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Solely bought 48 hours in Dubai? Right here’s how you can squeeze in the perfect Dubai has to supply with an in depth 2-day Dubai itinerary
Dubai, a metropolis of gorgeous contrasts, the place historical traditions mix seamlessly with futuristic marvels, affords an unforgettable expertise for each traveller. However what if you happen to solely have 48 hours to discover this vibrant metropolis?
Concern not! Our rigorously curated 2-day Dubai itinerary ensures you’ll benefit from each second, capturing the essence of this dazzling metropolis. Whether or not you’re a tradition fanatic, a thrill-seeker, or a luxurious lover, this information will aid you navigate via Dubai’s high sights, hidden gems, and culinary delights.
Get able to embark on an exhilarating journey via a metropolis that guarantees to enchant and encourage, all inside simply two days!
Your flight instances might imply following a precise two days as we’ve set out is tough, so in fact, combine and match advised mornings and evenings to greatest fit your timings and pursuits
It is a tremendous detailed information, so do bookmark this web page for later in your browser or reserve it to Pinterest
Received Longer? You may additionally wish to take a look at these itineraries
Issues to Know Earlier than Visiting Dubai
Earlier than diving into the juicy particulars of WHAT TO DO, make sure you’ve checked out our important planning data. We cowl in a lot better element:
- Dubai eating guides – all our favorite locations to eat, eating specialities, bars and particular events.
- Finest instances to go to Dubai – don’t be caught out by the climate or non secular occasions; listed below are the best instances to go to Dubai.
- Take out journey insurance coverage! We’re in an ever-changing world at current, while Dubai stays open for enterprise, don’t get caught quick; make sure that your journey is comprehensively insured.
Transport in Dubai for two days
Over the course of utilizing our 2-day itinerary, you will have to take a mix of taxies, the Metro and personal excursions.
We’ve given fundamental instructions on how you can get to every place by public transport if doable, or the place it’s possible you’ll want a taxi to get door-to-door with ease. You could find our full information to Dubai Transport choices right here.
Metro Value: In case you keep in Dubai for less than 2 days, it is strongly recommended to get a Pink Nol and high it up solely as you want it (The cardboard prices simply 2AED + add your fare) We clarify all of the fares and various kinds of Nol in additional element right here.
A observe on taxies: Within the hottest a part of the 12 months (i.e. about Might to October!), be cautious of how far you may stroll throughout the day. Locations might look comparatively shut and inside strolling distance on a map, however beneath the warmth of the solar, a brief taxi/Uber might very a lot be value it (noting a minimal fare applies of 12 AED).
Hiring a automobile: Until you’re a super-confident driver or plan on taking a number of journeys out of town, you might be greatest counting on taxis and excursions throughout a brief keep in Dubai.
What can I match into two days in Dubai?
With solely 48 hours in Dubai, there are undoubtedly some highlights you’ll have to miss out on. We’ve got set out a combined itinerary right here that may attraction to a broad viewers; these with children to think about might wish to prioritise the theme parks extra, or culturally curious might wish to add on some further day journeys and skip the seashore and trendy components of Dubai.
We’d advocate when you’ve determined in your itinerary, guide prematurely the sights and excursions you need as a way to assure your spot, as numbers could be restricted (and utilizing a reserving app reminiscent of Get Your Information, you get a money-back assure in case your journey must be cancelled).
When planning out your days, observe that Dubai’s weekend has now modified to align with a lot of the Western world and runs for two.5 days from Friday afternoon till Sunday; today are MUCH busier with residents additionally out and about, particularly Friday afternoons after prayer time. Some sights might open afterward a Friday and Saturday evening.
Day 1 – 2 Day Dubai Itinerary: Previous Meets New
Journey from Dubai’s bustling buying and selling port previous to the futuristic trendy metropolis
To your first day of sightseeing in Dubai, it actually helps to return to the grassroots of what Dubai metropolis is about; a busy buying and selling port metropolis based mostly round Dubai Creek.
Get your bearings at Dubai Body
Let’s begin your exploration of Dubai, taking within the views from the Dubai Body. Just about what it says – it’s an enormous image body! One of many first vacationer highlights you’ll seize coming from the airport into town.
You ascend one facet of the 150m excessive body (48 flooring) after which stroll throughout the highest. The see-through floored sky deck provides you fabulous views of Previous Dubai, Dubai Creek to Sharjah and past in a single path, and the trendy skyscrapers of Downtown Dubai to the opposite.
Study extra about visiting the Dubai Body right here
Getting there: Nearest Metro is Al Jafiliya for Zabeel Park, but it surely’s an honest stroll, it’s possible you’ll want a taxi/Careem drop off
Wander Al Fahidi Historic Neighborhood
That is the oldest a part of Dubai metropolis, a labyrinth of slender laneways that date again to the nineteenth century. The realm is protected in order that town’s heritage doesn’t grow to be misplaced without end beneath the sprawling skyscrapers. A lot of the conventional sandy-coloured low rise buildings at the moment are galleries, museums and small cafes.
