A information to day tripping to the capital of the United Arab Emirates whereas staying in Dubai
It’s a simple freeway drive of simply over an hour between the 2 largest cities within the UAE – Dubai and Abu Dhabi – making it an extremely in style day journey vacation spot for Dubai guests.
On this web page, we’re going to share with you precisely the way you get from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and mustn’t miss sights to see within the UAE’s capital metropolis.
PLEASE NOTE: Since 28 February 2022, the ABU DHABI-DUBAI BORDER CROSSING CHECKPOINT HAS BEEN REMOVED. This means no PCR exams required for border crossing, however you do want a Green Al Hosn to enter public areas, along with a masks being worn anyplace indoors.
Stay updated with any modifications within the Dubai – Abu Dhabi border crossing earlier than making an attempt to plan a day journey into Abu Dhabi emirate as issues can change.
To plan your Abu Dhabi tour from Dubai, you possibly can skip straight to:
Abu Dhabi from Dubai Tour Packages
One of probably the most handy methods to get between the 2 cities is to affix an organized tour group.
They will prepare your pick-ups from Dubai and switch you in air-conditioned consolation to Abu Dhabi’s largest vacationer websites (extra on these beneath!)
There are so many alternative Abu Dhabi excursions to select from, so right here’s what we recommend you look out for when selecting the perfect excursions to Abu Dhabi:
- Is the tour personal and personalised, a small group, or a big group?
- Will you be picked up out of your lodge or want to fulfill at an organized rendezvous level in Dubai?
- Are meals included or will it is advisable to price range additional for a meal cease?
- Can you add any extra stops, not within the itinerary?
Larger group excursions to Abu Dhabi could also be extra budget-friendly, however may even provide you with restricted flexibility in what you wish to see and do on this stunning metropolis.
We extremely suggest you ebook your excursions by a good tour supplier comparable to Get Your Guide. The purpose being they’ve vetted all their tour suppliers supplying you with a wide range of itineraries to select from multi function spot. You can learn critiques from previous clients and most significantly they provide the power to cancel as much as 24 hours earlier than for many excursions, supplying you with flexibility in your plans.
- Half Day Grand Mosque tour transfers to and from the Sheikh Zayed Mosque solely from Dubai. This is a shared tour bus leaving Dubai round 8:45 AM and solely taking 5 hours, you’ll be again to Dubai by early afternoon. Perfect in case you solely wish to see the nation’s largest mosque.
- Abu Dhabi Full-Day Premium Sightseeing Tour – this can be a nice all-rounder tour for getting a taster of Abu Dhabi. You will, after all, see the mosque, but in addition a driving tour across the metropolis’s different highlights together with the picturesque Corniche, Marina breakwater, Etihad Towers and a cease at Qasr al Watan, all with a guided tour in your chosen language. Note you’re given a lunch cease however lunch shouldn’t be included, excluded The Louvre.
- Full Day Private Tour Dubai to Abu Dhabi is greatest for a small group who needs to journey with a information. Your itinerary will see you to the Mosque, Emirates Palace and Yas Marina Circuit with a buffet lunch thrown in (however notice, no Louvre or Qasr al Watan stops).
- Abu Dhabi Full-Day Trip with Louvre & Mosque – in case you simply wish to see the Grand Mosque and the Louvre, that is the tour for you. You get two-hour stops at every which will likely be loads of time if these are the primary highlights you might be after. Can be run as a small group with different visitors or privately.
Unfortunately, few excursions will take you on a extra versatile itinerary that takes you extra in-depth by the souks and older components of town (not that there are lots of left, like in Dubai!). Most Abu Dhabi metropolis excursions keep on with the primary vacationer sights.
What are the most important vacationer sights to see in Abu Dhabi?
This will actually rely in your pursuits, however undoubtedly the primary cease in Abu Dhabi is the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque – generally merely known as the Grand Mosque (to not be mistaken for Jumeirah Mosque in Dubai).
We have a whole information right here on the best way to go to the Grand Mosque from Dubai.
There are excursions that completely shuttle clients again and ahead to the Grand Mosque, however you actually need to see extra within the metropolis! (And be warned the day-tripping buses from Dubai all appear to reach en masse in Abu Dhabi making it a really crowded expertise by mid-morning).
