7-Day Itinerary for United Arab Emirates

  • Day 1: Dubai Mall
    15 minutes (10 kilometers) from Dubai International Airport

    Dubai Mall is the largest shopping center in the world, with over 1,200 stores and 200 food outlets. It also has an indoor theme park, a cinema complex, and an ice rink.

  • Day 2: Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi
    1 hour 30 minutes (140 kilometers) from Dubai Mall

    Sheikh Zayed Mosque is the largest mosque in the UAE and can accommodate over 40,000 worshippers. The mosque has 82 domes, four minarets, and is decorated with precious stones, gold, and marble.

  • Day 3: Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain
    19 minutes (10 kilometers) from Dubai Mall

    Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world at 828 meters. Visitors can take an elevator up to the observation deck on the 124th floor for a breathtaking view of Dubai. The Dubai Fountain is the world's largest choreographed fountain system in the world which shoots water up to 150 meters high along with lights and music.

  • Day 4: Dubai Miracle Garden
    28 minutes (26 kilometers) from Burj Khalifa

    Dubai Miracle Garden is the largest flower garden in the world featuring over 45 million flowers arranged in various shapes and sculptures. Some of the highlights of the garden include a flower-covered Emirates A380 Airbus and a floral castle.

  • Day 5: Jebel Jais, Ras Al Khaimah
    1 hour 38 minutes (150 kilometers) from Dubai Miracle Garden

    Jebel Jais is the tallest mountain in the UAE at 1,934 meters above sea level. Visitors can reach the top via a cable car ride that offers spectacular views of the surrounding Hajar mountains.

  • Day 6: Ski Dubai
    19 minutes (10 kilometers) from Dubai Mall

    Ski Dubai is an indoor ski resort located inside the Mall of Emirates. It features five ski runs of varying difficulty, a snow park, and a penguin exhibit.

  • Day 7: Dubai Marina
    23 minutes (25 kilometers) from Ski Dubai

    Dubai Marina is a man-made canal city that offers stunning views of the Persian Gulf, along with many cafes, restaurants, and shops. Visitors can also take a boat tour around the canal or take a ride on the popular Dubai Ferry.

Time and Cost Estimates

  • Dubai Mall (4 hours, Free)
  • Sheikh Zayed Mosque (2 hours, Free)
  • Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain (3 hours, AED 200)
  • Dubai Miracle Garden (2 hours, AED 55)
  • Jebel Jais (3 hours, AED 150)
  • Ski Dubai (4 hours, AED 250)
  • Dubai Marina (2 hours, Free)

  • Total Estimated Costs: AED 655

Transportation

Transportation in the UAE is quite reliable and visitor-friendly, especially in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Taxis are widely available, and there are also buses, metro trains, and trams. Renting a car is also an option, but it is more expensive, and parking is also expensive in the major cities. For travel between cities, visitors can take a long-distance bus or hire a private car.

Estimated transportation costs: AED 100-200 per day depending on the mode of transport.

Useful Tips

If you have more time, you can visit other attractions such as the Dubai Gold Souk, Palm Jumeirah or go on desert safaris. For those with less time, you can shorten the itinerary by skipping Ski Dubai or Dubai Miracle Garden.

Airports

The primary airport in the UAE is Dubai International Airport (DXB). It is the busiest airport in the world by international passenger traffic and is located in Garhoud, which is just outside of Dubai city center. The other major international airport is Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH), located in the UAE capital. It takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes to travel from Dubai Mall to AUH.

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