Illustration.
From Dubai · 9 to 10 hours · Hotel pickup
Abu Dhabi Day Trip from Dubai
OceanAir Travels' guided day from Dubai hotels: the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with its entry ticket and a guide inside, then the Corniche, Emirates Palace and the Louvre Abu Dhabi as photo stops. Qasr Al Watan and the Etihad Towers deck come with the premium options.
Pick your day
Which Abu Dhabi Day Trip from Dubai?
An Abu Dhabi day trip from Dubai is 128 km of motorway each way for the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the city’s waterfront and, if you pay for it, the presidential palace. The one to book first is OceanAir Travels’ From Dubai: Abu Dhabi Premium Full-Day Sightseeing Tour, from US$55 on promotion, usually US$65 a person (checked November 2026). That price is its small-group option with mosque entry: a guided visit inside the mosque, the ticket included, then photo stops at the Corniche, Emirates Palace and the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Qasr Al Watan and the 74th-floor Etihad Towers deck are on the premium options, which cost more.
From Dubai: Abu Dhabi Premium Full-Day Sightseeing Tour
OceanAir Travels: the mosque with its ticket and a guide inside, the Corniche, Emirates Palace and the Louvre from outside, 9 hours from Dubai hotels. Palace and deck on the premium options.
Check dates →Dubai: Abu Dhabi Day Trip with Grand Mosque, Royal Palace & Lunch
OceanAir Travels: mosque entry, Qasr Al Watan entry and the Etihad Towers deck on every option, the Louvre as a photo stop. Lunch only on the options that say so.
See the tour →From Dubai: Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Mosque Guided Tour
OceanAir Travels: the mosque only, entry fee included, with a guided visit inside; 5 hours from Dubai hotels, travel included.
See the tour →Prices, ratings and review counts from the listings (GetYourGuide checked November 2026). Operators price by date and season, so treat the figures as the shape of the market, not a quote.
Driving yourself, or taking the new train? Dubai to Abu Dhabi by car, bus, train or tour sets them side by side.
- 4.9 / 5 28157+ Reviews
- 128 km By road from Burj Khalifa to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, 81 minutes in free-flowing traffic; the tours allow 1.5 hours each way
- AED 10 The mosque's fee for visitors from outside the UAE, AED 8 through a tour operator (its own FAQ, checked November 2026); the day trip's price includes the ticket
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Day Includes
The guided mosque visit with its ticket, the photo stops along the Corniche and on Saadiyat Island, and what the premium options add.
OceanAir Travels's own highlights, inclusions and notes, as listed on GetYourGuide in November 2026.
Highlights
- Experience the best of Abu Dhabi on a guided tour in your choice of language
- Visit Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with a licensed local guide
- Enjoy Abu Dhabi skyline views from the 74th-floor Etihad Towers Observation Deck
- Capture pictures at the Louvre Museum during a photo stop
- Take a glimpse into the tradition and architecture of the UAE at Qasr Al Watan
What's Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from Dubai
- Live professional licensed local guide
- Entry ticket to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque
- Guided visit inside Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with a licensed local guide
- Louvre Museum photo stop
- Emirates Palace photo stop
- Corniche Viewpoint
- Abaya for ladies for mosque visit (to be returned)
- Unlimited water
- Etihad Towers Observation Deck admission, with your guide introducing Abu Dhabi’s skyline from the 74th floor (if Premium option is selected)
- Entry ticket to the Qasr Al Watan Presidential Palace (if Premium option is selected)
Good to know: OceanAir Travels' licensed guides can guide you inside Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque year-round, including peak season · Avoid Friday tours if flying that day; traffic may delay drop-off. Choose a private tour if flight time is tight · Mosque and palace dress code: no shorts or sleeveless tops; all guests must cover shoulders, knees and tattoos · Women receive an abaya (long black dress and headscarf), to be returned after the visit. No clothing is provided for men · Qasr Al Watan may close without notice for presidential events and may be replaced by the Louvre Museum · If Etihad Towers closes, the Founder's Memorial will replace it · Guided tours are not permitted inside Qasr Al Watan · Dubai Airport pickup is only from Holiday Inn Dubai Airport Hotel · Child seats are available on request; after booking, share your child's age, height and weight to arrange a suitable seat · Not suitable for: Wheelchair users · Not Included: Lunch, Tips
Dubai Hotel to Abu Dhabi and Back
A hotel pickup in Dubai, about an hour and a half on the motorway, the mosque first, the city's waterfront after, then the same road home.
