After pickup from your Dubai hotel, set off by air-conditioned minivan. During your tour, enjoy complimentary mineral water and a break for lunch (own expense).
Explore Dubai’s old Al Bastakiya and Fahidi quarters, admiring the wind tower houses occupied by Persian merchants in the 1890s. See the Souk Al Khabeer and Gold and Spice souks, and enjoy a panoramic drive around new Dubai, admiring landmarks including the Burj Al Arab, Palm, and Burj Khalifa.
Then, head to Sharjah, the UAE’s cultural hub. Admire the park-filled city, stopping for photos of the King Faisal Mosque, Blue Souk, and Pearl Monument, among other landmarks.
Continue to neighboring Ajman, the smallest emirate, viewing its white-sand beaches before driving to the least-populated emirate of Umm al Quwain. This quiet enclave is the antithesis of Dubai, and has evolved around an island-speckled lagoon. Discover its traditional Bedouin character, and then travel to Ras Al Khaimah, the northernmost emirate, set beneath the rocky Hajar Mountains.
Absorb the scenery as you learn about Ras’ culture and commerce, and then cross the desert to Fujairah on the east coast. Admire the glorious coastline, and visit the UAE’s oldest mosque, Al Badiyah. Pass the old port of Khor Fakkan south of the Straits of Hormuz, through which tankers carrying 50% of the world’s crude oil pass on route to Asia, and visit Fujairah Museum and the Friday Market before traveling through desert to Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital.
Take photos of spectacular Ferrari World on Yas Island, and visit Abu Dhabi’s showpiece: the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. Tour this modern Islamic masterpiece, explore the reconstructed Bedouin displays at the Heritage Village, and enjoy photo-stops at the lavish Emirates Palace and other highlights before your tour concludes at your Dubai hotel.