Inside this space, one can find the Dubai Museum, housed inside the Al Faihi Fort, which dates again to 1787. At solely 3 AED you must undoubtedly pop your head in for extra perception into the nation’s Bedouin previous and the pre-oil period of Dubai. {STILL CURRENTLY CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS}
There are numerous different Dubai museums to be found inside the laneways, the Espresso Museum (entry charge 10 AED) is certainly one of our favourites value looking for out.
Getting there: Al Fahidi Bus Station or Al Fahidi Metro station
Lunch at Al Seef Waterfront
By now, you could have most actually labored up an urge for food, so if you happen to’ve not stopped for lunch in XVA Cafe or Arabian Tea Home located inside Al Faihidi Historic Neighbourhood, now could be time to go to certainly one of many eating places on this waterfront improvement. Seamlessly mixing previous with new, it’s straight throughout the road, subsequent to the Al Faihidi Marine Transport Station.
Al Seef is about up like a conventional souk so that you’ll be capable of do your buying right here too. Youngsters might get pleasure from popping into Museum of Illusions or have some enjoyable with pictures within the instagrammable laneways.
Cross Dubai Creek on an Abra
An absolute should for an genuine previous Dubai expertise! While there are way more trendy strategies today of crossing Dubai Creek, a conventional abra at 1 AED per particular person remains to be a steal!
Discover the Conventional Deira Souks
Relying on the warmth, you can spend a number of hours misplaced within the laneways of Deira, the most well-liked stops being the Gold Souk and the Spice Souk. It’s all open-air, so it may be heavy going and a little bit of strolling mid-afternoon within the hotter months.
On a brief Dubai itinerary with simply two days, we propose you resolve whether or not to spend your night in Previous Dubai or skip to trendy Dubai to complete your day 1—within the hotter summer time months, we propose the latter.
Alternative 1: An Night in Previous Dubai
Prolong your journey to the Dubai Souks by becoming a member of in with a night meals tour. Being the multicultural metropolis that Dubai is, you could be certain many dishes are vying for consideration as “native” delicacies, along with conventional Emirati or Bedouin-style dishes.
One of the crucial extremely really useful meals excursions in Dubai is Frying Pan Adventures, who supply numerous choices for small teams to have genuine experiences in Dubai’s streets. Most group excursions begin and finish in Deira.
Alternatively, hop on to one of many dinner cruises that function alongside Dubai Creek for a style of Previous Dubai from the water.
Alternative 2: A night in trendy Dubai
Now once we say trendy Dubai, we could possibly be speaking about a whole lot of town! We’re referring particularly on this itinerary to exploring Dubai Mall and the Downtown space of Dubai, house to lots of the metropolis’s trendy skyscrapers together with Burj Khalifa.
If buying’s not your factor to not concern, Dubai Mall is just a stopping level to start out exploring Downtown. There’s loads of enjoyable household sights, sports activities and adrenaline actions to get pleasure from inside the Mall, or step out and discover round Burj Lake, even soak up a present at Dubai Opera.
Souk Al Bahar
Simply throughout a pedestrian bridge from Dubai Mall, you’ll discover Souk Al Bahar. This contemporary market is made within the design of a conventional souk providing handicrafts via to high quality eating and spectacular views over Burj Lake. Don’t count on to pay the identical costs as on the conventional souks in Deira, however a enjoyable Dubai expertise on the coronary heart of the motion.
You could find a wide variety of locations to seize a drink and chew round downtown Dubai right here.
Dubai Fountains
This brings us properly to certainly one of Dubai’s hottest free issues to do at evening! Beginning at 6:00 PM nightly, then each half hour, watch the fabulously choreographed mild and sound present on Burj Lake, sitting on the foot of Burj Khalifa. Later within the night the Burj Khalifa additionally lights up for half-hourly reveals (timings are seasonal).
For a close-up view of the fountain present, you may take an abra experience on the lake. Alternatively, our favorite is to pick one of many eating places with uninterrupted views in both Dubai Mall or Souk Al Bahar and dine while attending to see the present a couple of instances over with out the crowds.
Burj Khalifa
End your first day by scaling the heights of Burj Khalifa, the World’s tallest tower. There’s an remark deck on the 124th and one hundred and twenty fifth flooring (further packages even take you to the 148th flooring!) and even dine at At.mosphere restaurant and lounge on Degree 122.