Pickup at Your Dubai Hotel
The start time shows on the calendar: 9:30 AM on the late-November and mid-December dates we read, 8:45 or 11:30 AM on the January and March dates. From Dubai Airport, pickup is only from the Holiday Inn Dubai Airport Hotel.
The Motorway to Abu Dhabi
The itinerary allows 1.5 hours each way. Burj Khalifa to the mosque is 128 km by road; the guide talks about the city on the way.
Inside the Grand Mosque
A guided visit inside, with the entry ticket in the price. Women are lent an abaya and headscarf to hand back; nothing is provided for men, so cover shoulders, knees and tattoos.
The Waterfront, Then Dubai
Photo stops at the Corniche, Emirates Palace and the Louvre Abu Dhabi on the small-group option with mosque entry; the premium options add Qasr Al Watan and the 74th-floor Etihad Towers deck. Then the drive back to Dubai.
Photo Gallery
White Marble, the Corniche and Saadiyat
The domes and courtyard of the Grand Mosque, the waterfront towers, the palace on the shore and the museum's dome on Saadiyat Island.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
OceanAir Travels' guided day from Dubai hotels: the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with its entry ticket and a guide inside, then photo stops at the Corniche, Emirates Palace and the Louvre Abu Dhabi. The premium options add Qasr Al Watan and the Etihad Towers deck. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Plan the Day
Planning Abu Dhabi from Dubai
The mosque's rules, fee and hours, what each option costs, car, bus, train or tour, the add-ons, private or shared, and whether the day earns its drive.
Prices are each page's featured tour: GetYourGuide checked November 2026. Tour prices on GetYourGuide and Viator are in US dollars; fees paid in the UAE are in dirhams (AED).
Four Abu Dhabi Days from Dubai Side by Side
The full day with mosque entry, the palace-and-deck day, the mosque with the museum inside, and the half-day mosque visit: length, pickup, what is a ticket and what is a photo stop, lunch and the limits. GetYourGuide prices with the month they were checked.
| Feature | THIS PAGE The full day, mosque entry | Palace and deck included | Mosque and the museum inside | The mosque only, half a day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What You Pay | From US$55 per person (checked November 2026) (mosque entry and photo stops; the palace and deck cost more) | From US$85 per person (checked November 2026) (without lunch; mosque, palace and deck included) | From US$80 per person (checked November 2026) (small group of up to 15, museum entry included) | From US$49 per person (checked November 2026) (the shared half day) |
| What the From-Price Buys | The small-group option with mosque entry; Qasr Al Watan and the Etihad Towers deck are on the premium options | The option without lunch: mosque, Qasr Al Watan and the Etihad Towers deck | The small-group option in English, up to 15 people | The shared half day in English |
| Length | 9 to 10 hours | 9 to 10 hours | 7 to 9 hours | 5 hours |
| Pickup | Dubai hotels; at the airport only the Holiday Inn Dubai Airport Hotel | Dubai hotels and apartments, Port Rashid, the Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal; at the airport only the Holiday Inn Dubai Airport Hotel | Dubai hotels | Dubai hotels |
| Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque | Entry ticket and guided visit inside | Entry ticket and guided visit, 1.5 hours | Entry ticket, 2 hours | Entry fee and guided visit, 1.5 hours |
| Qasr Al Watan and the Etihad Towers Deck | Tickets on the premium options only | Tickets to both | Not visited | Not visited |
| Louvre Abu Dhabi | Photo stop outside | Photo stop outside, 15 minutes | Ticket, 2 hours on your own; no guided tour inside | Not visited |
| Lunch | Not included | On the options with lunch at Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant | Not included | Not included |
| Limits | Not for wheelchair users; no luggage or large bags | Not for wheelchair users; no luggage or large bags | Not for wheelchair users; no luggage, shorts or sleeveless shirts | Not for wheelchair users; no luggage or large bags |
| Best For | The mosque with a guide and the waterfront, without paying for the palace | The palace and the deck as well as the mosque | The museum's galleries as well as the mosque | The mosque on its own, in 5 hours |
| Check dates | See the tour | See the tour | See the tour |
More Ways to Go
Other Abu Dhabi Days from Dubai
Ferrari World with the mosque, a small group with the museum inside, a driver-only day with Heritage Village, a car of your own and a day with the Hindu temple, on GetYourGuide and Viator.
