Desert Adventures

Depart the USA on your overnight flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Welcome to Dubai – a global city and business hub of the Middle East. After arrival, you will be met by your Mayflower Cruises & Tours representative and transferred to your hotel in Dubai.

Following breakfast, embark on a guided tour to explore the city’s heritage and history. Enjoy a photo stop at the world-famous Burj Al Arab Hotel, an architectural wonder built on an artificial island. Another photo stop is made at the Jumeirah Mosque – Dubai’s most beautiful mosque and one of only a handful in the UAE open to non-Muslims. Visit one of the city’s most popular marketplaces – Spice Souk and Gold Souk. Its narrow passages are lined with small stores selling every type of herbs and spice under the sun. The Gold Souk offers a huge selection of jewelry made from gold, silver, diamonds and other precious metals and stones. A visit to the historic Bastakiya Quarter, with its narrow, winding lanes through the oldest residential district, showcases culturally important sights including Al Fahidi Fort – Dubai’s oldest building. It also houses the Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU), where lunch is included. Learn about Emirati traditions and culture as you dine on a homemade lunch in a traditional wind-tower house, and have the opportunity to interact with the local people. The day also includes a ride on a traditional Abra boat across the creek, as you experience the same type of transportation still used today. Meals: B, L

Today is spent discovering modern Dubai. Drive along the largest man-made marina in the world to view the luxury yachts and a backdrop of modern high-rise towers with unique architecture. The Dubai Frame is an architectural landmark holding the record for the largest frame in the world, affording a bird’s-eye view of Dubai’s old and new skylines from a vantage point of 490-feet above ground. Visit Palm Jumeriah – another architectural feat and landmark of Dubai. On the world’s largest man-made island, drive along the trunk of the ‘palm’ and onto the final branch, overlooking the Arabian Gulf. Following lunch at a local restaurant, visit the colorful Arabic Souk Madinat Jumierah. Explore the vibrant marketplace in the old Arabian style for boutique brands, souvenir gifts, luxury fashion and jewelry. Before concluding the tour, visit the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, and one of the world’s largest shopping malls. After ascending 1475-feet in a high-speed elevator to reach At The Top observation deck, you will be greeted by breathtaking, unobstructed 360-degree views of the city, desert and ocean below. This evening, board a traditionally decorated wooden dhow boat for an included dinner as it sails under the moonlight. The architecture of both Dubai’s past and present is brought to its full beauty against the evening sky as the ship moves silently along the creek. Meals: B, L, D

After a morning at leisure, embark on a desert safari. Your safari guides will take you in 4-wheel-drive jeeps into the golden sand dunes of Arabia. Experience the thrill of a lifetime while riding through the dunes. Witness a beautiful scenic sunset overlooking the desert then continue to a Bedouin campsite for a delicious BBQ dinner buffet. At the campsite you can enjoy camel riding, henna design and an enchanting belly dancer performing to the Arabic rhythms. Meals: B, D

Following breakfast at the hotel, depart the glittering skyline of Dubai for the capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi. Upon arrival, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before visiting the Louvre Abu Dhabi, featuring stunning architecture with modern-shaped domes. Paintings, sculptures, artwork, jewelry, intricately hand-crafted artefacts, ancient pottery, sarcophagi…all of this and more is on display in the museum. Opened in 2017, the museum provides an insight into the culture of life from the pre-historic era through the present and is the first of its kind in the Arab world. Stroll through the museum’s various galleries, admiring the exhibits, and see how cultures are woven together through art, in shared stories of humanity. Continue to the hotel for check in and an evening at leisure. Meals: B, L

After breakfast, embark on a full day of sightseeing in Abu Dhabi. Witness the majesty of the world-famous Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world and an example of architectural styles from various Muslim civilizations. Featuring 82 domes, more than 1000 columns, 24-carat gold gilded chandeliers and the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet, this mosque is a place of worship and cultural diversity. At Heritage Village, travel back in time to experience what life was like in the past as you visit this reconstruction of a traditional oasis village. See local items being hand-crafted from pottery to glassblowing and weaving. The traditional Souk resembles a bustling trading hub of days gone by and offers an opportunity to purchase locally made souvenirs. Enjoy a photo stop at Emirates Palace, the opulent, luxury hotel and experience the local flavor of the country with a stop at the Date market to savor the many varieties of dates from the region. Lunch is included at a local restaurant during the day, and dinner is included at the hotel this evening. Meals: B, L, D

Continue discovering Abu Dhabi with a morning excursion that visits the oldest and newest presidential palaces. Previously the home of the ruling family, Al Hosn Palace overlooks the coastal trade routes and houses a museum paying tribute to the city’s history. Continue to Qasr Al Watan (Palace of the Nations), a working presidential palace and a majestic cultural landmark. Get a glimpse into the traditions of the city and its ties with other countries. See the Great Hall, the Spirit of Collaboration Room, the Library and Houses of Knowledge as you visit the palace. Return to the hotel where the remainder of the day is free of planned activities allowing you to explore Abu Dhabi on your own to discover its rich past and vibrant character. Your Tour Manager will be available to offer suggestions. Meal: B

Following breakfast, transfer to the Dubai airport for your flight home. NOTE: the transfer to the airport will depart approximately 6 hours prior to flight time. Filled with life enriching experiences from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the memories will last forever. Meal: B