. Same price. Vastly better day. The souks are shut 1–4 PM anyway.
- Gold: negotiate the making charge, not the gold. The metal is priced on the daily rate; the craftsmanship is the negotiable part.
- Ask for our DCT Abu Dhabi licence number before you pay — and ask every other operator for theirs.
The landmarks, and what you’re actually looking at
A photo stop is worth more when you know what you’re photographing. Here is what the twelve stops on the full-day route actually are — the numbers, the reason each exists, and the thing worth knowing that a booking page will never tell you.
Burj Khalifa — 828 metres
The tallest building in the world, and it is not close: at 828 m it stands more than 300 m taller than the next tallest. From the base you physically cannot fit it into a photograph without lying on the ground. After dark the facade becomes an LED screen, and the free Dubai Fountain throws water up to 150 m beside it every 30 minutes until 11:00 PM.
Museum of the Future & the Dubai Frame
The Museum is a 77 m torus with no internal pillars, its steel skin cut through with Arabic calligraphy so light shines out of the letters — an effect that only exists after dark. The Dubai Frame is a 150 m gilded rectangle positioned so that old Dubai lies on one side and the modern skyline on the other. Both are ticketed separately; both are free to photograph from outside.
Jumeirah Mosque & the Burj Al Arab
Jumeirah Mosque is one of the very few mosques in Dubai open to non-Muslim visitors, on organised guided tours. The Burj Al Arab — the sail — sits offshore on its own artificial island, and the famous photograph is taken not from inside it but from Umm Suqeim public beach, which is free and open, and where we stop.
Palm Jumeirah, Atlantis & Dubai Marina
The Palm is an artificial archipelago large enough to be visible from orbit; you drive the trunk to Atlantis at the far end. Dubai Marina holds around 200 towers around a 3 km artificial canal — the densest high-rise cluster in the Middle East — including the Cayan Tower (307 m, twisted a full 90°) and the Princess Tower (413 m).
Al Fahidi Historical District — the 1890s
Coral-and-gypsum houses with wind towers — the original air conditioning, catching any breeze and funnelling it down into the rooms below. This is the oldest surviving neighbourhood in Dubai and it is free to walk. It is also, at 2:30 in the afternoon, almost empty.
Dubai Creek and the abra — AED 1
The saltwater inlet the entire city was built around. Wooden trading dhows still load cargo along the Deira wharfage, and the abra — a wooden boat, one dirham, cash to the driver — still ferries people across because it remains the fastest way over. It is the cheapest great thing in Dubai.
The Spice Souk and the Gold Souk
The Spice Souk smells of saffron, dried lemon and frankincense, and that smell is genuinely the point. The Gold Souk is a covered lane of shop windows holding what is often quoted as around ten tonnes of gold. Both are covered — so shaded and cool — and both trade until roughly 10:00 PM, which is why an evening finish is the better version of this day.
Pickup, and how your hotel changes the day
We collect from any hotel or residence in Dubai — but where you’re staying changes how much of the eight hours is spent driving, and you deserve the real numbers. Dubai is a 40 km ribbon. A Downtown hotel is minutes from the first stop and close to the Old Dubai leg. A Dubai Marina hotel is at the far western end. A Deira hotel is right beside the souks but 30 km from the Marina. None of this is a problem — the route simply gets re-ordered around you, and we tell you honestly what to expect.
| Staying in… | Transfer each way | What we do about it |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown / Business Bay | 10–20 min | The most efficient base. Maximum sightseeing time. |
| Jumeirah / Al Barsha | 15–25 min | Standard route works perfectly. |
| Dubai Marina / JBR | 25–40 min | We run the route in reverse — Marina first, souks last. |
| Deira / Bur Dubai | Near Old Dubai | We flip it: souks first while cool, new Dubai after. |
| Dubai Airport (DXB) | 30–40 min | Layover routes are different — message us your flight times. |
Rush hour runs roughly 7:30–9:30 AM and 5:00–8:00 PM, and Sheikh Zayed Road is where it happens. We plan around it.
How to book, and what we’ll ask you
Message us on WhatsApp at +971 58 228 2683. We will ask five things, and each one changes the day we build. How many of you — that decides what AED 899 costs each, and if you are one person we will tell you to take the Metro instead. Your hotel — so we can order the route by geography. Your dates — because in summer we will push you to a later start. Whether you have a Burj Khalifa ticket — because if you do, we build the eight hours around it, free. And whether the souks matter to you — because if they do, we finish in the evening when they are open.
