Program II - “A Tale Of Two Cities”

Program II - “A Tale Of Two Cities” - 04 nts / 05 days

Program II - “A Tale Of Two Cities” - 04 nts / 05 days

Day 1

Arrival in Dubai

Upon arrival at the Dubai International airport, guests proceed directly to Immigration counter to clear the formalities, customs and they will be met and greeted by our representative just outside the airport.

Transfer by Pvt. Vehicle or Coach with Guide to selected hotel. Dedicated check-in area will be arranged for groups.

Arabian Connection project manager will accompany the group to the hotel and assist in check in.

Overnight stay at selected hotel

Day 2

Breakfast at the hotel

Proceed for a Heritage Tour of Old Dubai – “Memories Of The Past”

Tour Duration is about 4 hours in Total – Seat in a coach basis OR exclusive coach basis for groups with English or Language speaking Guides as required.

Dubai, a city where the perfect blend of tradition meets modern, a city steeped in centuries old culture, yet having all the glitz and glamour of any big city in the world.

Explore the amazing Al Fahidi Area which will soon be a treasure trove of no less than 55 museums showcasing the history and culture of the land – including the Al Fahidi Fort & Museum. Crossing the creek in the little water taxis the ‘abra’ brings us to the Deira side where we roam the narrow by lanes off the Spice & Gold Souq. Time for some retail therapy perhaps? We would continue the tour visiting the Shindagah Area where one can visit the House and the birth place of Sheikh Rashid and the Heritage village -- reminiscent of the days gone by.

Lunch Options:

Budget Option – SMCCU Lunch with Cultural session (recommended for both FITs & Groups)

Medium Option – Business Lunch at Lakeview Restaurant

Premium Option – Al Dawaar Dubai’s only revolving rooftop restaurant at Hyatt Regency Hotel

Post lunch we continue our journey to experience why Dubai has evolved into an ultra-modern metropolis. This tour of Dubai exposes you to the heartbeat of Modern Arabia.

The tour showcases ‘New Dubai’ with its magnificent landmarks like the Burj Al Arab and Burj Khalifa (with an Optional visit to the Level 124 viewing deck At The Top). Drive past ‘The Palm’ and along the famed Atlantic Hotel for a memorable photo stop. As an option take a monorail ride one-way for a better view of the Palm Island.

The tour shall also take you past sprawling palaces owned by Sheikhs and the Zabeel Palace, where His Royal Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (The President and Ruler of Dubai) resides.

1700hrs drop off back at the hotel

Note: The sequence of this tour may change depending on the location of the guests’ hotel or on traffic conditions on the day of the tour

Note: On Fridays, the New Dubai tur will be in the morning and Old Dubai in the afternoon as it’s the weekly holiday here and some places of cultural interest / souqs open only in the afternoon.

Evening - Dhow Dinner Cruise

Pick up from your hotel for the Dhow Dinner Cruise

Boarding time: 1930hrs

Departure Time: approximately 2000hrs

Duration: approximately 2 hours

Enjoy an International Buffet dinner while cruising gently down the historic Dubai creek. Your cruise aboard one of these traditional wooden boats offers an intriguingly different view of this amazing city, a portrait of the true character of Dubai Creek, the intertwining of traditional and modern. You will see old wooden dhows and luxury yachts, splendid examples of modern architecture like the National Bank of Dubai and the spectacular Chamber of Commerce and Industry Building, as well as the Shindaga area all brilliantly lit up at night throwing a totally different perspective and an ambience worth seeing. Today the latest development along the Bur Dubai side is the Al Seef project where modern contemporary architecture is juxtaposed with the traditional wind tower ‘barjeel’ structures all recently built and created with a string of cafes and restaurants as well as 2 boutique hotels.

Return to the hotel for overnight stay.

Note: Cruise timings vary as per different suppliers.

Day 3:

Breakfast at the hotel

Morning at leisure to enjoy the hotel and its amenities.

1200hrs. – Check-out from the hotel and proceed for Abu Dhabi.

1330-1400hrs. – Arrive in Abu Dhabi and proceed for buffet lunch at one of the local Emirati restaurants OR hotel where the guest will be staying. After lunch – check-in at selected hotel and rest of the evening at leisure to enjoy the hotel facilities.

Dinner – own arrangements OR if group can arrange at a nice dining venue/location depending on the group size.

Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 4:

Breakfast at the hotel.

