Day by Day Itinerary 

March 26 Arrive Dubai
Friday

Welcome to the United Arab Emirates!

We’ll Get You There! What’s best for you is best for us! We are more than happy to arrange air transportation for you. You may also use frequent flyer mileage instead, or take advantage of low internet specials. We suggest Emirates Airlines flight EK204 departing JFK at 11:20 AM on March 25 arriving Dubai at 8:05 AM on March 26 and EK202 departing Dubai at 11:00 PM on April 1 arriving JFK at 7:45 PM on April 2. Please note flight schedules are always subject to change.

Our group will be met upon arrival at the Dubai International Airport, assisted with immigration formalities and transferred to Atlantis The Palm, Dubai if using suggested flights. Our suggested flight via Emirates Airlines arrives at 8:05 AM (see box at right). The hotel provides for luggage storage and you may use the facilities until check-in.

*****Atlantis The Palm

March 27 Dubai - Sharjah
Saturday
This morning we will relax, enjoy a leisurely breakfast and spend time enjoying the hotel’s many facilities. At 12:00 noon, meet with our group and guide for lunch and a short briefing regarding the activities of the week.
Then depart on a tour of the intriguing city of Sharjah. We begin our tour at the King Mohammed Al Qassimi Mosque and walk along the Corniche, watching the people working on the Dhows. Watch as they off-load the goods being transported in the same traditional manner that has been used for centuries. In this neighborhood, you will find a variety of small shops selling all kinds of goods. The shop owners are mostly Iranian nationals who moved to this area many years ago to set up trade. While strolling along, you might even find something you would like to take home as a souvenir. A little further down the street, we will come across the Old Souk. Beautiful little stores, selling the traditional clothing such as the Kandoura, Agal, Gutrah and Kaffi or the Abaya, Sheila and Sirwal. Your guide will take time to explain the different items and how they are worn by the local Emirati ladies and gentlemen. Take your time to wander the area with your guide and stroll through the narrow alleyways to get a feeling for the bustling life of the traders in Sharjah. Next, we stop by the ancient Al Hisn Fort, home of the former ruler of Sharjah. Our guide will describe the history of this important building. An interesting movie will also be shown on the history of the emirate of Sharjah as well as the very first airport that came into use in the UAE.

Following a short stroll through the nearby Al Arsah Souk, we will visit the beautiful Blue Souk, an impressive and ornate building where more than 600 shops sell traditional goods including carpets, gold, silver, antiques, perfumes, and clothing. From the Blue Souk, we will have a view of the King Faisal Mosque next to the Al Ittihad monument in central Sharjah city.

Return to our hotel in time for dinner on our own. (B-L)

*****Atlantis The Palm

March 28 Dubai
Sunday Um Al Quwain
Ras Al Khaimah
After breakfast, check out of our hotel and we embark with our guide on a private city tour of Dubai. Our route will take us to the magnificent Jumeirah Mosque, past the modern palaces of the Royal Family sprawled along the coast. Arrive at the Bastakia, where one gets to admire the old wind-towered houses built by wealthy merchants a few years ago. Only a few of the original houses still stand as most were demolished back in the 1980’s when the Rulers Diwan was built. Close-by stands the 150-year old Al Fahidi Fort which was erected around 1799 to defend the city against invasion. It was renovated in 1970 and now houses the Dubai Museum, which records the city’s past as an important pearl diving and trading centre. Artistically designed static life-size displays and hands-on exhibits lead you through the lives and times of the city and its people from the third millennium BC to the present day.

The modern, purpose built underground addition houses various exhibits including a souq of the 1950s and a ship yard. Continue your journey by an abra-ride (water taxi), as you cross the creek and see the modern metropolis with its splendid architecture on one side dwarfing the bustling alleys of the souks on the other. A walk along the creek is a fascinating sight, combining the past with the present and is a must for all visitors to see the traditional wooden dhows loading and unloading their cargo and setting out to places such as India, the Gulf and Africa.