- Written confirmation before you pay. Price, duration, vehicle, exclusions.
- Our DCT Abu Dhabi licence number on request. Ask us. Ask everyone.
- No commission shopping stops. We are paid by you, not by a gold shop.
- No surcharges. Evening, weekend, December, July — AED 899 is AED 899.
- An honest schedule, including how much of it is driving.
And if the full day is wrong for you, we’ll say so. Solo budget travellers should take the Metro. People on a six-hour layover should ask for a custom run. Families with a toddler may be happier with the half day. We would rather lose the booking than sell you eight hours that do not fit your trip.
Key facts — full-day Dubai city tour
| Price | AED 899 per car — not per person |
|---|---|
| Land Cruiser (full day) | AED 1,199 per car |
| Capacity | Up to 6 people on one price |
| Per person (family of 4) | AED 175 |
| Per person (6 people) | AED 150 |
| Duration | 8 hours |
| Actual sightseeing time | ~5.5–6.5 hours (lunch + transfers take the rest) |
| Standard start | 9:00 AM — later start on request, same price |
| Landmarks | 11–12 — Old Dubai and New Dubai |
| Also sold as | “Dubai Classic City Tour” · “Old & New Dubai Tour” |
| Old Dubai stops | Al Fahidi · Dubai Creek & abra · Spice Souk · Gold Souk |
| The abra | AED 1, cash — not in any tour price |
| Lunch | Not included. Your choice, your cost. |
| NOT included | Entry tickets, lunch, shopping, tips, licensed guide |
| Burj Khalifa | Photo stop. At the Top ticket is separate — send us your slot. |
| The Dubai Fountain | Free — every 30 min, 6:00–11:00 PM. Ask for the later finish. |
| Evening / peak surcharge | None |
| Commission shopping stops | None |
| Market comparison | Full-day tours typically AED 250–500 per person |
| Licence | DCT Abu Dhabi-licensed — ask us for the number |
| +971 58 228 2683 |
The full day, in photographs
New Dubai in the morning and the coast in the afternoon — the stops the eight-hour route actually reaches.
Full-day Dubai city tour — FAQ
How much is a full-day Dubai city tour?
AED 899 per car with us — not per person — for up to six people in a private air-conditioned 4×4 with hotel pickup. That is AED 175 each for a family of four, or AED 117 each for six. A private Land Cruiser for the full day is AED 1,199. Across the market, full-day Dubai city tours are typically priced per person at roughly AED 250–500, so a family of four often pays AED 1,000–2,000 elsewhere.
How long is a full-day Dubai city tour really?
Eight hours door to door, but that gives you roughly 5.5 to 6.5 hours of actual sightseeing. The hotel transfers take 30–45 minutes each way, and a lunch break takes about an hour. That is what eight hours in a 40 km city with a lunch stop actually looks like — but you should book it knowing the real number rather than the brochure one.
What places does the full-day Dubai city tour cover?
Both halves of the city. New Dubai: the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Frame, the Museum of the Future, Jumeirah Mosque, the Burj Al Arab, Palm Jumeirah and Atlantis, and Dubai Marina with JBR. Old Dubai: Al Fahidi Historical District, Dubai Creek with the AED 1 abra crossing, the Spice Souk and the Gold Souk. That is 11–12 landmarks. The Old Dubai stops are the ones no half-day tour can reach.
Is the full-day tour the same as the Dubai Classic City Tour?
Yes. “Dubai Classic City Tour” is another name for the full-day tour covering both Old and New Dubai — Emirates and several other operators market it under that name, and the itinerary is the same set of landmarks. You may also see it as an “old and new Dubai” or “traditional and modern” tour. The real differences between operators are whether the price is per person or per car, how many passengers the vehicle carries, and whether they tell you entry tickets are excluded before you pay.
Does the full-day tour include the Gold Souk?
Yes — the Gold Souk, the Spice Souk, Al Fahidi Historical District and the abra across Dubai Creek are all on the full-day tour. They are in Deira and Bur Dubai, roughly 30 km from Dubai Marina at the opposite end of the city, which is exactly why the four-hour half-day tour cannot reach them. If the souks matter to you, the full day is the tour you want.
Does it include Burj Khalifa tickets?
