Dazzling Dubai

2024
2023

Experience dynamic and opulent Dubai; flights, deluxe hotel, city tour & Burj Khalifa included

Overview

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Style	Independent PackageThese un-escorted packages have no set schedule or guides, so you have the freedom and flexibility to explore on your own from your centrally-located hotel. More of these packages Freedom to explore at your own pace; unescorted
Departures
Themes	City Stays
Activity Level	Easy
What to Expect	This leisurely-paced independent package requires minimal walking and is suitable for most levels of physical fitness. Travel safely and confidently with our new health & safety protocols.
Already booked?	Find everything you need to know before you go, including information about passport & visa requirements, flights, luggage, and more.

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Dubai is bigger, grander, more lavish (and considerably more expensive) than any place we've ever been. The world's most expensive hotel, the Burj Al Arab, that universally recognized sailboat-shaped architectural wonder; the world's tallest building, the Burj al Khalifa, rising in the middle of town; an entire series of man-made islands, in the shape of palm fronds and another series in the shape of the entire world, are being created off the shore line – all in Dubai! The city is surrounded by sand—miles and miles of sand—with rippling dunes that are perfect for 4x4 adventures and camel riding. There is absolutely nothing like Dubai in the world, but you don't have to be rich and famous to enjoy this amazing destination for yourself. In true Friendly Planet style, your 6-day vacation package to Dubai includes airfare, deluxe hotel accommodations, daily breakfast, transfers, a city tour & visit to the Burj Khalifa.

Package includes

Flights
Coach
Transfers
Hotel
Meals
Guides

Round trip flights from NYC via Emirates Airlines including taxes & fees
4 nights deluxe hotel accommodations in Dubai
4 meals: 4 lavish breakfasts
Arrival & departure transfers with meeting, assistance and porterage
Guided city tour of Dubai

Optional add-ons

Exciting optional excursions in Dubai
Optional day excursion to Abu Dhabi
Flights from Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), Newark (EWR), Orlando (MCO), San Francisco (SFO), Seattle (SEA), and Washington D.C. Dulles (IAD). Request pricing when making your reservation.

Why you'll love it

Enjoy four nights in Dubai, and spend your days exploring the city at your own pace or join any of our optional excursions.
Stroll through bustling souks and browse the packed alleys for stunning textiles, spices, and gold.
Join an optional morning tour to Dubai Creek and enjoy a panoramic view of the city's incredible skyline.
Visit the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa, and get a bird's eye view of the city from the towering observation deck.
Join an optional day excursion to Abu Dhabi, and explore Jebel Ali, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Sheik Khalifa Palace, Yas Island, and more!
Take an optional day excursion to Ski Dubai, the Middle East's first very indoor ski resort.

Itinerary at a Glance

1 Depart USA
2 Dubai
3 Dubai
Optional Excursion: Desert Safari & BBQ Dinner, $115
4 Dubai
Optional Excursion: Full Day Abu Dhabi, $170
5 Dubai
Optional Excursion: Hot Air Balloon Ride and Falconry Demonstration (purchased locally), $330
Optional Excursion: Miracle Gardens (purchased locally), $55
Optional Excursion: Ski Dubai packages (purchased locally)
6 Depart Dubai/Arrive USA

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Dates & Prices

2024
2023

Dates & Prices, with flights per person, double occupancy*
2023 DEPARTURES
Dates	Price
Departs U.S.: Sun, Dec 3, 2023 Finishes: Fri, Dec 8, 2023 Dec 3 – Dec 8	$2849	Departed
Departs U.S.: Sun, Dec 10, 2023 Finishes: Fri, Dec 15, 2023 Dec 10 – Dec 15	$2999	Sold Out

Dates & Prices, tour only per person, double occupancy*
2023 DEPARTURES
Dates	Price
Starts: Mon, Dec 4, 2023 Finishes: Fri, Dec 8, 2023 Dec 4 – Dec 8	$2049	Departed
Starts: Sun, Dec 10, 2023 Finishes: Fri, Dec 15, 2023 Dec 10 – Dec 15	$2199	Sold Out

Options & Fees

Dazzling Dubai
Rooming Selection
Double Occupancy	included
Single Occupancy	$749
Optional Excursions
Discounted Optional Excursions Package¹	$225
Guaranteed Early Check-in²
Double Occupancy	$140
Single Occupancy	$260
Guaranteed Late Check-out³
Double Occupancy	$140
Single Occupancy	$260