Main cultural sights in Abu Dhabi
In addition to the Grand Mosque, the subsequent three most necessary vacationer locations in Abu Dhabi are:
- The Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi – a shocking Museum on Saadiyat Island that covers the “History of Humanity” in an excellent waterfront setting is likely one of the greatest locations to go to in Abu Dhabi after the Mosque. Just the constructing itself is a Middle East masterpiece. NB Closed Mondays.
- Qasr al Watan – the Presidential Palace of the United Arab Emirates is an unimaginable new constructing to rival the fantastic thing about the Grand Mosque. Open for day by day excursions, it’s located on the finish of the Abu Dhabi Corniche (in regards to the furthermost level from Dubai!). Can often be closed at quick discover for diplomatic visits.
- Qasr al Hosn – a superb perception into the historical past of the United Arab Emirates and Abu Dhabi from early Bedouin days and historic historical past, by to the invention of oil, federation and the modern-day metropolis – excursions particular workshops and day by day occasions are supplied, however few excursions appear to incorporate this necessary cease on their pre-arranged itineraries.
You can discover a full information to Abu Dhabi’s greatest cultural sights on our sister website Abu Dhabi Travel Planner.
Other sightseeing in Abu Dhabi
For common sightseeing, some in style sights you may wish to embrace:
- Step contained in the beautiful Emirates Palace Hotel. You can merely get some wonderful snaps on the entrance steps, or head inside to take pleasure in some native delicacies from camel burgers to gold leaf tea at certainly one of Abu Dhabi’s most opulent buildings. A good costume code (knees lined) is required for women and men.
- Capture town from above at Observation Deck at 300 – town’s highest statement tower from Level 74 of Etihad Towers, (Conrad Etihad Towers). Not town’s tallest constructing – that constructing doesn’t have an statement flooring – however nonetheless, Etihad Towers is a good place to get your bearings over town and wonderful for a morning or afternoon tea cease.
- Take a visit out to the Falcon Hospital an amazing perception into native tradition and a extremely worthwhile cease in case you can be part of certainly one of their twice-daily Falcon World Tours.
- Enjoy a singular stroll by the wetlands of Abu Dhabi at Jubail Mangroves Park – it sits between Yas Island and Saadiyat Island, an excellent nature cease you gained’t imagine is so close to town.
- Wahat al Karama – the warfare memorial that sits reverse the Grand Mosque. A poignant spot and a phenomenal photograph alternative of each the memorial and the Mosque.
- Some excursions should embrace a cease on the Heritage Village – however in all honesty, we’d suggest Qasr al Hosn above as the higher and extra complete cease for historical past buffs.
- Desert Safari’s in Abu Dhabi are simply as in style as in Dubai, although you’ll get a reasonably comparable desert expertise with camel rides, dune bashing and a conventional dinner, so simply select one of many different.
Yas Island Theme Parks & Grand Prix observe Abu Dhabi
For theme park enjoyable, you actually need to permit at the very least 4 to six hours to sort out even one of many mega theme parks on Yas Island – these are Yas Waterworld, Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi, and Ferrari World.
Technically you would squeeze in a theme park alongside a day journey to the cultural websites, however we extremely suggest you make a full day for every expertise so you aren’t rushed. There’s actually no time to totally take pleasure in a water park or rollercoaster day in case you’re being rushed again on a bus.
Yas Island can be residence to the well-known Yas Marina Grand Prix observe. You could not get time on a day tour to do way more than snap some photographs, however motorsports followers ought to put apart additional time on a day journey to Abu Dhabi to participate in both a behind the scenes guided tour of the observe, and even higher a circuit driving expertise.
For one thing really distinctive, on a Monday and Wednesday night time from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, you possibly can stroll, run or cycle the Yas Marina Grand Prix observe! Join in with native residents to take pleasure in this really distinctive observe expertise – fully FREE! See the timetable and any deliberate observe closures right here.
Transfers from Dubai to Abu Dhabi
If you might be in search of to self-tour in Abu Dhabi, all you will have to rearrange is getting your self by public or personal transport to Abu Dhabi or prepare a rent automobile.
By highway, the journey from Dubai to Abu Dhabi takes between 1 and a pair of hours relying in your mode of transport and actual places. The cities sit about 160kms aside.
Note the bus will take you to the central bus station in Abu Dhabi, Al Wadha; all of the vacationer sights we’ve set out listed below are fairly unfold out over town so you’ll then must take native bus companies, or a number of taxis to leap between the assorted sightseeing locations.
