Dubai, the desert and Abu Dhabi
The vertical of Downtown, an evening in the Lahbab dunes, then the Grand Mosque and the Louvre in Abu Dhabi.
Dubai is best seen by its contrasts: the Creek and the souks on one side, Downtown and the Burj Khalifa on the other. The two are linked by metro or by abra, and the order hardly matters.
The desert is forty minutes from the centre. A 4x4 outing in the Lahbab dunes, with dinner under canvas, fills an afternoon and an evening.
Abu Dhabi is a day trip from Dubai, an hour and a half by road: the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the morning, the Louvre Abu Dhabi in the afternoon, when the light comes through the dome.
The stops
Length and budget
Length and budget are settled together: this route works over a few days as well as spread across two weeks.
Along the way, in United Arab Emirates
Frequently asked questions
When should you go to Dubai?
November to March. Summer passes 40 °C with high humidity, which makes both the desert and walking around the city hard going.
Is Abu Dhabi worth a night?
Not necessarily: a day covers the Grand Mosque, the Louvre and the Corniche. Staying over mainly saves doing the drive twice.