Tours and day trips in Abu Dhabi

Types of Abu Dhabi tours at a glance

Typical prices per adult, as of October 2026. Prices vary by operator and change often; the offers in the block below are current.

Abu Dhabi city tours and day trips from Dubai

The classic Abu Dhabi tour from Dubai is a full day of about 9 hours, including about 1.5 hours on the road each way. A typical route covers the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Corniche, Emirates Palace, Etihad Towers, Qasr Al Watan and Heritage Village, often with lunch.

Prices for this kind of Dubai–Abu Dhabi sightseeing tour range from AED 120–280 (≈ $33–76), depending on group size, lunch and pickup. Versions that add the Louvre Abu Dhabi cost about AED 459 (≈ $125) for adults.

What is usually paid separately:

• museum and palace tickets, such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi at AED 65 (≈ $18) and Qasr Al Watan at AED 65 (≈ $18), unless the tour says they are included;
• lunch on cheaper tours;
• tips for the guide and driver.

A day trip is a fast way to see the main sights, but you spend about three hours of it in a vehicle. If you would rather travel on your own, the train and bus options are in our Dubai to Abu Dhabi guide.

Hop-on hop-off bus tours in Abu Dhabi

The Big Bus Abu Dhabi tour sells tickets for 24, 48 or 72 hours, from AED 205 (≈ $56). There are two routes: a city loop and a shuttle to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Check the stops and how often buses run on the operator's site before you plan the day.

Grand Mosque and cultural tours

Most city tours stop at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and the mosque's rules apply to tour groups too. Every visit needs a booked pass, and the dress code is strict: loose clothing that covers arms and legs for everyone, and a headscarf for women. Groups that come with a tour operator pay AED 8 (≈ $2) per person.

On Fridays the mosque is open to visitors only 09:00–12:00 and 14:30–21:00, and during Ramadan its hours change, so tours run on shorter schedules. For hours, the dress code and visiting on your own, see our Grand Mosque guide.

Desert safari from Abu Dhabi

The standard Abu Dhabi desert safari is an evening group trip of about six hours, including pickup from your hotel. Most trips go to the dunes in the Al Khatim area for a dune drive in a 4×4, sandboarding and a camel ride, followed by a barbecue dinner and a show.

Group evening safaris cost AED 240–359 (≈ $65–98) per adult. A private 4×4 for up to six people costs about AED 1,392–1,653 (≈ $379–450) per vehicle. Quad bikes (ATVs) are not part of the standard program, so if you want them, check the listing before you book.

The big dunes of Liwa are about 200 km and 2.5 hours from the city, so they are better as an overnight trip than as part of an evening safari. From May to September, when the day reaches 44°C (111°F), evening programs are the only comfortable option.

Desert safari: Abu Dhabi or Dubai?

Operators describe the difference like this. Abu Dhabi safaris usually go to wide, flatter desert such as Al Khatim and the area around Qasr Al Sarab, with a quieter, longer drive and more time for the landscape. Dubai safaris mostly use the Lahbab red dunes, with steeper dunes and a livelier camp. Most Abu Dhabi trips drive 45 to 90 minutes to the camp. Prices are in a similar range, and Abu Dhabi tours are often slightly cheaper.

If you are based on Saadiyat, an Abu Dhabi safari saves you the long drive to Dubai; if your hotel is in Dubai, the Dubai safaris pick up from there and are the practical choice. We have no data that either desert is "better", so pick by pickup point and style.

Evening and night tours

Abu Dhabi's evening options are mostly the ones already listed: the dhow dinner cruise, an evening desert safari, and the Palace in Motion light show at Qasr Al Watan, which is a show ticket rather than a tour. For a walking tour at night, the Corniche promenade and the Mamsha Al Saadiyat promenade are easy to do on your own; we found no regular guided night walks we could confirm. See our events guide for what is on.

Mangrove kayak tours and boat trips

A guided kayak tour in the Eastern Mangrove National Park takes 1.5 to 2 hours and costs AED 160–250 (≈ $44–68) per person; children's prices start at AED 130 (≈ $35). Tours start from the Eastern Mangroves Promenade, and the price usually includes the guide, water, fruit and a towel. If you'd rather stay on foot, Jubail Mangrove Park has boardwalks through the mangroves.

For boats, the usual choice is a dhow dinner cruise: about two hours in the evening, around AED 250 (≈ $68) for adults and AED 200 (≈ $54) for children. Cruises from Yas Marina cost about AED 220 (≈ $60), and a one-hour sightseeing cruise around Yas Island starts at AED 141.75 (≈ $39). More on the island in our Yas Island guide.

Yacht and boat rental

Beyond group cruises, you can charter a yacht or a smaller boat for a private trip from the marinas at Yas Marina and the Corniche area. We have not confirmed current prices from an operator, so we don't quote any; compare charters on the listings in the block below, and check the capacity, the hours included and whether food is in the price.

Outdoor water trips are most comfortable from October to March.

Day trips from Abu Dhabi

• Al Ain: 154 km east of Abu Dhabi by road, an oasis city whose oasis is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. A visit fills a full day.
• Sir Bani Yas Island: about two hours by road to the Jebel Dhanna jetty, then 15 to 20 minutes by boat, so 3 to 3.5 hours each way. That makes a very long day trip, so consider staying overnight.
• Liwa: see the desert safari section above.

For a walking tour, the easiest option is to go on your own: the Corniche in the city or the 1.5 km Mamsha Al Saadiyat promenade next to the Louvre.

Shore excursions from Zayed Port

Cruise ships dock at the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal at Zayed Port, in the city. The cruise season runs from about November to April, and the terminal has taxi and bus stands and tourist information. A day in port is short, so shore excursions focus on the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Corniche and Qasr Al Watan, usually by coach with the ship's own program or by an independent tour.

Zayed Port is 20 min by taxi from Saadiyat. If you book an independent tour, check the ship's all-aboard time, leave a margin of at least an hour, and confirm that the tour includes a pickup at the terminal. Entry to the mosque needs a booked pass; groups booked through a tour operator pay AED 8 (≈ $2) per person. See our Grand Mosque guide.

Layover tours from Abu Dhabi airport

Whether a tour on a layover works depends on two things: how long your connection is and whether your passport lets you enter the UAE. You need to clear immigration, travel into the city and come back through security in time for your next flight. Saadiyat Island, with the Louvre, is about 25 min from the airport by taxi. See our guides to the Abu Dhabi airport and UAE visa rules.

How to choose an Abu Dhabi tour

• What is included. Check whether museum, palace and mosque tickets, lunch and hotel pickup are in the price.
• Pickup area. Many tours pick up in Dubai or central Abu Dhabi. If you stay on Saadiyat, confirm that the operator picks up on the island.
• Group or private. Private tours cost more per group but can start at your time.
• Language. Check the guide's language if English is not your first language.
• Cancellation. Look for free cancellation up to a day before.
• Dress code. Shoulders and knees covered for the mosque and Qasr Al Watan.
• Season and dates. In summer, choose evening or indoor programs; during Ramadan and on Fridays, hours change.

If you would rather plan your own days, start with things to do in Abu Dhabi and things to do on Saadiyat, or see our Abu Dhabi travel guide.