1. Includes Desert Safari with Dinner and Abu Dhabi Day Tour.

2. Your room will be booked to guarantee it is available if you arrive at the hotel before 3pm.

3. Your room will be booked to guarantee it is available until you transfer to the airport (for return flights late in the evening)

So that we can offer you the best deals, our packages are, like most hotels and cruises, priced based on double occupancy rooms or cabins. We charge solo travelers an extra fee to cover the extra costs of single occupancy rooms or cabins. (Consider: if you booked a $200/night hotel room solo, you would pay the $200 yourself; but if a couple booked the same room, each one would pay only $100.) But you only pay extra for the rooms or cabins, nothing else, including meals, sightseeing, tips, etc. Why are single rooms more?

Flights & Departure Cities

Departure Airports
New York Kennedy (JFK)

This package includes round-trip flights from the city listed above. Please review the flight schedule, especially if you're booking connecting flights.

Want to fly from another city? For this package, you may request flights from Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C. Unfortunately, we don't offer flights from any other cities, but you can book your own connecting flights. Ask us for a quote for flights from your preferred city when (or after) you book, and we'll get back to you with the price and availability within 3 business days. Of course, you can also book your own flights. More information

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Depart USA

Check in for your overnight flight to Dubai

Day 2 Dubai

Arrive in Dubai, meet our representatives, and transfer to your centrally located hotel
Check-in is at 3:00 pm, or you can add guaranteed early check-in to your reservation

JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai or similar

Day 3 Dubai

Enjoy a guided city tour of Dubai -- see the highlights of this amazing place
Visit the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world
Learn about Islamic life in the UAE during a lecture at Jumeirah Mosque

JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

Today's exciting half-day tour will take you to picturesque Dubai Creek, which the Ancient Greeks called the River Zara. The first settlements by the Bani Yas tribe were along its banks, and later it served as a port for ships from as far as India and East Africa. Today, this saltwater creek divides the modern city into two parts, Deira on the north and Bur Dubai to the south, and remains a busy waterway both for traditional dhows and sleek luxury yachts.

The next stop is the Bastakiya district, where traditional courtyard houses, with characteristic wind towers that cleverly catch the breezes to cool the houses, line the narrow alleys. Many of the places in this picturesque area of Dubai, previously home to the city's merchants, have been lovingly restored by proud locals who wish to preserve the unique ambiance of the district.

Continue to the Dubai Museum, housed in the massive, restored Al Fahidi Fort. Inside, lifelike dioramas offer a fascinating view of life in Dubai before the discovery of oil. You'll learn the importance of the date palm to the desert culture, the maritime traditions of fishing and pearl-diving, boat building, and much more. Take a walk through the bustling, exotic souks, where you'll find beautiful, bargain-priced textiles, spices, and gold. Another highlight of your city tour is a chance to take one of Dubai's most reliable and inexpensive forms of transportation, the Abra water taxi.

Later, visit the Burj Khalifa (formerly known as Burj Dubai), which officially opened in 2010 as the tallest building in the world. This miracle of international cooperation and coordination houses a luxury Armani hotel, offices of some of the world's most successful companies, and homes that are as high as the clouds for a lucky few. Take in sweeping city views from the breathtakingly high "At the Top" observation deck.

Stop at Jumeirah Mosque to gain insight into Islamic life in the United Arab Emirates during a lecture by one of the Mosque's clerks. Feel free to ask questions!

Return to your hotel and spend the remainder of your day at leisure, or enjoy an optional Desert Safari and BBQ Dinner.

Optional Excursion: Desert Safari & BBQ Dinner, $115

For those in the mood for adventure, in the late afternoon, set out on an optional desert safari tour, where you'll discover the vastness and stark beauty of the desert surrounding Dubai. Experience an exciting jeep ride over the neighboring dunes. You'll also enjoy a traditional BBQ dinner and live belly dancing entertainment on this exciting optional tour. *The sand dunes jeep ride is not recommended for people with neck, back or cardiac concerns.

Purchased as a package with Desert Safari & BBQ Dinner (Day 3) and Abu Dhabi (Day 4) (Min of 4 passengers)

Day 4 Dubai

Relax and explore on your own, or join an optional excursion to Abu Dhabi

JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

The day is yours to explore at your pace, or take an optional excursion to Abu Dhabi.