No. The Burj Khalifa is a photo stop at the base. The At the Top observation deck ticket is sold separately by Emaar. Because a full day gives us eight hours, this is actually the ideal tour to combine with a Burj Khalifa visit — send us your ticket time and we will build the whole day around it at no extra charge, ideally finishing at the free Dubai Fountain show.
Is lunch included?
No. Lunch is your choice and your cost — we stop wherever you want to eat, and the driver knows the options. The break typically takes about an hour, and it is one of the two reasons an eight-hour tour delivers roughly six hours of sightseeing.
Full day or half day — which is better?
The full day, unless your schedule genuinely will not allow it. It is the only tour that reaches both Dubais, and the upgrade costs AED 201 — about AED 50 more per person in a family of four — for the entire other half of the city, including the souks, Dubai Creek and Al Fahidi. Book the half day if you are on a layover, short on time, or only want the modern skyline.
Is the full-day tour per person or per car?
Per car. AED 899 covers the whole vehicle for up to six people. Most of the market prices per person at AED 250–500, which is why a headline figure can look cheaper than ours until you multiply it by your family. Always ask an operator, in writing, whether a quoted price is per person or per vehicle, and what the passenger limit is.
What time does the full-day tour start?
Typically 9:00 AM, finishing around 5:00 PM. From May to September we recommend asking for a later start — around 11:00 AM — so that the hottest hours become your lunch break and Old Dubai is done in the evening when the souks are actually open and the temperature is bearable. There is no surcharge for this. In winter, the 9:00 AM start is ideal.
Is a full-day Dubai city tour worth it?
For two or more people, yes — it is the only tour that shows you both halves of a city whose landmarks are spread over 40 km, and at AED 175 each for a family of four it costs less than most per-person half-day tours. For a solo traveller on a budget, honestly no: take the Metro, walk Old Dubai, and pay AED 1 for the abra. We would rather tell you that than take AED 899 from one person.
Is there a guide on the tour?
Your driver is a professional English-speaking driver who knows the city and its traffic — but he is a driver, not a licensed tour guide, and at this price no honest operator can claim otherwise. If you want a licensed guide with full commentary, that is a different and more expensive product, and we will tell you honestly where to find one.
How long does a full-day Dubai city tour from Abu Dhabi take?
Treat it as a whole day rather than a few hours, because Dubai is a separate emirate and the driving eats real time. Two published timings shape any sensible plan: the Museum of the Future opens 10am to 7pm with last admission at 5pm (museumofthefuture.ae, read 17 August), while Dubai Mall retailers trade 10am to midnight (thedubaimall.com, read 17 August). We do not publish a fixed drive time, because traffic on the corridor varies hugely by hour; your driver agrees the pickup time with you when you book.
What is included in a full-day Dubai city tour?
Our side is the private Land Cruiser, the driver, hotel or airport pickup, the route and the photo stops. Attraction entry is not bundled in unless you ask, because the venues price per person and set their own rules: Museum of the Future entry is AED 169 for visitors aged four and above (museumofthefuture.ae, read 17 August), and Dubai Frame tickets start from 52.50 AED (visitdubai.com, read 17 August). Meals are not included either, so you eat where you like along the route rather than on a fixed schedule.
Do I have to book Burj Khalifa tickets separately?
Usually yes, and often you should. Burj Khalifa publishes three deck experiences: At the Top on levels 124 and 125 at 456 metres, At the Top SKY on level 148, and The Lounge on levels 152 to 154 at 585 metres (burjkhalifa.ae, read 17 August). That page publishes no opening hours or prices, and we will not quote numbers we cannot verify. Sunset slots sell out first, so booking direct in your own name usually gets a better time than waiting for us. Tell us the slot and we build the driving route around it.
What time is the Dubai Fountain show, and is it free to watch?
Dubai Mall lists evening shows every 30 minutes from 6pm to 11:30pm (thedubaimall.com, read 17 August). Visit Dubai describes the same performances, says the water reaches 140 metres, and sells boardwalk tickets from AED 25 and lake rides from AED 73 (visitdubai.com, read 17 August). Honestly, you do not need either ticket. The lakeside promenade outside the mall is open to anyone walking there, and the view is excellent. Buy the boardwalk only if you want to stand close. Where timings differ anywhere, trust the mall’s own listing.
Can non-Muslims go inside Jumeirah Mosque?
