City tours · Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi city tour with the Grand Mosque
A full day in Abu Dhabi taking in the Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Watan and the Corniche.
- Duration
- 9 hours
- Pickup
- Hotel pickup in Dubai; also available from Abu Dhabi hotels on request
- Group
- Small shared group, or a private car
- Languages
- English; other languages on request
- Cancellation
- Free up to 24 hours before pickup
- Confirmation
- Within a few hours of your request
Highlights
- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, with modest robes provided
- Qasr Al Watan presidential palace
- Corniche waterfront drive
- Photo stop at Emirates Palace
- Heritage Village by the waterfront
Why you’ll love it
The Grand Mosque up close
Time in the white marble courtyard and the main prayer hall, with its hand-knotted carpet and crystal chandeliers.
Inside a working palace
Qasr Al Watan still hosts state visits, and its great hall and library are open to visitors.
Bookings done for you
We register your mosque visit and buy the palace tickets, so there is nothing to sort out on the day.
From your Dubai door
Pickup and drop-off at your Dubai hotel, with about two hours each way in an air-conditioned car.
How the day runs
7:00 am
Pickup
Pickup from your hotel in Dubai for the drive to Abu Dhabi.
9:00 am
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Tour the Grand Mosque, with its marble courtyard and the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet. Modest robes are provided at the entrance.
11:00 am
Qasr Al Watan
Walk through the presidential palace’s halls, library and gifts collection.
1:00 pm
Lunch stop
A break for lunch at your own expense at a nearby food court or restaurant.
2:30 pm
Corniche and Emirates Palace
A drive along the Corniche with a photo stop outside Emirates Palace.
4:00 pm
Heritage Village
Walk through the Heritage Village, a recreated Emirati village by the waterfront.
5:00 pm
Return to Dubai
Drive back to Dubai and drop-off at your hotel.
What’s included
Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Air-conditioned transport
- Grand Mosque and Qasr Al Watan entry
- English-speaking driver guide
- Mosque robes for visitors in shorts or sleeveless tops
Not included
- Lunch
- Personal expenses and tips
Good to know
What to bring
- Loose clothes with long sleeves and long trousers or skirts
- A headscarf for women (robes are also provided)
- Shoes you can slip off easily at the mosque
- Water, sunscreen and sunglasses
- Money for lunch
Not suitable for
- Anyone who finds long car journeys hard (about two hours each way)
- Travellers who find long walks in the heat hard, in the summer months
Know before you go
- On Fridays the mosque closes to visitors around midday for prayers and reopens at 2:30 pm, so the day runs in a different order.
- Qasr Al Watan is a working palace and can close at short notice for state events; we then offer the Louvre Abu Dhabi or more time on the Corniche.
- Photos are welcome in most of the mosque, but not of people at prayer.
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pickup. Cancellations after that, and no-shows, are charged in full. If a site closes at short notice we swap in another stop, and if the tour is called off for weather or safety, you choose a full refund or a new date.
Questions
What should we wear to the Grand Mosque?
Shoulders and knees covered, and a headscarf for women. Robes and scarves are provided free at the entrance if needed.
Is the mosque open every day?
The mosque closes to visitors on Friday mornings for prayers and opens again in the afternoon. We will time your visit around this.
Can we skip Qasr Al Watan and add something else?
Yes, tell us when booking and we can swap it for the Louvre Abu Dhabi or more time on the Corniche.
Things to do in the UAE
More tours in Abu Dhabi
- Theme parks