Abu Dhabi day trip: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Watan and the Louvre
10 h · starts 08:00 · 4.7 (3)
Abu Dhabi is 90 minutes from Dubai by road, so this is a long day, and we plan it to avoid the worst of the crowds. The coach collects you at about 07:30 and Mohammed Tahir or Fatima Zahra Benali, our licensed Abu Dhabi guides, use the drive to explain the federation, the founding of the UAE and what you are about to see. We arrive at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque at around 09:15, before most tour groups.
The mosque deserves its reputation: white marble, 82 domes, one of the largest hand-knotted carpets in the world and a chandelier that takes your breath away. The dress code is strict and checked at the entrance. Women need loose clothing covering arms and legs and a headscarf, and we provide an abaya for anyone who needs one; men need long trousers and sleeves past the shoulder. After the mosque we visit Qasr Al Watan, the working presidential palace, whose great hall and library are open to visitors. Entry tickets for the palace are included, which is not the case on many cheaper tours, where the palace is just a drive-past.
Lunch is at a local restaurant with a set Arabic and international buffet, including vegetarian dishes. In the afternoon we drive out to Saadiyat Island for a photo stop at Louvre Abu Dhabi, under its floating dome; if you want to go inside, add entry when you book and you get about 90 minutes in the galleries instead of the Heritage Village stop. We finish along the Corniche, with a short stop for the view of the city skyline across the water, and drive back to Dubai, arriving at about 18:00. On Fridays we start at the palace and visit the mosque in the afternoon, after prayers.
How the time is spent
- 07:30Pickup from your hotel
The coach collects you about 30 minutes before the 08:00 start. Bring your passport or Emirates ID, which may be checked at the palace entrance.
- 09:15Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
About 90 minutes inside the courtyards and prayer hall with your guide. The dress code is checked at the entrance; abayas are provided for women.
- 11:00Qasr Al Watan
Entry to the presidential palace, with its great hall, domes and library. Your guide explains how the palace is still used for state visits.
- 12:45Lunch in the city
A buffet lunch at a local restaurant with Arabic and international dishes, a vegetarian selection and soft drinks, with time to rest in the cool.
- 14:00Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island
A photo stop under the floating dome, or about 90 minutes inside the galleries if you added entry when booking. Everyone meets back at the coach.
- 15:30Corniche and skyline view
A short drive along the Corniche and a stop for the view of the Abu Dhabi skyline across the water, then the coach heads back to Dubai.
- 18:00Drop-off in Dubai
Expect to arrive at your hotel at about 18:00, a little later on busy evenings when Sheikh Zayed Road is slow on the way into Dubai.
Times shown for the first start time; later runs follow the same plan.
Included
- Pickup and drop-off from Dubai hotels
- Air-conditioned coach and licensed Abu Dhabi guide
- Guided visit to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
- Abaya provided for women who need one
- Qasr Al Watan entry ticket
- Buffet lunch at a local restaurant with vegetarian dishes
- Louvre Abu Dhabi photo stop, with optional entry
- Corniche skyline stop
- Bottled water throughout the day
Know before you go
- Mosque dress code: women in loose clothing covering arms and legs with a headscarf, abaya provided if needed; men in long trousers and sleeves past the shoulder.
- Bring your passport or Emirates ID; it may be requested at Qasr Al Watan and the mosque.
- The mosque closes to visitors on Friday mornings, so Friday tours visit it in the afternoon and the order of stops changes.
- Comfortable shoes that slip off easily help at the mosque, where shoes are removed.
- Child seats are not available on the coach; families with toddlers can book the private car version.
- During Ramadan the mosque hours are shorter and lunch is served discreetly indoors.
Questions about this experience
Can I cancel the Abu Dhabi tour?
What if the mosque is closed on my date?
Is this a good day out for children?
Is the lunch vegetarian friendly?
Can I take photos inside the mosque?
Guests on this experience
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was breathtaking, and Saeed explained the marble inlay, the carpet and the chandeliers in a way that made us look properly. Then Qasr Al Watan, the Louvre Abu Dhabi from outside and a drive along the Corniche. Abayas were provided for my wife at the mosque.
A great day with a knowledgeable guide. The drive from Dubai is long though, around ninety minutes each way, and with traffic on the way back it was closer to two hours. The mosque at golden hour and the library inside Qasr Al Watan made it worthwhile.
My parents were visiting from Cairo and the Grand Mosque was the one thing they asked for. Fatima found my mother a quiet corner to pray and walked slowly with my father the whole day. Heritage Village, fresh dates and a long look at the Corniche from the breakwater.
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