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Abu Dhabi Private City Tour

5.0 82 reviews on TripAdvisor Recommended by 100% of travelers

Nine capital stops in a private car: two hours inside the Grand Mosque, the royal Corniche, and Ferrari World on the menu.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque courtyard at dawn Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque from above Etihad Towers and Emirates Palace fountains Guest at Qasr Al Watan presidential palace Ferrari World on Yas Island from above 105 photos

About

The capital runs at its own pace, and this day matches it: two unhurried hours inside Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque before the coach wave, then the Corniche, the heritage village, the palace quarter and Saadiyat's Louvre, with Ferrari World waiting on Yas Island for groups that run on horsepower instead of art.

One flat AED 735 covers the vehicle, driver and guiding for up to six guests, picked up from a Dubai or Abu Dhabi hotel, either airport, or the cruise terminal at Port Rashid. Heritage Village and the Dates Market entries are included; the palace, Louvre and Ferrari World tickets are optional add-ons at checkout.

  • Ages0โ€“120
  • Durationabout 9 hours
  • Start time08:00 ยท flexible
  • TicketMobile ticket
  • Live guideEnglish
  • Audio & written guideEnglish

What's included

  • Pickup and drop-off: Dubai or Abu Dhabi hotel, airport or Port Rashid
  • Private air-conditioned vehicle, your group only (up to 6)
  • Professional driver with English audio guide
  • Bottled water throughout
  • Emirates Heritage Village entry
  • Abu Dhabi Dates Market entry

Not included

  • Food and drinks beyond bottled water
  • Qasr Al Watan entry (checkout add-on)
  • Louvre Abu Dhabi entry (checkout add-on)
  • Ferrari World entry (checkout add-on)
  • Mosque-appropriate dress, not provided: shoulders and knees covered, headscarf for women

What to expect

  1. You'll get picked up

    08:00 ยท hotel, airport or Port Rashid

    From any Dubai or Abu Dhabi hotel, either airport, or the cruise terminal. Dubai pickups ride the E11 south for about ninety minutes; the guide covers mosque etiquette on the way.

  2. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

    Stop: 2 hours ยท Admission included

    82 white domes, columns inlaid with mother-of-pearl, the world's largest hand-knotted carpet. Two full hours because one is never enough. Modest dress required and not provided, so come covered.

    Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque courtyard at dawn
  3. Corniche Beach

    Stop: 30 minutes ยท Admission included

    The capital's blue-flag waterfront with the skyline curving behind it. Shoes off is allowed and encouraged.

  4. Emirates Heritage Village

    Stop: 30 minutes ยท Admission included

    A reconstructed oasis settlement, entry included: barasti huts, a falaj channel and craftsmen at work, facing the modern towers across the water.

    Emirates Heritage Village entrance gate
  5. Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental

    Stop: 30 minutes ยท Admission included

    Photo stop at the most palatial hotel in the federation; the guide knows the angle that gets the full dome run.

    Etihad Towers seen from the Emirates Palace fountains
  6. Marina Mall

    Stop: 60 minutes

    The lunch window, own expense, with the food court and waterfront restaurants both minutes apart. Regroup caffeinated.

  7. Qasr Al Watan

    Stop: 60 minutes ยท Admission excluded

    The working presidential palace: the Great Hall's 37-metre dome and the House of Knowledge. Entry is a checkout add-on; the gates and gardens are free.

    Guest on the marble forecourt of Qasr Al Watan
  8. Louvre Abu Dhabi

    Stop: 60 minutes ยท Admission excluded

    Jean Nouvel's rain-of-light dome on Saadiyat Island, prehistoric to Rothko in an hour. Entry as a checkout add-on.

  9. Ferrari World, Yas Island

    Stop: 2 hours ยท Admission excluded

    The world's fastest roller coaster under the red roof. Entry is a checkout add-on; groups that ride skip or shorten earlier stops, and the guide re-times the day around it.

    Ferrari World Yas Island from above
  10. Abu Dhabi Dates Market

    Stop: 30 minutes ยท Admission included

    Entry included: pyramid stalls of forty date varieties, samples flowing freely. The khalas boxes make the best gifts in the country.

  11. You'll return to the starting point

    Abu Dhabi ~19:50 ยท Dubai ~21:00

    Abu Dhabi guests are dropped first; Dubai drop-offs land at the hotel around 21:00 after the highway run home.

Meeting and pickup

Pickup from any Dubai or Abu Dhabi hotel, either airport, or the Port Rashid cruise terminal is included in the price. Tell us your pickup point when you book and your driver's name, photo and vehicle details arrive on WhatsApp the evening before.

What to bring

  • Mosque dress, not provided: shoulders and knees covered, women's headscarf for the prayer-hall side
  • Shoes that slip off easily, they come off at the prayer hall
  • Sunglasses: white marble at noon is genuinely bright
  • A light jumper for the highway air-conditioning
  • Passport or ID copy, occasionally checked at the palace

Good to know

  • Nine stops is the full menu and a long day; most groups pick seven and the guide balances the timings
  • The mosque closes to visitors during Friday prayers; on Fridays the route flips to visit it late afternoon
  • Ferrari World replaces the Louvre-and-palace afternoon for most groups that add it; both is possible but brisk
  • Ramadan hours differ across every sight; we re-time the day automatically

Cancellation & date change policy

Date changes are free, subject to availability โ€” just let us know as early as you can. We don't offer free cancellations; full details are in our Cancellation & Date Change Policy.

Questions about this tour

Is the Grand Mosque really free?

Entry is free with an online registration we handle for you. Dress is the only requirement: shoulders and knees covered for everyone and a headscarf for women, and it is not provided at the door, so come prepared.

Can we do both Ferrari World and the Louvre?

Possible but brisk: Ferrari World eats two hours plus Yas transfers. Most groups choose one flagship for the afternoon and keep the mosque, Corniche and heritage stops intact. The guide will tell you honestly what fits.

Can we start from Abu Dhabi instead of Dubai?

Yes, the same tour picks up from Abu Dhabi hotels, the airport or the port at the same price, and you bank the three highway hours for more time at the stops.

Book this tour ยท from $200