Your ride to the other side of the creek takes you to the next destination - the gold and the spice souks. Capture the aroma of the old Dubai as you wander through the alleys with little spice souks and end up at the modern gold souk, where you can buy some of the finest and purest gold on earth at excellent prices. Shop after shop offers a dazzling display with windows crammed full of gold, diamonds and precious gems. There will be a break so that those who wish may purchase lunch at a local restaurant

Continuing our journeys, we drive along the northern coast through the small emirate of Um Al Quwain to explore the ancient sites of the fortress that once stood in this area. Proceeding northwards to Ras Al Khaimah, we check in at the Hilton Hotel in Ras Al Khaimah. In the evening we visit the old Market and explore this small city built from what was once a tiny fishing village.

Dinner is included tonight. (B-D)

*****Hilton Ras Al Khaimah

March 29 Ras Al Khaimah
Monday Al Ain
After breakfast, check out and proceed to Al Ain, A charming desert oasis city that has been a stop on the camel caravans since time immemorial. Today, Al Ain has become a garden city and also boasts a university. The road from Dubai takes us through spectacular desert scenery. We stop at the archaeological digs at Hili, which date back some 5,000 years. We proceed to Al Ain Museum next to the old Arabian fortress and take a short walk through an the date plantation oasis with its ancient falaj irrigation system.

From here we will continue to the traditional camel market that has been used for centuries by nomadic traders and still used by the present-day camel farmers of Al Ain. Check into the Intercontinental Hotel Al Ain Hotel in time for lunch.

After lunch we stop at the Al Ain Palace Museum. The palace was the residence of the ruler of Abu Dhabi, the late ruler Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan from 1927 until the early 70’s. Interesting displays, including a collection of family portraits, offer an insight into the way the Royal family lived and entertained. We then stop at the Jahili Fort before returning to Dubai. Al Jahili Fort is one of the largest in the country, built in the late 19th century as a symbol of power and a royal summer residence. The parts of the building dating from this original phase consist of a square fortified enclosure and the distinctive four-storey circular tower. When British forces came to Al Ain in the early 1950’s to assist in the administration of the area, these buildings, which had fallen into disrepair, were incorporated into a larger enclosure forming their head quarters.

At sunset, we shall take a winding mountain drive up to the top of Jebel Hafeet, one of the highest mountains in the UAE. Enjoy views across the valley covering the different emirates of the UAE and also the border with Oman. We shall stop at the hotel on top of the mountain to take in the view and enjoy refreshments at sunset before returning to the Intercontinental hotel. (B-L)

*****Intercontinental Hotel Al Ain

March 30 Al Ain
Tuesday Abu Dhabi
After breakfast, check out and proceed to Abu Dhabi.

First stop is at the Grand Mosque: The majestic Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque is probably the most imposing religious and national landmark in Abu Dhabi to date. It is also arguably one of the most important architectural treasures of the contemporary UAE society - and one of the most beautiful in the world - initiated no less by the late president HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who is fondly thought of as the father of UAE. The Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque, popularly called Grand Mosque by local residents, is seen as a “globally unifying” landmark from its conception to completion, bringing together designers, features, materials and suppliers from nearly every corner of the globe: Italy, Germany, Morocco, India, Turkey, Iran, China, Greece and the UAE. The Mosque’s initial architectural design was Moroccan, but it evolved to include many global features, including exterior walls that are of traditional Turkish design. Natural materials were chosen for its design and construction, which include marble, stone, gold, semi-precious stones, crystals and ceramics.

The Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque features 80 domes all decorated with white marble. The main dome’s outer shell measures 32.7 meters in diameter and stands 70 meters high from the inside and 85 meters from the outside - the largest of its kind, according to the Turkey Research Centre for Islamic History and Culture. The Mosque has 1,096 columns in its exterior and 96 columns in the main prayer hall which are embedded with more than 20,000 handmade marble panels encrusted with semi-precious stones, including lapis lazuli, red agate, amethyst, abalone shell and mother of pearl. Furthermore, beautiful minarets standing 107 meters are built on the four corners of the Mosque.