If there’s one a part of your Dubai itinerary you merely should guide prematurely, it’s the Burj Khalifa. Tickets on the door are extortionately dearer and might promote out. Do enable a very good 2 hours for queuing and having a very good go searching. Observe sundown and dawn slots (weekends) value extra and guide up sooner.
Trustworthy Choice: On a tight itinerary for time or cash, it’s possible you’ll wish to skip going up Burj Khalifa. Significantly if you happen to already went up the Dubai Body within the morning, you do get views method additional into the gap however the ticket value and queuing time can eat into your funds and time.
Getting there: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Station on the Pink Line Metro then there’s an air-conditioned travellator connecting you to all the surrounding space of Downtown
Alternate Day 1: New then Previous Dubai
You possibly can, in fact, plan Day 1 in reverse. You may like to start out your day at Dubai Mall and visiting the Burj Khalifa early on with out lengthy queues, get your bearings over town and catch lunch round Dubai Mall or Souk Al Bahar earlier than spending the afternoon and night in Al Fahidi Historic Neighbourhood and crossing Dubai Creek within the night to spend time within the markets or catch a dinner cruise.
Simply bear in mind it takes time to get between the 2 areas of town and you may’t ‘match all of it’ in beneath a day.
Day 2 – 2 Day Dubai Itinerary: Hit the sand! Desert & Seashore
A day put aside for sand and surf – dune browsing that’s!
You possibly can sort out at the present time in two methods – hitting the desert very first thing or the very last thing within the day – simply keep away from being out within the desert center of the day irrespective of which method round your plan it, particularly as you hit the summer time months.
Dubai Desert Safari
Neglect the concrete; it’s time to go and expertise the true Dubai out within the desert! Tour operators will choose you up out of your metropolis lodging in 4×4 and drive into the dunes on town outskirts, or a restricted variety of operators can work within the protected Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve for your morning desert safari.
There are broadly two various kinds of desert safari: these centered on the desert habitat itself and people centered on dune bashing and sand sports activities for the next adrenaline thrill.
The night camps are likely to focus extra on the latter, ending in a BBQ dinner and shisha in a camp. Each morning and night desert excursions are prone to embrace a camel experience of their itinerary, and probably the choice to take part in some sand sports activities like boarding or dune buggies.
For these after one thing extra sedate, our favorite supplier is Platinum Heritage. Just a little extra dear than some, they provide smaller teams and a extra real desert expertise within the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR), whether or not you select an early morning, night, and even in a single day safari.
Getting there: No want to fret about your 4×4 expertise; tour operators will choose you up out of your lodge or a handy metropolis location and drop you again
Seashores in Dubai
It’s time to discover certainly one of Dubai’s thrilling trendy beachfront districts and get out on the water. A visit to Dubai simply isn’t full with out at the least touching the nice and cozy waters of the Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf, relying on who you ask!).
JBR, Bluewaters & Dubai Marina
Many first-timers to Dubai discover the world of JBR and Dubai Marina an amazing place to start out. Familiarise your self with The Stroll & The Seashore precincts, then if you happen to’d wish to stretch your legs additional, take a stroll over to the ultra-modern Bluewaters Island to dine and marvel on the Dubai skyline alongside Jumeirah Seashore.
You possibly can simply spend a complete afternoon and night within the JBR space between actions alongside the seashore – suppose inflatable water parks, splash pads, jet ski and flyboarding, Flying Cup sky-high eating – and plentiful eating choices learn extra on what to do round JBR right here!
If time permits, you might also wish to head out into the gorgeous Gulf waters with a cruise. Plentiful operators could be present in Dubai Marina, from velocity boat excursions round Palm Jumeirah to jet ski adventures, or for a extra sedate expertise at a fraction of the fee attempt the RTA Ferry!
Getting there: JBR/Dubai Marina is the excellent place to remain for two days in Dubai because of the excessive variety of spacious lodge flats and resorts with direct beachfront entry. If coming by Metro from Previous Dubai or Downtown, you wish to alight at DAMAC Properties or DMCC Metro Stations.
Dubai additionally has loads of public seashores; some are utterly free, and others have a small Dubai municipality cost however glorious amenities. Native favourites embrace Al Mamzar Park and Kite Seashore has barely larger waves than others, or head to Sundown Seashore for iconic views of the Burj Al Arab – naturally round sundown for the perfect views!
Alternatively, even if you happen to’re not staying at certainly one of Dubai’s fancy beachfront resorts, it’s simple to choose up a day cross to one of many unbelievable seashore golf equipment to spoil your self for a day and luxuriate in sundowners on the seashore.
In case you are visiting within the peak of summer time, you’ll doubtless want to change or scratch this largely out of doors day of play and exchange it with some additional actions from our indoor information to Dubai
Souk Madinat Jumeirah
The proper place for a bit retail remedy to complete up your journey to Dubai is Souk Madinat Jumeirah. A contemporary souk (market) inbuilt conventional model, with indoor and out of doors (seasonal) stalls and retailers providing vacationer tat to real souvenirs and an outstanding vary of eateries to select from.