Yes, through the guided visit run by the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Cultural Understanding. It runs every day except Friday at 10am and 2pm, lasts one hour fifteen minutes, and costs AED 45 per person, with no prior booking required and registration opening 30 minutes before (cultures.ae, read 17 August). Women are asked to cover their hair inside a mosque (u.ae, read 17 August). If your day cannot start early enough to hit 10am or 2pm, treat the mosque as an exterior photo stop instead.
How much does the abra ride across Dubai Creek cost?
One dirham per crossing, with boats running from 6am and leaving every few minutes (visitdubai.com, read 17 August). This is the part of the day where you should not pay anybody a markup, including us. We drop you at the station, you hand the boatman a single coin, and you cross beside people commuting to work. Chartered private abra trips along the creek cost many times more and are a different experience entirely. If a company quotes you a package price for a creek crossing, ask exactly what you are paying for.
What should I wear on a Dubai city tour?
Cover shoulders and knees and you will be comfortable everywhere on the route. Official guidance asks visitors to dress modestly, particularly in conservative areas and public places like shopping malls, notes that headscarves are not required except when visiting mosques, and states that any form of nudity is forbidden (u.ae, read 17 August). Dubai Mall also operates a courtesy dress code described as smart casual (thedubaimall.com, read 17 August). Bring a light layer, because interiors are heavily air conditioned while the walk between stops is not.
Is the Museum of the Future worth adding to the day?
It is strong, but only if your timing works. The museum opens daily from 10am to 7pm with last admission at 5pm, entry is AED 169 for visitors aged four and above, children under four and People of Determination with one accompanying caregiver enter free, and tickets are date and time specific so they must be booked in advance (museumofthefuture.ae, read 17 August). If you are setting off late from Abu Dhabi, drop it rather than sprint through it. A rushed hour there is money wasted.
Is a Dubai city tour worth it, or can I just do it myself?
If you are two able-bodied adults already staying in Dubai and happy on public transport, do it yourself. The metro reaches Downtown directly and the creek crossing costs one dirham (visitdubai.com, read 17 August); that combination beats any private car on price. We could not reach the transport authority’s fare pages today, so we will not quote metro fares we have not checked. Book a private car when you are coming in from Abu Dhabi, travelling with young children or older parents, or want door-to-door with no walking between sites.
Am I allowed to take photos during the tour?
Mostly yes, with clear limits. Official guidance says not to photograph people without their permission, and bans photography of government buildings, military installations and aircraft (u.ae, read 17 August). Individual venues set their own rules on tripods, drones and commercial shoots, so ask at the entrance rather than assume. Your driver will tell you which stops are quick roadside pauses and which allow a proper walk-around. If you want unhurried photography at a specific landmark, say so at booking so the route can allow the extra time.
What is inside the Dubai Frame, and is it good with children?
It works well with kids. The Frame is two towers of 150 metres joined by a 93-metre bridge in Zabeel Park, with a past gallery using projections, mist effects, smells and motion, a sky deck with augmented reality screens, and a future gallery built around virtual reality (dm.gov.ae, read 17 August). Tickets start from 52.50 AED, entry is free for children under three, under-twelves must be accompanied throughout, and the lift to the bridge takes 55 seconds (visitdubai.com, read 17 August).
Should I book a full-day or a half-day Dubai city tour?
Be honest about your list. If you only want Downtown, the mall and the fountain, a half day is enough and you should not pay for a full one. A full day earns its keep when you want Old Dubai and the creek in the morning, Downtown in the afternoon and the coast or Palm at dusk. Coming from Abu Dhabi changes the maths, because the driving alone consumes a chunk of the day, so a half day from there rarely leaves enough hours on the ground to be satisfying.
Do children pay extra on a private Dubai city tour?
Not for the tour itself. Our private tours are priced per vehicle, so adding children changes nothing about what you pay us. Attraction entry is separate and charged per person by each venue, and the age thresholds differ: Museum of the Future is free for children under four (museumofthefuture.ae, read 17 August), while Dubai Frame is free for children under three and requires under-twelves to be accompanied at all times (visitdubai.com, read 17 August). Tell us ages at booking so seating and child seats can be arranged.
Is a Dubai city tour suitable for a wheelchair user?
Partly, and you deserve the caveats. A foldable wheelchair travels in the Land Cruiser boot if you declare it at booking; powered or non-folding chairs cannot be carried, and if you use one you are better served by a specialist accessible vehicle than by us. Modern venues are the easy part: Museum of the Future admits People of Determination and one accompanying caregiver free (museumofthefuture.ae, read 17 August). The old creek lanes and the step down into an abra are the hard part, so plan those stops carefully.
