Best of · UAE HISTORY TOURS

15 UAE History Tours Worth the Day

18 tours  ·  from $10 a head

Good uae history tours fill up weeks ahead and the best ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and where they differ.

Dubai Evening Heritage Safari by Vintage G Class Al Marmoom Oasis - Entering Al Marmoom Conservation Reserve
Dubai History Tours, Evening Experiences, History Tours, Safari, Tour Reviews, UAE History Tours, Workshops

Dubai Evening Heritage Safari by Vintage G Class Al Marmoom Oasis

1.Dubai Evening Heritage Safari by Vintage G Class Al Marmoom Oasis

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,500 reviews · from $189Our pick

Spend about six hours exploring Al Marmoom Conservation Reserve by modern transfer and open-air 1980s Mercedes G Class. Expect a short camel caravan, coffee making, Arabic dress, falcon photos, a six-course Bedouin dinner, campfire stories, and telescope stargazing. Guides may include Imran, Mustafa, Muhammad, or Usman.

“Our guide Muhammad was caring and helpful. Seeing the nature preserve, flora and fauna, was awesome. The bbq dinner was incredible - lamb, chicken, Bedouin salads and so many side dishes.”

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Dubai: Abu Dhabi Grand Mosque, Palace, and Heritage Village - Heritage Village and the old desert way of life
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Dubai: Abu Dhabi Grand Mosque, Palace, and Heritage Village

2.Dubai: Abu Dhabi Grand Mosque, Palace, and Heritage Village

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,265 reviews · 8 hours · from $75

Travel from Dubai to Abu Dhabi in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking driver. Visit Heritage Village, Qasr Al Watan, and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, with time to explore each site independently. Drivers such as Antoun and Abrar Muhammad are often praised for clear explanations and helpful service.

“Wonderful family experience! Abrar Muhammad is an excellent guide kind, knowledgeable, and very welcoming. Highly recommend 100% We all had an amazing time. Thank you for having us this afternoon/evening.”

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Dubai Camel Desert Safari, Traditional Meal & Heritage Activities - Leaving Dubai for the conservation reserve
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Dubai Camel Desert Safari, Traditional Meal & Heritage Activities

3.Dubai Camel Desert Safari, Traditional Meal & Heritage Activities

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 937 reviews · from $193

Ride in a small group by camel through Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve to a torch-lit Bedouin camp. Expect falconry, Arabic coffee, bread making, henna, a four-course Emirati dinner, music, and hotel transport. Guides such as Karim, Bash, and Jovan are known for warm, attentive service.

“The camel caravan was a magical and beautiful experience. I loved every minute. The desert was beautiful. The food and activities , including the information sessions were great too. This tour exceeded all expectations. Thank you so much.”

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Dubai: Heritage Safari in Vintage Land Rover with Dinner - Searching for oryx, gazelles, and desert plants
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Dubai: Heritage Safari in Vintage Land Rover with Dinner

4.Dubai: Heritage Safari in Vintage Land Rover with Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 861 reviews · 7 hours · from $189

Travel from your Dubai hotel to the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, then ride an open-top 1950s Land Rover with a conservation guide. Look for oryx and gazelles, watch falconry at sunset, share a four-course Emirati dinner, try a camel ride, and finish with Yola, drumming, shisha, and stargazing.

“Loved the day. Amazing dinner and star gazing experience. Ryan was kind, thoughtful and very helpful during the day. A+”

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Dubai: Historic City Highlights Day Trip - Palm Jumeirah and the view toward Atlantis
1-Day Tours, Dubai History Tours, History Tours, Tour Reviews, UAE History Tours

Dubai: Historic City Highlights Day Trip

5.Dubai: Historic City Highlights Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 807 reviews · 4 hours · from $23

Explore Dubai by air-conditioned bus or private vehicle, from Palm Jumeirah and Burj Al Arab views to Al Bastakiya, the Creek, and the souks. Your guide leads the history, mosque visit, and abra ride. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, with English and several other languages available.