FERRARI WORLDFrom Dubai: Abu Dhabi Day Tour with Ferrari World Ticket
Travtur Tourism L.L.C's 10-hour day in a group of up to 15: the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with its entrance fee, Emirates Palace, a photo stop outside the Etihad Towers and at the Yas Marina Circuit, then four hours at Ferrari World with the ticket and a pre-arranged Formula Rossa slot.
MUSEUM INSIDEFrom Dubai: Grand Mosque & Louvre Abu Dhabi Day Tour
360 Adventures Tourism LLC's day in a small group of up to 10: a guided visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, photo stops at Qasr Al Watan, Emirates Palace and the Etihad Towers, and two hours in the Louvre Abu Dhabi on your own, with its ticket included.
DRIVER, NO GUIDEDubai: Abu Dhabi Grand Mosque, Palace, and Heritage Village
OceanAir Travels' 8-hour day with a driver and no guide: entry to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Watan and the Heritage Village, and a drive past the Corniche, the Etihad Towers and Emirates Palace.
PRIVATEDubai to Abu Dhabi Private Tour: Grand Mosque & Royal Palace
OceanAir Travels' private day for up to 2 with your own guide: the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Watan and the Etihad Towers deck with tickets, the Corniche and Emirates Palace from the road, and a photo stop at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Lunch at your own expense.
WITH THE HINDU TEMPLEFull Day Abu Dhabi City Tour + BAPS Mandir Visit, guide transfer
Rayna Tourism's 11-hour day from Dubai: the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the BAPS Hindu Mandir (closed on Mondays), the House of Artisans and an art gallery, photo stops on the Corniche and at Emirates Palace and a drive through Yas Island. Lunch at your own expense.
Abu Dhabi from Dubai
The Drive, the Mosque and What You Pay
Where the day goes, what the cheapest option leaves out, the mosque's fee and dress code, the palace that sometimes closes, and the other ways to spend the day.
Where the day goes
The mosque stands on the mainland side of Abu Dhabi, between the bridges onto the island. From Burj Khalifa it is 128 km by road, 81 minutes when the motorway is clear; OceanAir’s itinerary allows 1.5 hours each way, and reviewers describe the van collecting guests from several hotels first. Everything else on the day is on the island or beyond it: Qasr Al Watan 21 km by road from the mosque, the Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island 23 km, Yas Island and Ferrari World 26 km.
So a day trip is three hours or more in the van and the rest in Abu Dhabi, and the tours differ mainly in what those hours buy.