You may get some good Burj Al Arab views right here and even take an abra out on the waterways across the extravagant Jumeirah lodges (a bit extra dear than the 1 AED on Dubai Creek, however what a tremendous backdrop!). Plentiful bars and eating places will also be discovered right here, catering to all tastes.
Getting there: Souk Madinat Jumeirah shouldn’t be on the Metro, however you will get to the Mall of the Emirates and take a brief taxi from there, or cease at Web Metropolis after which hop on Bus 88.
What Does Our 2-day Dubai Itinerary Exclude?
With solely two days, there’s an terrible lot we’ve got in the reduction of from our traditional 7 Day Dubai itinerary to attempt to squeeze all the things in.
Firstly, you’ll doubtless should rule out any day journeys or heading additional than the outskirts of Dubai. While all the different main cities of the UAE are inside a 2-hour drive of Dubai, a 2-day timetable is simply too tight to suit something further in (except it’s a subsequent journey and also you’re trying to construct on earlier Dubai experiences by testing the opposite Emirates).
We embrace an inventory of advised Dubai day journeys under if you happen to’d wish to change Day 2 in Dubai for an out-of-town expertise.
We’ve additionally excluded an enormous theme park day. The theme parks in Dubai are big, so you really want a full day for every. Until you’re complete theme park junkies, you’ll have to sacrifice this on a good 2-day itinerary. These with children, although, might effectively wish to exchange one of many extra cultural days with a theme park day if burning off vitality earlier than your subsequent flight is the goal of the sport! Our full listing of theme park strategies under.
Stress-free time – what we haven’t actually constructed into this action-packed two days is downtime! In case you’re coming to Dubai for the fantastic sunshine quite than the sightseeing, you can rapidly scrap the whole thing above and easily spend two days on the seashore or poolside – however have a look at all the things else you’re lacking out on!!
Various Actions for Your Dubai Itinerary
There was solely a lot we might slot in an preliminary 2-day Dubai itinerary! We’ve included some strategies under, significantly if you happen to’re not a theme park fan it’s possible you’ll wish to attempt certainly one of these as a substitute.
Extra cultural actions in Dubai
Day journeys from Dubai
- Take a coach tour to the UAE capital metropolis Abu Dhabi to see the unbelievable Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Louvre and the Presidential Palace
- Head over the mountains to the east coast and spend a while in Fujairah together with snorkelling and scuba diving alternatives
- Scale to the UAE’s tallest peak in Ras Al Khaimah and expertise a contemporary pearl diving farm
- Cross the border into the distant Omani enclave of Musandam for a day of crusing, dolphin recognizing and snorkelling
- Try the superb out of doors adventures, hikes and water sports activities on supply at Wadi Hub, Hatta
Continuously requested questions on Dubai itineraries
It’s actually not sufficient time to get a correct really feel for what town is all about, but it surely’s simply lengthy sufficient for an introductory expertise with a bit previous and new, desert and metropolis combined collectively. It’s lengthy sufficient to stretch your legs between flights and get some insights, however actually nowhere close to lengthy sufficient to really expertise what Dubai is all about.
If you wish to “see all of it” and discover extra of the UAE and the Arabian Peninsula, we’d advocate two weeks to completely cowl the United Arab Emirates and at the least one week to cowl Dubai’s highlights.
Sure, in principle, you can squeeze in an thrilling and action-packed journey to each cities in 2 days, however you can be exhausted and solely scratch the floor. You possibly can slot in simply the Grand Mosque for half a day or a few of the highest Abu Dhabi sights on a full-day journey, however there shall be issues you’ll want to miss in each cities to squeeze this in.
Ideally, if you happen to’d wish to get a very good overview of each cities we’d recommend 2 to three days in Abu Dhabi and seven or 8 in Dubai – 14 days if you happen to actually wish to see the entire of the United Arab Emirates with a couple of break days built-in.
It depends upon what kind of funds you might be working at. We discuss extra about cash issues right here.
In case you contemplate a cheapish lodge room for 2, near the Metro could be obtained for round 200 AED an evening, a day cross on the Metro is 20 AED and meals, if you happen to go low cost and cheerful, might boil right down to 50-100 AED a day.
So earlier than your airfares and any fancy extras like waterpark days or desert excursions, let’s say 300 AED per day or c 600 AED for two days in Dubai ($170 USD). It’s not the most cost effective metropolis however there are methods it can save you cash and sights you may get pleasure from at no cost as we talk about in our funds information to Dubai.
Earlier than you go… Extra essential issues you must know when planning a visit to Dubai
Take me again to the Dubai Journey Weblog
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