“Tour guide Mr. Chamil was amazing. Very patient and gave us an exciting and educative tour.. it was money well spent.”

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Dubai: Abu Dhabi Trip with Lunch at Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant - Sheikh Zayed Mosque: begin with Abu Dhabi’s great showpiece
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Dubai: Abu Dhabi Trip with Lunch at Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant

6.Dubai: Abu Dhabi Trip with Lunch at Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 805 reviews · from $127

Travel from Dubai to Abu Dhabi in an air-conditioned vehicle with a licensed guide, visiting Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Etihad Towers, and Qasr Al Watan. Lunch at Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant, admission fees, hotel pickup, bottled water, and women’s mosque attire are included.

“Highly recommend this tour company. We had an amazing experience on our day tour to Abu Dhabi. Our tour guide (Haseeb Khan) was above and beyond!! He was knowledgeable, professional and friendly. Deserving of 5 stars!”

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Dubai: Heritage Safari, Camel Ride & Al Marmoom Oasis Dinner - Hotel pickup and the ride to Al Marmoom
Dining Experiences, Dinner Experiences, Dubai History Tours, History Tours, Safari, Tour Reviews, UAE History Tours

Dubai: Heritage Safari, Camel Ride & Al Marmoom Oasis Dinner

7.Dubai: Heritage Safari, Camel Ride & Al Marmoom Oasis Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 431 reviews · 6 hours · from $189

Spend six hours at Al Marmoom Conservation Reserve with hotel pickup, a vintage Mercedes G-Class safari, camel rides, falconry, Bedouin cooking, a five-course dinner, live entertainment, and telescope stargazing. Guides such as Saeed, Imran, Ali, and Babar are known for friendly service and excellent photos.

“it was very exciting. it show us UAE culture and traditions. food was delicious. Imran our tour guide is wonderful person, with very good sens of humor and very helpful. See you guys next year”

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Abu Dhabi Sightseeing Tour: Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Heritage Village & Dates Market - Palace views from the coach
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Abu Dhabi Sightseeing Tour: Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Heritage Village & Dates Market

8.Abu Dhabi Sightseeing Tour: Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Heritage Village & Dates Market

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 226 reviews · from $48

This four-hour Abu Dhabi tour combines the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, a drive past the Presidential Palace, Heritage Village, the Corniche, Dates Market, and Founder’s Memorial. Hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport, and an English-German guide are included. Guides may include Latheef, Manuella, or Aslam.

“Our guide was wonderful. He even stopped off at a museum and park because we were fascinated by the art. We got to the mosque entry quickly with his help.”

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Dubai: Desert Safari or Hatta Tour with Kayaking - Hatta Dam: kayaking beneath the Hajar Mountains
Canoes & Kayaks, Dubai History Tours, Safari, Tour Reviews, Tours, UAE History Tours

Dubai: Desert Safari or Hatta Tour with Kayaking

9.Dubai: Desert Safari or Hatta Tour with Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★3.4 · 213 reviews · 6 - 7 hours · from $29

Pick one of two six to seven hour Dubai outings: a Lahbab desert safari with dune bashing, camel riding, sandboarding, BBQ dinner, and shows, or a Hatta trip with kayaking, village sights, and mountain views. English-speaking guides such as Rehan, Yasir, and Ali lead small groups of up to six.

“Tour guide was really informative and taught us a lot. The kayaking was a good experience especially when you take into account your in the desert”

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From Abu Dhabi: Grand Mosque, Royal Palace& Heritage Village - Heritage Village: a short introduction to desert life
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From Abu Dhabi: Grand Mosque, Royal Palace& Heritage Village

10.From Abu Dhabi: Grand Mosque, Royal Palace& Heritage Village

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 197 reviews · 5 hours · from $59

You’ll visit Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Watan, Heritage Village, the Corniche, and Emirates Palace with hotel pickup in Abu Dhabi. English-speaking drivers such as Masood, Abrar, Antoun, and Asifur Rahman may add useful commentary, but formal guiding inside the palace is not provided.

