Dubai is a place that defines opulence, known for its extremes: you’ll find literally the tallest skyscraper in the world sitting alongside ancient deserts, with luxury meeting tradition at every corner.

It’s a place where you’ll find some of the best shopping in the world, alongside some of the richest, oldest history on the planet. Whether you’re gazing up at the intimidating Burj Khalifa or zooming through the golden sands on a safari, I highly recommend going on a city tour.

I’ve detailed the 5 top Dubai city tours out there, that are safe, run by professionals, and well worth your time and money. Let’s get started!

Best Tours of Dubai City

	Full Day Dubai City Tour with At the Top Burj Khalifa Ticket	Private Abu Dhabi City Tour with Pick up from Dubai or Abu Dhabi	Dubai City Tour: Old & New Dubai Abra Ride, Palm Island, Souks
Location:	Hotel pickup and drop-off included	Hotel pickup and drop-off included	Hotel pickup and drop-off included
Start:	Between 8:00 AM & 5:00 PM	10:00 AM	8:00 AM
Duration:	8 hours	8 hours	5.5 hours
Includes:	English-speaking guide, air-conditioned vehicle for transportation, tickets included, bottled water, customizable	Transport by private air-conditioned vehicle, Professional guide, Private tour, Bottled water	Air-conditioned vehicle, professional English-speaking guides, Blue Mosque entry, Deira Creek - Abra boat water taxi ride
	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking

Quick Answer: The 5 Best Rated Dubai City Tours For 2025

1. Full Day Dubai City Tour with At the Top Burj Khalifa Ticket
2. Private Abu Dhabi City Tour with Pick up from Dubai or Abu Dhabi
3. Dubai City Tour: Old & New Dubai Abra Ride, Palm Island, Souks
4. Dubai Aladdin Tour: Souks, Creek, Old Dubai and Tastings
5. Dubai Full Day Tour with Entry Ticket to Burj Khalifa at the Top

Dubai City Tour Reviews

1. Full Day Dubai City Tour with At the Top Burj Khalifa Ticket

Dubai’s skyline is a breathtaking scene that almost looks like some kind of glorious mirage set against the barren desert. Melding the future and the past in one thriving city, its unique ability to balance the ultra-modern with its deeply-rooted traditions is what has elevated Dubai to “icon” status.

The Full-Day Dubai City Tour with At The Top Burj Khalifa Ticket experience is a journey that will take you through the ins and outs of this multifaceted metropolis, with a local expert there to lead the way.

This 8-hour tour is a full-fledged undertaking of Dubai in one of the most comfortable and convenient ways – with a guide there to drive you around in an air-conditioned vehicle at your leisure.

The day starts out by your guide picking you and the rest of your party up at your hotel, and as it’s completely private, you do have the option of customizing the itinerary as you see fit.

They’ll ask you about any specific interests you and your party have, ensuring you get to see everything you really want, and skipping those that aren’t quite as interesting to you.

We explored all of the city’s most iconic landmarks, including the legendary sail-shaped Burj Al Arab, the stunning Palm Jumeirah, and the futuristic Dubai Marina – all set against the expansive Arabian Desert in the background.

Of course, Dubai is so much more than its architecture – we also learned all about its culture, starting with the historic Al Fahidi neighborhood, venturing through the bustling Gold and Spice Souks, all while our guide shared interesting educational commentary about each site we passed.

I had a great time on the traditional abra boat ride, which was so beautiful and an interesting contrast to the seemingly endless desert sands.

The ability to skip the line at Burj Khalifa, heading all the way to the 125th flor for a complete 360-degree view of the city was absolutely incredible. There are no words for experiences that great – you just have to see it for yourself!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

2. Private Abu Dhabi City Tour with Pick up from Dubai or Abu Dhabi

A day trip from Dubai to Abu Dhabi dives into the grandeur of the UAE’s capital, and this next tour is a fantastic way to experience it all with a tailored intimate itinerary.

The Private Abu Dhabi City Tour with Pickup from Dubai or Abu Dhabi blends culture, history, and modern luxury, without having to deal with being part of a massive group herded from place to place.

This 8-hour tour starts off with a convenient hotel pickup in a private, air-conditioned vehicle with your expert local guide at the helm to bring Abu Dhabi’s fascinating past to life.

Skip all the big crowds and head straight to the big attractions, spending as much time as you want at each as this is all about you. Remember that this is a completely private tour so it’s completely tailored to your interests – no lagging at sites you’re uninterested in or rushing through the cool places!

Our guide made sure we arrived right on time for every activity, including an amazing tour of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, and Abu Dhabi Dates Market!

We also made plenty of stops for photos or quick tours of the exterior at the Ferrari World, Emirates Heritage Village, Qasr Al Watan, and more. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque has many different tours available which aren’t typically private in this section, but incredibly impressive, nonetheless!

The mosque, for me, is a must-do – it’s crazy to think that something this stunning was made in just 11 years and features all kinds of incredible details like 96 mother-of-pearl inlaid marble columns, a 12-ton chandelier, 4 minarets, and much more!