0900-0930hrs. - This morning we shall proceed to explore this wonderful city starting with a visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (a must see on any itinerary).

Note: Being a place of religious interest there is a very strict dress code to be followed for visiting the mosque which all tourists must adhere to.

Women should have scarves covering their hair, a long dress and long sleeve top, not low in neckline, transparent or clingy, or wear a shaila and abaya which will cover you fully.
Men should not wear shorts at all. Long pants and shirts are fine.
Never enter a mosque in shoes. You can remove these and leave them in a safe place if provided, if not put in a tie bag and keep at your side.

We then continue our tour driving past the Palaces to reach the Corniche Area for a photo stop at the fabulous one of the world’s most luxurious Emirates Palace Hotel. After this one can opt for a visit to the Observation Deck at 300 located at the 74th. level of the Jumeirah Etihad Towers to get a bird’s eye view of the city skyline, the sea and the stunning Palaces below – the Emirates Palace and the new Palace complex of the Royal Family. This is also an ideal place to stop for some refreshments as the entrance ticket value permits a credit on F&B as well.

Proceeding further down the Corniche we arrive at the Date market for an interesting look at the amazing varieties available from the Gulf region.

Lunch own arrangements OR at a restaurant if groups depending on the size.

Post lunch we can offer 2 exciting choices to your guests:

Option 1) – Afternoon Desert safari and BBQ evening:

1500-1530hrs: Leave for Desert Safari in 4x4 Land Cruisers (max. 6 pax per Land Cruiser – sharing basis). After approximately a 60-75 minutes’ drive away from the city, we reach the edge of the desert where tyres are deflated to the correct pressure required for driving on the dunes. We then start the roller-coaster ride over the dunes popularly known as ‘dune bashing’ with photo stops along the way until we reach a high point to enjoy the glorious desert sunset from a high vantage point.

All drivers well experienced & informative about the desert and friendly to interact with the guests (English speaking). The ever-changing patterns of the beautiful sand dunes would last unforgettable impressions on your guests’ minds. All jeeps are insured, equipped with first aid kit, throughout the trip and water is available as well.

Dinner in the desert: As the sun goes down we then proceed to the campsite or a purpose-built overnight complex in the middle of the desert. The campsite tents or other venues as well are lit with lamps, furnished with low tables and Arabic cushions for seating with bonfire in the center gives the campsite a rustic aura.

Entertainment for the Bedouin night at the Camp:

Arabic background music
Belly dancer – Build excitement, competition with her belly dancing.
Hubbly Bubbly (water pipes) – smoke water pipes with flavored tobacco
The Arabic Coffee – Arabic man serviinner/coffee
Camel Ride at the camp
Henna Lady – To color your hands with unique designs
Arabic Costumes available for photo sessions
A sand artist also available on site for making different patterns with sand in various sized bottles and can also write the names or a message for you and your loved ones! This of course would be at an additional cost.

Approx. at 2030hrs after a wonderful night in the desert the Bedouin night will come to a close. Guests will be transferred back to the Hotel in 4wds Jeeps.

Note: We do not recommend this safari for pregnant ladies, people with ailing back problems and heart conditions due to the strenuous effect of the safari, We would recommend comfortable walking shoes (sport shoes) Jeans, sun glasses and light sweater (in the winter time).

Note: As mentioned in the tour descriptions, Campsites can be of different types from ordinary touristic ones to more high-end venues which are part of a unique complex of 3 types of traditional accommodation inside a Fortress built for even overnight stays as well. The standards vary greatly, as well as quality of food, entertainment and so on – so do the costs. We can therefore recommend the right choices based on your clients’ profile and budgets.

Return to the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 5

Breakfast at the hotel

After the breakfast check out of the hotel and proceed to the airport OR leave luggage inn storage to be collected later, on way to the airport depending on the flight departure time.

Check out time is 1200hrs

It is advisable you should arrive to the airport at least 2 hours before your departure flight time or even 03 hrs. prior if groups.

Check in at the airport and enjoy last minute shopping at the world-renowned Dubai Duty free.

Important: Depending on which airline the guests choose to fly on, this program can also start with Abu Dhabi and end in Dubai OR with all European carriers also offers the flexibility of flying into one city and flying back out from another!

WE CAN ALSO OFFER A COMBINATION OF DUBAI WITH AN ‘ALL-INCLUSIVE’ STAY PACKAGE IN A LEADING 5* HOTEL IN RAS-AL-KHAIMAH. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND INFORMATION.