“We had a fantastic tourguide,Masood. He knows everything about the views, his tour was very informatic and amazing.”

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Old Dubai Historic Guided Tour: Creek, Street Food & Souks - Starting with coffee, dates, and Emirati family life
Dubai History Tours, Food, Food & Drink, Food & History Tours, Guided, History Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, UAE History Tours

Old Dubai Historic Guided Tour: Creek, Street Food & Souks

11.Old Dubai Historic Guided Tour: Creek, Street Food & Souks

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 156 reviews · 3 - 4 hours · from $10Best value

Spend 3 to 4 hours tracing Old Dubai with a multilingual guide such as Ahmed Hussein, Nasser, or Ibrahim. Taste Arabic coffee, dates, samosas, karak tea, and luquma, then visit Al Fahidi, Al Seef, Dubai Creek, the Spice Souk, and Gold Souk. Hotel pickup is optional.

“We didn't know much of Dubai's history and it was very interesting to hear about it. Maaz, our guide, was excellent in his delivery of the information, speaking clearly and slowly, as our group was made up of a range of nationalities. We were able to ask questions along the way as we walked through the Old Town. The tour finished in the Gold Souq and we made our way back on our own to our starting point, Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant, via the Abra water taxi. The food was amazing and plentiful. Highly recommend this tour.”

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Dubai: Private Old Town, Heritage & Souks Walking Tour - The Arabian Tea House meeting point
History Tours, History Walking Tours, Old Town & Historic Centre Walks, Private History Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, UAE History Tours

Dubai: Private Old Town, Heritage & Souks Walking Tour

12.Dubai: Private Old Town, Heritage & Souks Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 102 reviews · 2 hours · from $98

Walk from the Arabian Tea House through Al Fahidi’s courtyards, heritage houses and narrow lanes, then cross Dubai Creek by abra and browse the spice and gold souks. Your private English or Hindi-speaking guide may be Pri, Ricky, Francesca, Dana or another member of the award-winning team.

“Pri was absolutely amazing from start to finish. Not only was she so knowledgeable about Dubai and the souk area, but she was also so lovely which made for a very enjoyable tour. She even helped us haggle when we got to the souks, helping us get the best price for the goods we wanted. I definitely recommend this tour!”

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Dubai: Heritage Camel Desert Safari with Traditional Dinner - The 45-minute camel caravan
Dining Experiences, Dinner Experiences, Dubai History Tours, History Tours, Local Culture & Traditions Tours, Safari, Tour Reviews, UAE History Tours

Dubai: Heritage Camel Desert Safari with Traditional Dinner

13.Dubai: Heritage Camel Desert Safari with Traditional Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 80 reviews · 7 hours · from $189

Spend seven hours in Dubai’s desert with hotel transfers, a 45-minute camel caravan, sunset falconry, bread making, henna, shisha, and a four-course Emirati dinner. This is a culture-focused safari, not a dune-bashing trip, with guides such as Raj, Byron, Jovin, and Naeem praised for warm hosting.

“The activity was perfect, the organization was amazing, the staff is very friendly. During the camel ride we took the great photos on the sunset.”

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Old Dubai Heritage Tour: Souks, Mosques & more hidden gems! - Jumeirah Mosque: A Quick Introduction to Islamic Architecture
Dubai History Tours, History Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, UAE History Tours

Old Dubai Heritage Tour: Souks, Mosques & more hidden gems!

Dubai: Al Fahidi Historical District Heritage Tour - Starting at SMCCU House 26
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Dubai: Al Fahidi Historical District Heritage Tour

15.Dubai: Al Fahidi Historical District Heritage Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 40 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $31

An English-speaking guide leads you through Al Fahidi’s windtower houses, into the Ruler’s Court Mosque, and back to SMCCU for Arabic coffee, dates, and an honest cultural Q&A. The 1.5-hour visit is wheelchair accessible and includes borrowed attire for the mosque.

“Good learning experience on appreciating and understanding the culture in UAE”

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