Exploring Heritage Village was also interesting, which offered a glimpse into how people lived in the “olden times” in Emirati culture.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

3. Dubai City Tour: Old & New Dubai Abra Ride, Palm Island, Souks

This next tour is a bit shorter than the other 2 we’ve covered, which is perfect as it starts earlier in the day as well, so you’ll be back in time for lunch.

If you have evening plans, the Dubai City Tour: Old & New Dubai Abra Ride, Palm Island, Souks adventure is your gateway to exploring this unique city without it taking up your entire day. If you’ve just arrived to Dubai and want to be thrown into the deep end of its history and culture, check this one out!

Not only will they pick you up right at your hotel, if you’re arriving at a port or need pickup somewhere else, they’ll accommodate that, as well! Our transportation for the day was an air-conditioned coach with plenty of space to stretch out and relax, making it very convenient.

Our first stop of the day is the only 7-star hotel in the world, currently: the famous sail-shaped Burj Al Arab that sits on an island.

We then started out in the heart of Old Dubai, through the bustling souks, where the scent of spices and shimmer of gold – we even saw the biggest souk in the world!

We saw a huge man-made island called the Palm Jumeirah, before seeing some more traditional places like the Al Fahidi fort, which was constructed to collect taxes but today features the Dubai Museum.

I loved driving through Dubai’s “mini Manhattan” where we saw some truly opulent, modern buildings that were unlike anything I’d ever seen before.

Of course, no tour through Dubai is complete without seeing the infamous Burj Khalifa, along with Zabeel Palace, Dubai Frame, as well as the replica of the Blue Mosque. Our guide and driver did a great job of taking us safely and efficiently around the city, and if you have a short stay in the city, I can’t recommend it enough.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

4. Dubai Aladdin Tour: Souks, Creek, Old Dubai and Tastings

Dubai is often celebrated for its towering skyscrapers and futuristic allure, but you’ll also go on an adventure right into the heart of the city’s rich past.

The Dubai Aladdin Tour: Souks, Creek, Old Dubai and Tastings offers an experience that takes you back in time, taking you to the history and cultural roots that build into this bustling metropolis. If you’re a history buff and are more interested in the original sites as opposed to the skyscrapers, you’ll love this tour.

This is the shortest tour of the bunch, so if you have a super busy schedule, this is easy to fit in and will provide you with a plethora of tips and knowledge to take with you and use during the rest of your time there.

Despite it being shorter, I appreciated that they offered a convenient hotel pickup and drop-off, along with various start times to make it that much easier to place into my schedule. I’d personally recommend not eating before as you’ll have plenty of different food and drink tastings, and you’ll want to enjoy them to the fullest!

After being picked up at your hotel in your air-conditioned vehicle, you and the rest of your small group will go on a delicious tasting adventure!

You’ll get to try all kinds of traditional ingredients and dishes, including plenty of street food, chocolate, dates, coffee, and tea! The coffee here is absolutely incredible and probably ruined any other coffee for me, but it was well worth it!

We also got to see the Al Seef heritage district before taking a leisurely walk along the pretty creek to the Bastakia Quarter and Al-Fahidi Historical Neighborhood while our guide regaled us with interesting anecdotes and historical commentary.

We had plenty of time to take photos, visit the Dubai Museum housed in a legendary piece of architecture, and even bargain a bit at the Old Souk.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

5. Dubai Full Day Tour with Entry Ticket to Burj Khalifa at the Top

Last but certainly not least, is the Dubai Full-Day Tour with Entry Ticket to Burj Khalifa at the Top excursion! This is what I’d consider to be an all-inclusive experience that encompasses all of Dubai’s past and present in a well-organized itinerary ideal for anyone of any age or background.

If you’re looking for a fun activity for the entire family or really want to see just about everything this city has to offer, this is the one!

Everything is covered here, so you don’t have to worry about booking separate transportation or entrance fees on top of the regular tour price.

You’ll set off in your air-conditioned minivan with the rest of your small group while your guide shares interesting historical and cultural background on how Dubai started out as a charming fishing village, ending up as a massive metropolis after the oil boom.

You can’t know where a place is heading without knowing where it started, so I felt it appropriate to begin in Al Bastakiya, the city’s oldest quarter.

This was SUPER cool to me, where we got to see mud-built wind towers, the narrow streets, as well as the 18th-century Al Fahidi fort which now houses the Dubai Museum. We got to see all kinds of historical artifacts and scale models that helped us realize just how insanely fast the city has grown.

If it’s your first time in Dubai, definitely don’t miss out on these displays as it’ll really help you understand the city better!

Afterward, we went on a beautiful traditional abra ride over the Dubai Creek and into Deira’s souks, where I picked up some amazing self-gifts and souvenirs! After, we saw the stunning Jumeirah Mosque, followed by Dubai Mall to head all the way up to Burj Khalifa’s 124th-floor observatory.

It’s truly breathtaking with its full-height glass walls – not to mention not everyone is able to say they’ve been to the world’s tallest tower!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience