The complete itinerary
Complete United Arab Emirates itinerary: 44 days, hotels and bookings
44 days sequenced Morning / Afternoon / Evening / Hotel.
44 days €69
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United Arab Emirates itineraries, day by day
Seven emirates that raised the superlatives of the modern world out of the desert: the Burj Khalifa and its 828 m, the artificial archipelagos of Dubai, the immaculate Sheikh Zayed mosque and the Louvre in Abu Dhabi. But the Emirates are also the gold and spice souks of old Dubai, the oases of Al Ain, the red dunes of Liwa and the Hajar mountains. A concentrate of excess and tradition, seven hours from Paris.
- Capital
- Abu Dhabi
- Currency
- Dirham (AED)
- Language
- Arabic, English widely spoken
- Direct flight
- ≈ 7 hr from Paris
- Time difference
- +3 hr in winter, +2 hr in summer
Itineraries
Our trip ideas in the United Arab Emirates
Or take it one module at a time
Module
United Arab Emirates in 16 days: the Northern Emirates, the East Coast and Al Ain, day by day
Sixteen days away from the towers: the museums of Sharjah, the forts of Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Jebel Jais, Hatta lake, the oldest mosque in the country, Khor Fakkan and the Al Ain oasis.
16 days €39
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Module
United Arab Emirates in 28 days: Abu Dhabi and Dubai, day by day
Twenty-eight days between museums and parks: the Louvre and the grand mosque, the four Yas Island parks, the Burj Khalifa, Al Fahidi and the creek, the desert by buggy and 4x4, Legoland, Motiongate, Atlantis, the Marina and Madinat Jumeirah.
28 days €39
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The right season
When to go in the United Arab Emirates?
From November to March, the Emirates live their gentle season: 25 °C, permanent blue skies, pleasant evenings in the desert. From May, the furnace sets in, 40 to 48 °C until September: life then retreats into the air-conditioned malls and the hotels slash their prices. April and October make the transition, hot but workable.
- January : Ideal
- February : Ideal
- March : Ideal
- April : Pleasant
- May : In-between
- June : Avoid
- July : Avoid
- August : Avoid
- September : Avoid
- October : Pleasant
- November : Ideal
- December : Ideal
- Ideal
- Pleasant
- In-between
- Avoid
Quick guide
Understanding the United Arab Emirates
Getting around
Dubai's driverless metro covers the essentials, backed up by cheap taxis. A rental car is a must for Abu Dhabi, the oases and the desert: impeccable motorways and cheap fuel.
Money
The dirham (AED). A card pays for everything, everywhere, down to the smallest coffee. Prices vary threefold between the souk and the malls. Tip appreciated, around 10%.
Language
Arabic is the official language, but English is the language of the street in a country where 85% of the population is expatriate. No barrier for the traveller.
Useful apps
Careem or Uber for rides, the Nol card for Dubai's metro, The Entertainer to halve the bills, and Visit Abu Dhabi to book the mosque and museums.
Accommodation
From 5-star hotels at slashed summer prices to luxury camps in the dunes of Liwa. The mid-range is excellent: aiming for Deira or Al Barsha cuts the bill in Dubai.
Etiquette
Covering clothing in the mosques (an abaya is lent on site) and sober dress in the malls. Public displays of affection remain frowned upon, and neither people nor official buildings are photographed without permission.
Must-sees
The iconic places
-
Burj Khalifa
Dubai
828 m, the tallest tower in the world. Go up at sunset and stay for the fountain ballet of the Dubai Mall at its feet.
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Sheikh Zayed Mosque
Abu Dhabi
82 domes of white marble, the largest hand-woven carpet in the world and crystal chandeliers. Dazzling at golden hour.
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Louvre Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Under Jean Nouvel's mashrabiya dome, a rain of light falls on the masterpieces. The finest museum in the Gulf.
-
Old Dubai
Deira
Crossing the creek in a wooden abra, the gold souk, the spice souk and the historic Al Fahidi district: the Dubai from before the towers.
-
Liwa Desert
Al Dhafra
At the gates of the Empty Quarter, 300 m dunes among the highest in the world. At night in camp, the silence is total.
-
Jebel Jais
Ras al-Khaimah
The summit of the Emirates (1,934 m), its switchback road and the longest zipline in the world, at 150 km/h over the void.
Pick a point on the map, or browse the list below.
Also on the map
- Palm Jumeirah : The artificial palm archipelago
- Al Ain Oasis : Palm groves and thousand-year-old falaj, UNESCO