The UAE Complete: 7 Days 4-Star Full Board — Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain & Sharjah

Tour Overview

Itinerary Highlights

Day 1: Arrival in Dubai

Arrive at Dubai International Airport. Your guide greets you for transfer to a 4-star hotel. After check-in, enjoy a welcome dinner and orientation briefing. Learn about the UAE’s extraordinary transformation: in 1971, seven Trucial States united to form the United Arab Emirates under the visionary leadership of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Today, the UAE is a federation of seven emirates — Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah — each with its own ruler and unique character, governed as a constitutional monarchy. Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Dubai. (Dinner included)

Day 2: Dubai — City of Superlatives

Full day exploring Dubai’s icons. Morning: ascend the Burj Khalifa (Level 124 — At The Top) for panoramic views from 452 meters. Visit The Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping destination by total area, home to the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. Walk through the Souk Al Bahar, an Arabesque shopping and dining destination with views of the Burj Khalifa across the lake. Afternoon: explore Old Dubai — cross Dubai Creek by abra, visit the Gold Souk and Spice Souk, and walk through Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood with its wind-tower architecture and art galleries. Visit the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding for an authentic Emirati cultural experience. Evening: the Dubai Fountain show and dinner at a restaurant in Downtown Dubai. Overnight in Dubai. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included)

Day 3: Desert Safari & Evening Dhow Cruise

Morning at leisure: enjoy the hotel pool or explore independently. Afternoon desert safari to the Lahbab Desert — experience dune bashing in a 4×4, camel riding, sandboarding, and henna painting at a traditional desert camp. As the sun sets, enjoy a gourmet BBQ dinner with live entertainment: belly dance, Tanoura show, and fire performance under the starry desert sky. Return to the hotel late evening. Overnight in Dubai. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included)

Day 4: Sharjah — Islamic Civilization & Cultural Capital

Morning drive to Sharjah (approximately 30 minutes), the third-largest emirate and UNESCO’s Cultural Capital of the Arab World (1998). Visit the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization — an extraordinary museum housed in a beautifully converted souk building on the waterfront. The museum’s collection spans 1,400 years of Islamic history, featuring over 5,000 artifacts including rare manuscripts, ceramics, metalwork, scientific instruments, textiles, and a stunning display of Islamic coinage dating to the 7th century. The central dome features an intricate mosaic depicting the zodiac constellations as described by Arab astronomers. Continue to Sharjah’s Heart of Sharjah heritage area: visit Al Hisn Fort (Sharjah Fort), built in 1820 as the ruling family’s residence, and the Souk Al Arsah — one of the UAE’s oldest marketplaces, where traders have bartered for over 500 years in covered lanes cooled by wind towers. Return to Dubai for the evening. Overnight in Dubai. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included)

Day 5: Abu Dhabi — Grand Mosque & Capital City

Full-day excursion to Abu Dhabi (90-minute drive). First stop: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque — one of the world’s most spectacular religious buildings, constructed over 11 years using 100,000 tons of pure white Macedonian marble. The mosque features 82 domes, 1,096 exterior columns, 96 semi-precious stone-encrusted interior columns, seven 24-karat gold-plated Swarovski crystal chandeliers, and the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet crafted by 1,200 Iranian artisans. Drive along the Corniche with its 8km of manicured waterfront. Visit Heritage Village, a reconstruction of pre-oil Emirati life demonstrating traditional crafts and a small museum. Then visit Qasr Al Watan, the breathtaking presidential palace opened in 2019 — its Great Hall, one of the world’s most impressive architectural spaces, features a central dome 37 meters in diameter and walls inlaid with intricate Arabesque patterns. Photo stop at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, the ultra-luxury hotel famous for its gold leaf cappuccinos. Return to Dubai for dinner. Overnight in Dubai. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included)

Day 6: Al Ain — The Garden City & Fujairah East Coast

A special day exploring two emirates. Morning drive to Al Ain (approximately 1.5 hours from Dubai), the “Garden City” of the UAE and birthplace of the nation’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed. Visit Al Jahili Fort, one of the UAE’s most historic buildings built in 1891 to defend the city and protect precious palm groves. The fort houses a permanent exhibition dedicated to British explorer Sir Wilfred Thesiger, who crossed the Empty Quarter (Rub’ al Khali) in the 1940s with Bedouin companions. Visit the Al Ain Camel Market — the last remaining traditional camel market in the UAE where Bedouin traders buy and sell camels of all ages and breeds, a living link to the region’s nomadic heritage. Continue east through the Hajar Mountains to Fujairah, the only emirate situated entirely on the Gulf of Oman (east coast) rather than the Arabian Gulf. Visit the 17th-century Fujairah Fort, one of the oldest and largest castles in the UAE, and the Al Bidya Mosque — the oldest mosque in the UAE, dating to 1446 AD, built from mud and stone. Enjoy the coastal scenery before returning to Dubai for a farewell dinner. Overnight in Dubai. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included)

Day 7: Departure

After breakfast, transfer to Dubai International Airport for your departure flight. After exploring five of the seven emirates — from Dubai’s futuristic skyline to Al Ain’s ancient oases, from Sharjah’s museums to Fujairah’s coastal mountains — you depart with a deep appreciation of the UAE’s extraordinary diversity, heritage, and vision. (Breakfast included)

What’s Included

• 6 nights 4-star hotel accommodation (Dubai)
• Full board: daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner (6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners)
• Dubai International Airport round-trip transfers
• Burj Khalifa 124th floor entry ticket
• The Dubai Mall, Dubai Aquarium, and Dubai Fountain show
• Old Dubai tour: abra ride, Gold Souk, Spice Souk, Al Fahidi, Sheikh Mohammed Centre
• Desert safari: dune bashing, camel ride, sandboarding, BBQ dinner, live entertainment
• Sharjah day trip: Museum of Islamic Civilization, Al Hisn Fort, Souk Al Arsah
• Abu Dhabi day trip: Grand Mosque, Heritage Village, Qasr Al Watan, Emirates Palace
• Al Ain day trip: Jahili Fort, Camel Market
• Fujairah visit: Fujairah Fort, Al Bidya Mosque
• Professional English-speaking guide throughout
• All transportation in air-conditioned vehicle

What’s Not Included

• International flights
• Travel insurance
• UAE tourist visa (if required)
• Personal expenses, tips, laundry, telephone calls
• Beverages with meals
• Optional activities not specified
• Anything not mentioned in inclusions