Do I have to pay a deposit, and can I cancel?
No deposit and no booking fee. You pay on the day, and cancellation is free up to 12 hours before pickup. We are licensed by the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi. Attraction tickets are the separate part to think about, because they follow the venue’s terms rather than ours: Museum of the Future tickets are date and time specific and must be booked in advance (museumofthefuture.ae, read 17 August). Buy those in your own name so you hold the booking and deal directly with the venue.
What changes during Ramadan?
Timings shift and evenings get very busy. Dubai Frame publishes Ramadan timings of 11am to 7pm (visitdubai.com, read 17 August), and other venues adjust too, so we will not publish hours we cannot confirm on the day you travel. Official guidance on modest dress and restrained public behaviour applies year-round and matters more in this month (u.ae, read 17 August). Practically, load the sightseeing into the daytime, because restaurants, malls and the fountain promenade fill sharply after iftar and the route slows down.
Sources & further reading
Market price ranges and typical full-day tour structures cited here are drawn from publicly published Dubai tour listings and vary by operator, season and inclusions — confirm what you are quoted and on what basis. The “Dubai Classic City Tour” name is used by Emirates and other operators for this same old-and-new itinerary. Timing guidance (roughly 5.5–6.5 hours of active sightseeing within an 8-hour day, plus 30–45 minutes of transfer each way) reflects both published operator guidance and our own experience running these routes daily. Burj Khalifa At the Top tickets are sold by Emaar; the Museum of the Future and the Dubai Frame sell their own admission — none are included in this tour. Souk opening hours vary and many Deira shops close roughly 1–4 PM. Official Dubai tourism and operator-licensing information: Visit Dubai (Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism). Royal Arabian Safari prices are our own published rates, quoted per vehicle, and do not change by season or time of day. Last updated 11 July.
Related Dubai guides
- Abu Dhabi City Tour with BAPS Temple
- Sunrise Desert Safari Dubai
- Full Day Desert Safari Abu Dhabi — Morning to Night in the Dunes
- Desert Safari Abu Dhabi National Day — Celebrate in the Dunes
- Desert Safari Abu Dhabi 360 Virtual Tour — Preview the Experience
- Half-Day Dubai City Tour
- Dubai City Tour Price
- Dubai City Tour Packages
- Dubai City Tour
- Private Dubai City Tour
- Old Dubai City Tour
- Dubai City Tour Bus (Honest Guide)
- Dubai Itinerary (1–7 Days)
- Best Time to Visit Dubai
- Dubai at Night
- Free Things to Do in Dubai
- Dubai Desert Safari
Eight hours. Both Dubais. AED 899 for the car.
Not per person — for up to six of you. The Burj Khalifa and the Gold Souk in the same day, which is a thing four hours cannot do. Tell us your dates and your hotel and we’ll give you an honest schedule — and in summer we’ll move it later, free, because that day is better.
WhatsApp +971 58 228 2683Book this tour
No deposit and no card details. Message us and we confirm the plan and the exact price before you commit — answered at any hour.
- Send your date and guest countYour date, how many of you, and where we collect from. That is all we need.
- We send the plan and the pricePer car, not per person. You see the route, the timings and the exact figure first.
- Pay the driver on the dayCash or card, after the run. Free cancellation up to 12 hours before pickup.
Answered 24 hours · No deposit · No booking fee · Licensed operator
Staying longer and want the car all day? See car with driver in Dubai — AED 250 per hour, four-hour minimum, everything included.
If you have another full day, a Dubai to Hatta tour is the natural second trip — mountains, a dam you can kayak on, and a heritage village.
If we have to cancel, what happens?
A cancellation policy that covers your obligations but not ours is only half a document. Here is our side of it, in writing.
If we have to cancel your booking — for weather, a vehicle issue, or driver illness — we will contact you as soon as we know and rebook you at no charge on the next date that works for you. You pay nothing for the cancelled booking.
If we need to send a different vehicle than the one you booked, we will ask you first rather than turning up in something you did not book.
This is separate from your own cancellation rights, which are unchanged: you can cancel free up to 12 hours before pickup. Because we take no deposit and no booking fee, there is no money of yours sitting with us either way — nothing to chase, and nothing to wait for.