Optional Excursion: Full Day Abu Dhabi, $170

Today, see another sophisticated city in the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi. Enjoy a panoramic view of Jebel Ali, the largest artificial port, en route to the iconic symbol of Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Later, drive along the sweeping curve of the Corniche, replete with parks and fountains, from which you'll enjoy a contrast of modern skyscrapers against the sparkling waters of the Persian Gulf. Visit the Heritage Village, and learn about the history of Abu Dhabi in a reconstructed oasis. Walk through the open-air museum and see artisans demonstrate traditional skills. Later, pass by the Sheik Khalifa Palace, home to the president of the UAE. Afterward, take a photo stop at Yas Island, where the Ferrari World theme park and Formula 1 race track are located. Return to Dubai.

Purchased as a package with Desert Safari & BBQ Dinner (Day 3) and Abu Dhabi (Day 4) (Min of 4 passengers)

Day 5 Dubai

Enjoy another full day at leisure in Dubai, or choose one or two exciting optional excursions
Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Orlando (MCO), and Washington, DC-Dulles (IAD) depart Dubai after midnight tonight, see the flight schedule for details

JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai or similar Breakfast

Optional Excursion: Hot Air Balloon Ride and Falconry Demonstration (purchased locally), $330

Early this morning before dawn, get picked up at your hotel for a one-hour hot air balloon ride from a desert conservation area outside the city. See the sunrise as you lift off the ground and ascend approximately 4,000 feet over the stunning surrounding desert landscape. Learn about desert conservation, then have an exciting opportunity to see Peregrine falcons fly alongside the balloon in a trained demonstration. After your balloon ride, enjoy a delicious breakfast.

Note: This activity is not operational from May through Oct due to weather conditions. Tour duration is from approximately 4-10 am.

Optional Excursion: Miracle Gardens (purchased locally), $55

Discover the wonders of the Dubai Miracle Garden, with its unique display of flowers, floral designs, and sculptures.

Note: This activity is not operational from May through Oct due to weather conditions. This optional tour may overlap with the Ski Dubai visit. Tour duration is from approximately 11 am-2 pm.

Optional Excursion: Ski Dubai packages (purchased locally)

Experience the incredible Ski Dubai, the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East! Choose from fun snow packages, including the Polar Pass or Polar Express. With the Polar Pass, take a ride on a toboggan, see real-life penguins, practice your snowball throwing skills, and take a chairlift to roll your way down the slopes in a giant snowball globe. In addition to the Polar Pass inclusions, the Polar Express package offers the chance to experience a 150-meter-long zip line and an introduction to skiing for adults.

Note: Does not include ski or snowboard equipment; does include winter clothes. Tour duration is from approximately 11 am-2 pm.

Cost varies from $95-$120 per person

Day 6 Depart Dubai/Arrive USA

Transfer to the airport to board your flight home, arriving in the USA later today
Passengers returning to JFK will receive a breakfast box
Hotel check-out is at noon, or you can add guaranteed late check-out to your reservation

Breakfast

Dubai Optional Excursions Package: $225

Pre-book a Dubai Optional Excursions package that included our most popular optional excursions:

Desert Safari & BBQ Dinner (Day 3)
Abu Dhabi (Day 4)

The optional excursion package is operated for Friendly Planet groups only. (A minimum of 4 passengers is required for optional excursions to operate).

Hotel

JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai

Deluxe

The 5 star JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai is conveniently located in the business district of Dubai. Its location offers guests easy access to notable attractions, such as the world-renowned Dubai Mall and the jaw-dropping Burj Khalifa.

More information

In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.

Reviews & Photos

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Check out independent, verified reviews from real travelers on Feefo.

Trip Details

What should I know before I go? We've compiled a comprehensive checklist, including information on how to pay your balance due, flights & transfers, packing & luggage, and more.
Do I need a visa or other documents? Are there any entry requirements? Travel visas are required for this package. Please review the visa & entry requirements.
Can I make changes to my trip? Want to upgrade your seats? Depart from another city? Stay a few extra days? Something else? Just ask!
Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions? To book this package, you must be 18 or older. Your traveling companions must be 8 or older at time of travel.
Should I purchase travel insurance? Yes! We recommend you purchase travel insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For your convenience, we offer a plan provided by Travelex Insurance Services.
What's the fine print? Review the terms & conditions for this package.
What should I know about Dubai? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.