There’s a very good information to public transport inside Abu Dhabi right here.
Taxi from Dubai to Abu Dhabi
If price range permits you possibly can merely take a commonplace Dubai Hala taxi from off the road in Dubai, or ebook one on the Careem App to your location
Depending in your pick-up and drop-off factors, this could value you round 300 AED from Downtown Dubai to Abu Dhabi Airport.
From Dubai Airport to the Abu Dhabi Corniche space, you’re looking at extra like 400 AED. All taxes run on a meter and are a dependable type of transportation within the UAE.
(NB since COVID some taxi drivers could also be reluctant to cross the border and should ask you to swap vehicles with an area Abu Dhabi taxi on the first ADNOC petrol station after you cross into Abu Dhabi emirate.)
Hiring your personal automobile from Dubai to Abu Dhabi
Hiring your personal automobile will, after all, grant you probably the most flexibility however might not be the most affordable.
You may even must drive on Dubai’s freeways which will be difficult at instances with the quick and heavy stream of visitors!
With the (very) high-speed limits on the E11 Freeway, it’s a fast drive from Dubai to Abu Dhabi. Most vacationer places, apart from within the metropolis centre of Abu Dhabi have free customer parking (in any other case you’ll want just a few dirhams in change for meters or use a parking app).
Hiring a personal driver
If you aren’t keen on a personal tour however merely need somebody to drive you from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, you should use ride-sharing apps comparable to Uber or Careem, or attempt these driver choices:
- Private driver from Dubai to Abu Dhabi – your best option in case you’re after a dependable driver service one method to Abu Dhabi (NB that is only a point-to-point driver, they gained’t take you round all of the vacationer websites)
- Get Transfer – is a good app to plan your day by day driver wants, you possibly can ask drivers to “bid” in your journey value and select the motive force that matches your wants greatest by way of automobile, pricing and availability
- Welcome Pickups – a very good website for sourcing dependable, English-speaking driver companies to and from Dubai
Staying in a single day in Abu Dhabi – Hotel Recommendations
If time will allow, an in a single day keep in Abu Dhabi is crucial to suit every thing we’ve talked about right here – a day tour to Abu Dhabi will barely scratch the floor
- If you might be visiting the theme parks on Yas Island, then the Yas Plaza Hotels needs to be your prime decide – there are a number of to select from; our favorite for probably the most distinctive expertise is staying within the W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island which straddles the Yas Marina GP race observe.
- Alternatively, attempt two newly opened motels – The WB Abu Dhabi (Warner Bros. themed lodge) is completely situated for accessing WB World and Yas Waterworld, while the Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island is the best choice for the taking place new space of Yas Bay if you wish to be surrounded by eating places and nightlife.
- If you’d like to combine in some resort sunshine together with your keep, Saadiyat Island, adjoining to the place you can see the Louvre Abu Dhabi is our prime decide. Here there’s a string of 5 luxurious resorts to select from. They don’t come low cost however are merely beautiful (and perhaps just some dirhams cheaper than their Dubai counterparts – price checking!)
More Frequently requested questions Abu Dhabi excursions from Dubai
The cooler months of winter from round November to April are the perfect time to go to Abu Dhabi and the UAE for probably the most comfy expertise and nice climate.
We’re by no means going to disclaim the UAE in the summertime months is HOT!!
That mentioned, not unattainable to go to. Prices are cheaper and crowds are low. An Abu Dhabi tour will largely see you in air-conditioned consolation. The Grand Mosque will contain a good bit of strolling outdoors however stops on the Louvre and Qasr Al Watan for instance will see you largely indoors.
Take loads of water with you and one thing to guard your head out within the solar.
Whilst at current, the border crossing checkpoint that was in place throughout COVID has been eliminated, you will have a “Green Alhosn” for coming into any public buildings and parks in Abu Dhabi. Alternatively, for vacationers, a replica of vaccine proof (2 doses plus booster) with a damaging PCR check consequence, or for unvaccinated a damaging PCR consequence inside 48 hours can be utilized in lieu of the federal government Alhosn App.
Learn extra in regards to the present entry guidelines to Abu Dhabi on the Visit Abu Dhabi web site.
Before you go… More necessary issues it is best to know when planning a visit to Dubai
Take me again to Dubai’s prime vacationer sights
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