An equally impressive interior design complements the Mosque’s awesome exterior. Italian white marble and inlaid floral designs adorn the prayer halls and the Mosque’s interior walls have decorative 24 carat gold-glass mosaic features. The main prayer hall also features the world’s largest hand-woven Persian carpet (7,119 square meters).

Furthermore the Mosque features seven 24-carat gold-plated chandeliers which were imported from Germany, all designed with thousands of Swarovski crystals. The largest of these chandeliers, which hangs from the main dome of the Mosque, is considered the biggest in the world; it measures 10 meters in diameter, 15 meters in height, and eight-to-nine tons in weight The Qibla wall, on the other hand, is 23 meters high and 50 meters wide, and is subtly decorated so as not to distract worshippers from prayer. The 99 names (qualities) of Allah are featured on the Qibla wall using traditional Kufi calligraphy and are subtly back-illuminated using fibre-optic lighting. Twenty-four carat gold, gold leaf and gold glass mosaic were also used in the mehrab (the niche found in the middle of the Qibla wall) and the crescents topping the dome.

The Mosque has 80 Iznik panels - highly decorated ceramic tiles popular in the 16th century - which feature distinctly in Istanbul’s imperial and religious buildings. Traditionally hand-crafted, each tile was designed by Turkish calligrapher Othman Agha. Three calligraphy styles - Naskhi, Thuloth and Kufi – are used throughout the mosque and were drafted by Mohammed Mendi (UAE), Farouk Haddad (Syria) and Mohammed Allam (Jordan). The Mosque can accommodate up to 40,960 worshippers from its prayer halls and courtyard.

We then proceed towards the Abu Dhabi city is the capital of the United Arab Emirates and many of its striking examples of modern architecture show intriguing interpretations of Islamic themes captured in today’s materials. Shimmering skyscrapers, villas and palaces line our route along the Riviera-style Cornice with its blue waters of the Gulf and enticing offshore islands.

In this city of dramatic contrasts, we visit the Heritage Village before checking in at the Intercontinental Hotel Abu Dhabi. In the afternoon we visit the majestic Kempinski Emirates Palace Hotel for the famous afternoon tea.

Dinner in Abu Dhabi (B-D)

*****Intercontinental Hotel Abu Dhabi

March 31 Abu Dhabi – Dubai
Wednesday
After breakfast, check out of the hotel and proceed to Dubai. Before arriving in Dubai, drive past the world’s largest man-made port at Jebel Ali, the new Dubai Marina area near the Palm Island project and other modern developments in this fast growing city. Check in at Atlantis Dubai.

After time to relax and change in to your desert wear, we set off on an adventure in true Dubai Style! We shall commence our Dune Dinner Safari with a thrilling ride through the sand dunes. Take a break to photograph the camels at the local The Sand Dunes Bedouin farm and enjoy the vast scenery of the shifting sands at sunset. We arrive at the desert camp and settle down to a succulent barbecue of assorted meats, baked potatoes, salads, fresh fruits and local dates. There will be time to receive a local and traditional Henna Tattoo as well as watch the energetic display of the belly dancer – and perhaps shown off your own dancing skills! After some desert star gazing return to the hotel (B-D)

****Atlantis The Palm

April 1 Dubai
Thursday
Enjoy breakfast at leisure followed by a day to relax. This day will be kept open for optional tours and activities, such as last minute souvenir shopping or a relaxing spa treatment. For lunch on your own, you may want to try a traditional Chinese Dim Sum at the Shangri-La Hotel or an elegant English afternoon tea at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel (own arrangements).

In the early evening, we will visit the richest horse racing in the world. The Nad Al Sheba Race Course is the home of the multi-million dollar horse racing event, the Dubai World Cup. Enjoy a buffet dinner and drinks whilst watching the different races of the day as some of the finest Arabian horses sprint the different distances around the course. Join in with predicting the winners for each race and possibly win a prize! The regular winter Thursday evening racing is very popular with the Emirate families and the residents of Dubai. Transfer to the airport this evening is included. (B-D)

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner