Explore this desert city’s cultural heritage and traditional food with a private guide
Away from the bright lights and soaring skyscrapers, the labyrinthine alleyways and overspilling souqs of Old Dubai offer an immersive insight into the city’s historical role as a desert trading hub. The traditions and values woven together here once connected maritime and desert merchants from India to East Africa. Today, they form the cultural heart of this modern city.
This privately guided, four-hour walking tour begins in Dubai Creek. Here, you’ll explore the historic trading networks of the Gulf at Al Shindagha Museum and learn about the traditional role of fragrance in Arabic culture at the Perfume House. This will be followed by your first gastronomic foray — a tasting experience in the courtyard of an old city residence.
Boarding a wooden abra (water taxi), you then cross the creek to the souqs of Bur Dubai, where you’ll be enveloped in the sensorial feast of the markets as you wander myriad gold, spice, fabric, and perfume stalls. You’ll learn about the cultural significance of adornment at the Gold Souq and explore the rich history of Afghan fabrics among the ornate wooden arcades. There’s also the opportunity to taste Dubai’s mingling cultural influences as you sample samosas and Arab coffee along the way.
Your tour culminates with a journey through the city’s interwoven spiritual persuasions. The route takes you past the Shiva and Krishna Hindu Temples, the bedecked shops that create the deities’ flowered garlands, and the distinctive landmark of the Grand Bur Dubai Masjid mosque.
Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our UAE specialists
These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.
A day in the Arabian Desert
Experience the vast Arabian Desert with a trip curated to your interests. You could choose a wildlife safari in a vintage 4x4, high-speed dune bashing, sandboarding, or heritage adventures such as camel trekking and archery, all culminating in a starlit feast.
Traditional dhow cruise around Oman’s Musandam Peninsula
After a scenic drive north to Oman, you’ll board a traditional wooden dhow and cruise the fjords and islands of the Musandam Peninsula, where the mountainous coastline meets the crystalline waters of the Arabian Sea.
