Five days is the length most first trips from India take, and it is enough: the Burj Khalifa and the fountains, old Dubai on the creek, a desert safari, and a day on the coast at the Palm and the Marina. This itinerary is the one our 5 Days Dubai City Desert Getaway runs, with the timings, the tickets to pre-book, what each day costs beyond the package, and the swaps for families and couples. It is written for a morning arrival from Hyderabad, Bengaluru or Chennai; the evening-arrival version is at the end.
Day 1: arrive, Dubai Mall and the fountain
- Morning: land at Dubai International, private transfer to the hotel (15 minutes to Deira, 25 to Downtown). Rooms are usually ready by 2 pm; leave the bags and go.
- Afternoon: the Dubai Frame on the way in if you landed early (AED 50, about ₹1,300, the best cheap view in the city), then rest.
- Evening: the Dubai Mall from 5 pm: the aquarium wall is free to look at from the concourse, the Souk al Bahar side has the best fountain view. The Dubai Fountain plays every 30 minutes from 6 pm to 11 pm; stand on the bridge to Souk al Bahar for the first show, then eat on the terrace for the next.
- Cost beyond the package: dinner ₹1,000 to ₹2,500 a head; the Frame if you go.
Day 2: Burj Khalifa, the Museum of the Future, the Marina
- Morning: Burj Khalifa, At the Top, in the 9 to 10 am slot when the haze is thinnest (AED 169 to 240; the package includes the non-sunset ticket). Allow 90 minutes.
- Midday: lunch in the mall, then the Museum of the Future at 2 pm (AED 149 to 159, about ₹4,000; book two weeks ahead, it sells out). Two hours.
- Evening: the Marina walk from 6 pm, the yachts and towers lit, dinner at Pier 7 or on the JBR beach strip. A 60-minute Marina dhow cruise with dinner is the couples' version (about AED 150 to 250).
- Cost beyond the package: the Museum ₹4,000; dinner ₹1,500 to ₹3,000.
Day 3: old Dubai and the desert safari
- Morning: the Al Fahidi quarter's wind-tower lanes and the Dubai Museum area at 9 am before the heat, then the abra across the creek (AED 1) to the spice souk and the gold souk in Deira. Bargain to 60 percent of the first price for anything that is not gold; gold is priced by weight and the day's rate.
- Midday: lunch in Deira or Karama, AED 15 to 30 a head, the best Indian food in the city.
- 3 pm: pick-up for the desert safari (included in the package): 45 minutes out to the dunes, dune driving in a 4x4 for 30 minutes, sunset from the ridge, camel ride, sandboarding, then the camp for henna, the falconry display, a barbecue dinner with vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, and the fire and belly-dance shows. Back at the hotel by 10 pm.
- Cost beyond the package: lunch and souk buys. A quad bike at the camp is AED 100 to 150 extra.
Day 4: Jumeirah, the Palm and Ain Dubai
- Morning: Jumeirah public beach for the Burj Al Arab view, or Kite Beach for the better swim; both free. In summer, swap for the Mall of the Emirates and Ski Dubai.
- Midday: the Palm Jumeirah: the monorail from the Gateway station to Atlantis (AED 25 to 30 return) for the view down the fronds, the Pointe for lunch with the Atlantis facade across the water.
- Afternoon: a family does Aquaventure here (about AED 320, the full day, and Day 4 becomes the Palm day). A couple does the Lost Chambers aquarium or the Palm beach.
- Evening: Bluewaters island and Ain Dubai, the observation wheel, lit after dark; JBR beach walk for dinner.
- Cost beyond the package: monorail ₹800; Aquaventure ₹8,300 if chosen; dinner.
Day 5: shopping and departure
- Morning: Global Village (October to April, AED 25 to 30) for the India, Pakistan and Egypt pavilions and the cheapest souvenirs in the city, or the Mall of the Emirates. Dates from Bateel, chocolate from the Dubai Mall's Candylicious or the airport, spices and saffron from the souk are the buys that survive the trip home.
- Afternoon: check-out (most hotels 12 noon; the package holds the bags), private transfer to the airport three hours before an international flight.
The evening-arrival version
Most IndiGo and Emirates flights from Hyderabad land either around 8 am or after 9 pm. On an evening arrival, Day 1 is the transfer and sleep, and the fountain moves to Day 2 evening after the Marina, which works because the Marina is on the metro line back. Day 5 then has a free morning before the shopping.
Where to stay for this plan
- Saving: Deira or Bur Dubai, three-star, ₹4,000 to ₹6,000 a night, on the metro and next to the souks. What the ₹35,500 package uses.
- Comfortable: Downtown or Business Bay, four-star, ₹8,000 to ₹14,000, walking distance from the Dubai Mall. The 5 Days Dubai Family Getaway at ₹45,000.
- Couples: the 5 Days Dubai Old Town Desert Escape at ₹57,499 with the upgraded stays and private evenings.
Five things to book before you fly
- The Burj Khalifa slot, especially for sunset.
- The Museum of the Future, two weeks ahead.
- Aquaventure, if the children are coming.
- The visa, at least a week before departure; see the visa guide.
- A dirham forex card; Indian credit cards add 3 to 4 percent on every swipe.
What five days costs
With the ₹35,500 land package, a return flight at ₹24,000, the visa at ₹8,000 and about ₹25,000 for the meals, tickets and shopping above, the trip is a little under ₹1 lakh per person on twin sharing. The line-by-line version is in Dubai trip cost from India. Six days adds a full day for Abu Dhabi or Aquaventure; seven adds a night in Abu Dhabi, written up in the 7 day Dubai and Abu Dhabi itinerary. All the plans are on the Dubai tour packages page.