What the from-price buys
OceanAir’s day comes in five options, and the from-price on the calendar is the first of them.
| Option | What is included | 27 Nov, 11 and 21 Dec 2026 | 22 Dec 2026 | 20 Jan and 24 Mar 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Group Tour with Grand Mosque Entry (9 h) | Mosque entry and guided visit; photo stops at the Corniche, the Louvre and Emirates Palace | US$55 | US$70 | US$55 |
| Premium Small Group with All Attractions (10 h) | Mosque, Qasr Al Watan and the Etihad Towers deck, all with tickets | US$88 | US$150.70 | US$99 |
| Premium Plus: Luxury Mercedes and All Attractions (9 h) | The same three tickets, in a Mercedes | US$99 | US$150.70 | US$115 |
| Premium Private Tour & All Attractions (10 h) | The three tickets, your own guide and car, priced for the group | US$396.80 | US$644.80 | US$496 |
One adult, per person except the private row, which is the price for the whole group: on 27 November it was the same total for one or two people (GetYourGuide option picker, checked November 2026). A private option with lunch at Al Khayma Heritage cost US$465.60 on the November and December dates and US$582 in January and March.
Every option was on a promotion to 21 December 2026, 15% off the mosque option and 20% off the premium ones. The calendar for 22 December showed higher prices, and the January and March dates no promotion at all. The Abu Dhabi day trip price goes through each option and the other tours.
Check dates for the Abu Dhabi day
The mosque: a fee now, and a dress code
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque charges visitors. Its own FAQ gives AED 10 for visitors from outside the UAE, AED 8 for visitors through tour operators and AED 5 for Emirates ID holders; worshippers enter free (checked November 2026). Plenty of pages still say entry is free. The three tours carded above include the mosque ticket in their price.
The mosque asks women for loose clothes to the ankles, sleeves to the wrists and their hair covered, and men preferably for long trousers and no sleeveless or tight tops. On OceanAir’s days women are lent an abaya and headscarf for the visit, to be handed back, and nothing is provided for men; shoulders, knees and tattoos have to be covered. Visiting hours are 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM, except Friday, when visitors are let in from 9:00 to 11:30 AM and from 2:30 to 8:30 PM. The Grand Mosque’s rules, fee and hours has the rest, Ramadan included.
Qasr Al Watan, when it is open
The presidential palace is on the premium options and on OceanAir's palace-and-deck day, and on both it may close without notice during presidential events, in which case the Louvre Abu Dhabi replaces it. It happens: a reviewer of the main tour on 22 October 2026 found the palace “closed due to government meetings” and went to the Louvre instead. Guides are not allowed to lead the group inside the palace, so you walk it on your own. Its own calendar showed 10 AM to 5 PM every day for the rest of November 2026.
Other ways to spend the day
For the Louvre Abu Dhabi inside rather than from the car park, OceanAir's mosque-and-Louvre day includes entry and two hours there on your own; there is no guided tour inside the museum. For a theme park, Travtur Tourism L.L.C's day with Ferrari World includes the park ticket, a pre-arranged Formula Rossa slot and four hours of free time after the mosque. For a guide and car to yourself, OceanAir's private tour is priced for up to two. The add-ons guide sorts out which attraction is a ticket and which is a photo stop on each tour.
ABC Tourism LLC's small-group Abu Dhabi tour includes the Abrahamic Family House as a photo stop and a drive round Yas Island, with Qasr Al Watan inside on the option that includes it.
What reviewers mention
OceanAir’s day has 28,157 reviews on GetYourGuide. We read the 350 most recent, dated 12 October to 10 November 2026: 336 give five stars and 3 give three or fewer. The four-star comments are the useful ones. An Italian reviewer was still in Dubai an hour and 40 minutes after pickup while the van collected others; a French one found every stop rushed, with 15 minutes in front of the Louvre; a Danish one wanted longer in the mosque.
Before you book
- What the from-price leaves out. The from-price option includes the mosque, not Qasr Al Watan or the Etihad Towers deck.
- Flying out the same day. Avoid a Friday tour if you fly that day: Friday traffic can delay the drop-off.
- The airport. Pickup from Dubai Airport is only from the Holiday Inn Dubai Airport Hotel.
- Lunch. Not included on the main tour; the palace-and-deck day has options with lunch at Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant.
