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Rolling sand dunes in the desert of the Abu Dhabi emirate in soft evening light

Sample journey · 7–9 days

The Emirates beyond the skyline: Abu Dhabi, the desert and Dubai

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the dunes of Liwa, old Dubai, Hatta & the Gulf of Oman coast

Photo: Rodrigo Castro / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

This route deliberately turns the usual Emirates trip around. Rather than starting with the skyline, it begins in Abu Dhabi: early morning at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque while the marble is still cool, the fort of Qasr Al Hosn where the city's story began, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi, where points of light fall through a latticed dome onto the water. Then the road heads southwest to the Liwa oases on the edge of the Empty Quarter: two nights among red dunes, date palms and a silence no city can offer.

Only then comes Dubai, and the old city first: wind towers in Al Fahidi, an abra across the Creek, the spice souk in Deira and the galleries of Alserkal Avenue. To finish, the Hajar mountains at Hatta and a few quiet days on the Gulf of Oman coast. The journey suits couples and families on a first long-haul trip, and anyone who wants comfort without it becoming only a resort stay. The pace is gentle, the transfers comfortable and the stays range from a desert retreat to a house by the sea, all shaped around you and the season.

The route

The journey

  1. Abu Dhabi
  2. Saadiyat Island
  3. Liwa oases
  4. Dubai
  5. Hatta
  6. East coast near Fujairah
  7. Dubai
  1. A white arcade with golden column capitals at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, reflected in water

    01Days 1–2 · Abu Dhabi

    Marble in the morning light

    Arriving in Abu Dhabi, a quiet evening and a walk along the Corniche as the heat eases. On the second morning, as soon as it opens, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque: white marble inlaid with flowers, gilded columns and a courtyard where the only sound is footsteps. It is a working place of worship, so modest dress is expected, with long sleeves and ankle-length clothing, and women cover their hair. In the afternoon, Qasr Al Hosn, the oldest surviving building in the city, and the House of Artisans beside it, where weaving and other traditional crafts are shown. For dinner, Emirati cooking: machboos, spiced fish and luqaimat with date syrup.

  2. Light falling through the latticed dome of the Louvre Abu Dhabi onto white pavilions and water

    02Day 3 · Saadiyat Island

    A rain of light beneath the dome

    On the third morning, the Saadiyat cultural district. The Louvre Abu Dhabi opens while visitors are still few, and points of light fall through Jean Nouvel's dome onto white pavilions and water. Inside, the galleries are arranged by era rather than by country, so works from ancient Egypt, China and Europe sit side by side. After lunch you head southwest: the road to Liwa takes around two and a half to three hours, and the landscape slowly gives way to sand. Arriving in the late afternoon, there is still time for a first sunset in the dunes.

  3. A wind-rippled dune ridge at dusk in the desert of the Abu Dhabi emirate

    03Days 3–5 · The Liwa oases & the Empty Quarter

    Two nights on the edge of a sea of sand

    Two nights at a desert retreat among the dunes, where the only sound in the evening is wind over sand. On day four you start at dawn: a walk along the dune ridges while the sand is still cool and marked with the tracks of night-time animals. The hottest midday hours are best spent quietly, by the pool or in the shade. In the late afternoon, date farms in the villages of Liwa and the road out to Tal Moreeb, one of the highest dunes in the region, then dinner under the stars. Families with children can try sandboarding or a short camel ride.

  4. A wooden abra moored on Dubai Creek, with its boatman sitting aboard

    04Days 5–7 · Old Dubai

    An abra across the Creek

    From Liwa to Dubai is about four hours by road, so day five is gentler: arrival, rest and an evening by the Creek. On the sixth morning, the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood with its wind towers, coral-stone houses and small galleries, then a wooden abra across the Creek to Deira: the spice souk smells of saffron, cardamom and dried limes, and the windows of the gold souk glitter. In the afternoon, Alserkal Avenue in Al Quoz, where former warehouses have become galleries, design studios and cafés. The skyline is visible from the Creek, as a backdrop rather than the destination.

  5. A brown Hajar peak near Hatta, framed by palm fronds in the foreground

    05Day 7 · Hatta & the Hajar mountains

    Brown mountains and a green lake

    On the seventh morning the road heads east, about an hour and a half to Hatta, Dubai's enclave in the Hajar mountains near the Omani border. Here you can kayak on the dam lake between brown cliffs, take a short walk on the trails or visit the restored heritage village with its stone houses and watchtowers. After lunch it's around another hour through the mountains to the Gulf of Oman coast, where the air turns softer and the mountains come down to the sea.

  6. Footprints in golden sand and two small figures by the water on a Gulf of Oman beach near Fujairah

    06Days 7–9 · The east coast

    A slow finish on the Gulf of Oman

    Two nights at a quiet hotel by the sea near Fujairah, where the beaches are wide and the mountains rise behind them. In the morning, snorkelling around rocky islets if the sea allows, or simply doing nothing; in the evening, a walk along the shore as the sand turns gold. For a little more culture, a short drive to the Al Bidya Mosque, considered one of the oldest in the country. On the last day, Dubai airport is around an hour and a half to two hours away.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    The mosque while it's still cool

    Early morning at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, while the marble is still cool and the courtyard almost empty.

  2. 02

    Light at the Louvre Abu Dhabi

    Points of light falling through the dome onto the water, and galleries where different civilisations speak to one another.

  3. 03

    Dawn in the dunes of Liwa

    A walk along cool dune ridges on the edge of the Empty Quarter, and an evening under the stars.

  4. 04

    The Creek and the souks

    An abra across Dubai Creek, the scent of spices in Deira and an afternoon in the galleries of Alserkal Avenue.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • Shorter: seven days

    Leave out the east coast, spend the last nights at a beach hotel in Dubai and visit Hatta as a day trip, and the journey fits into seven days.

  • With Al Ain

    Instead of Hatta, two nights in Al Ain between Liwa and Dubai: oasis paths among palms and falaj channels, forts, the palace museum and sunset from Jebel Hafeet. The journey stretches to around ten days or a little more.

  • For a family

    With younger children, the drive to Liwa can be broken up, and in Abu Dhabi you can add a day on Yas Island with its theme parks. We lengthen the beach days and plan transfers for the morning, while children are fresh.

  • Continue to Oman or the Maldives

    From the east coast it's natural to continue into Oman's mountains and Muscat, or to fly on to the Maldives for a few days on the Indian Ocean after the culture and desert.

Practical considerations

  • November to March is generally the most comfortable time. From roughly May to September the heat often passes 40°C, time outdoors is limited to early mornings and evenings, and desert nights are far less fresh. Ramadan moves each year and some places keep different hours during it, so we check dates in advance.
  • Modest dress is expected at mosques and heritage sites, with shoulders and knees covered, and women cover their hair inside the mosque. Emiratis are hospitable, and discretion is appreciated in public; it's always worth asking before photographing people.
  • Distances are modest and the roads good, but Liwa is several hours from the cities in each direction, so many travellers prefer a driver. It's easiest to fly into Abu Dhabi and out of Dubai.
  • Museum and mosque visiting hours, closing days and Friday arrangements can change, so we always check them before planning the days.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

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