First Time in Dubai: A 3-Day Itinerary with the City’s Top Experiences

Planning your first trip to Dubai can feel overwhelming: there is so much to see that it is hard to know where to start. This simple 3-day itinerary puts the city’s most popular experiences in a logical order, so you spend your time enjoying Dubai instead of sitting in traffic. Use it as a starting point and adjust it to your dates, your group and your budget.

Before you go: a few practical tips

• Best season: the cooler months, from about October to April, are the most comfortable for sightseeing and outdoor tours. In summer, plan outdoor activities for the early morning or the evening.
• Getting around: distances in Dubai are long. Group the sights by area, as in this plan, and use taxis, the metro or a tour with transfers.
• Dress code: light, comfortable clothes are fine almost everywhere; for mosques and traditional areas, cover shoulders and knees.
• Book the popular experiences early: sunset slots at the Burj Khalifa, private yachts and weekend safaris fill up first.

Day 1: Modern Dubai and the view from the top

Start with a Dubai city tour to get your bearings: it is the easiest way to see the main landmarks of old and new Dubai in one day, with someone else taking care of the route. In the late afternoon, head Downtown for Burj Khalifa At the Top. Not sure which level to choose? Read our comparison Burj Khalifa level 124 vs 148. After your visit, stay in the area for the evening: the shops, restaurants and the fountain show around the lake make it a perfect first night.

Day 2: Old Dubai in the morning, the desert at sunset

Spend the morning in the historic side of the city. Visit the Dubai Frame, where you can look at Old Dubai on one side and the modern skyline on the other (see our Dubai Frame guide). Then walk around the creek area, with its traditional souks and a short ride on an abra, the classic wooden boat. Have an early lunch and rest at the hotel, because the afternoon is for the desert safari: dune bashing, the golden desert at sunset and an evening at a desert camp. Our desert safari guide explains the types of safari and what to wear.

Day 3: Dubai from the water

On your last day, see the city from a different angle. If you travel with children, spend the day at Aquaventure Water Park and The Lost Chambers at Atlantis The Palm. If you prefer culture, the Museum of the Future is one of the most original buildings in the city. In the late afternoon, enjoy the Dubai Marina skyline on a private yacht cruise (read what to expect on a 1-hour or 2-hour cruise), or finish with a relaxed dhow dinner cruise.

Do you have more time?

With a fourth or fifth day, take a day trip outside Dubai. The Abu Dhabi city tour includes the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and adventure lovers can fly over the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah on the Jebel Jais zipline (see our zipline day-trip guide).

How to adapt this itinerary

• Families: keep the city tour, the safari and Aquaventure; choose shorter visits and leave free time at the hotel pool.
• Couples: book the Burj Khalifa at sunset and a private yacht for a special evening.
• Short stopover: with only one or two days, combine the Burj Khalifa with a desert safari: they are the two experiences most visitors remember.

Book your Dubai trip with CanalMarket Travel

Browse all our tours in Dubai and the UAE and book online, or tell us your dates and group and we will put the whole plan together for you. We confirm availability before you pay, and you pay securely by card. Questions in English or Spanish? Contact us by email or WhatsApp.