- Bags and access. No luggage or large bags, and the tour is not suitable for wheelchair users.
- Cancelling. Every GetYourGuide tour here can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before.
The Grand Mosque and Abu Dhabi's Waterfront in a Day
OceanAir Travels' guided day from Dubai hotels: the mosque with its entry ticket, the Corniche, Emirates Palace and the Louvre Abu Dhabi from outside, and Qasr Al Watan and the Etihad Towers deck on the premium options. Starting from US$55 per person (mosque entry and photo stops; the palace and deck cost more) on promotion, usually US$65, checked November 2026.
Check datesMore from Dubai
Abu Dhabi Days with Open Dates
Day trips from Dubai to Abu Dhabi with live availability. Pickup zones, what is included and the cancellation terms show before you book.
Abu Dhabi Day Trip from Dubai: Questions
Which tour, the mosque's fee and hours, Fridays, what to wear, the price, the train, Qasr Al Watan and how long the day takes.
For a first visit, OceanAir Travels' From Dubai: Abu Dhabi Premium Full-Day Sightseeing Tour, from US$55 a person (checked November 2026): hotel pickup in Dubai, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with its ticket and a guided visit inside, and photo stops at the Corniche, Emirates Palace and the Louvre Abu Dhabi. That price is the option with mosque entry; Qasr Al Watan and the Etihad Towers deck are on its premium options. For the palace and deck on every option, OceanAir's palace-and-deck day is from US$85; for the mosque alone in 5 hours, OceanAir's half-day mosque tour is from US$49.
No. The mosque charges visitors AED 10 if they come from outside the UAE, AED 8 through a tour operator and AED 5 with an Emirates ID; worshippers enter free (the mosque's FAQ, checked November 2026). Many older pages still say it is free. OceanAir's days on this site include the mosque ticket in their price. See the Grand Mosque's rules, fee and hours.
Saturday to Thursday 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM, last entry 8:00 PM. On Friday visitors are let in from 9:00 to 11:30 AM and from 2:30 to 8:30 PM. Ramadan and the Eid holidays have their own hours, on the mosque's visiting-hours page (checked November 2026).
Loose clothes that cover arms and legs; women also cover their hair. The mosque's code of conduct asks women for clothes to the ankles, sleeves to the wrists and full hair coverage, and men preferably for long trousers and no sleeveless or tight tops. On OceanAir's tours women are lent an abaya and headscarf to hand back, and nothing is provided for men; shoulders, knees and tattoos have to be covered.
From US$55 a person on OceanAir's full day with mosque entry (checked November 2026). On its option picker the mosque option cost US$55 on 27 November, 11 and 21 December 2026 and on 20 January and 24 March 2027, but US$70 on 22 December 2026; the premium option with Qasr Al Watan and the Etihad Towers deck cost US$88 to 21 December and US$99 in January and March. See the Abu Dhabi day trip price.
Yes. Etihad Rail has run passenger trains between Dubai and Abu Dhabi since 30 September 2026, 70 minutes between its stations, with fares from AED 39 (Etihad Rail, checked November 2026). Dubai Station is at Jumeirah Golf Estates and Abu Dhabi Station in Mohamed Bin Zayed City, so you still need a taxi or bus to the sights at each end. See Dubai to Abu Dhabi by car, bus, train or tour.
Only the ones that include its ticket, and the palace sometimes closes. The premium options of OceanAir's full day and every option of its palace-and-deck day include entry; on those tours the palace may close without notice during presidential events, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi then replaces it. Guided tours are not allowed inside, so you walk it on your own. See the add-ons guide.
Five to ten hours. OceanAir's half-day mosque tour is 5 hours, its mosque-and-Louvre day 7 to 9, and the full day 9 hours on the mosque option and 10 on the premium one. The drive is 128 km by road from Burj Khalifa to the mosque, and the itineraries allow 1.5 hours each way.
Still have questions? Email us at info@abudhabidaytripfromdubai.com