Day trips from Dubai
Most of the UAE is within a day's reach of Dubai, and the Musandam peninsula in Oman is too if you start early. You can join a guided trip with hotel pickup to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain or the east coast, or drive yourself to Hatta or Jebel Jais and book an activity there. The destinations differ a lot in drive time, so check how much of the day you will spend on the road.
At a glance
- Prices
- From AED 60 to AED 399, across 20 tours listed here. Day Trips from Dubai price guide
- Price range
- Guided trips with transport from Dubai from AED 220 to AED 399 per adult; activities you travel to yourself start from AED 60 (Hatta kayak) to AED 399 (Jais Flight zipline), among the tours listed, checked 29 September 2026 (tours without a dirham price excluded)
- Drive time from Dubai
- About 30 minutes to Sharjah, 90 minutes to Abu Dhabi's Grand Mosque and to Hatta, two hours to Jebel Jais, about 3.5 hours to Khasab
- Length of day
- From about 5 hours (Grand Mosque half day) to 10 hours or more (Al Ain, the east coast, Musandam)
- Passport
- Needed for Musandam, which is in Oman; Khasab Sea Tours lists an AED 35 UAE exit fee and an OMR 5 visa fee where it applies
- No AED price published
- Emessa Tourism's Sharjah, Al Ain and east coast tours (quote only) and the Sharjah hop-on hop-off bus (priced in other currencies)
We don’t sell tickets or tours. Prices and details come from the operators’ and venues’ own websites, with the date we checked them. How we work
Filters
Hatta Sign mountain hike (Hatta Adventures)
from AED 60
Jais Flight zipline on Jebel Jais, Ras Al Khaimah
from AED 399
Fujairah and east coast tour from Dubai (Suncity)
from AED 399
Day trip destinations compared (prices checked on the operators' websites, 29 September 2026)
| Destination | Kind of trip | Time from Dubai | Transport from Dubai | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi | Guided sightseeing: Grand Mosque, Louvre, Qasr Al Watan | About 90 minutes each way | Included | AED 220 (half day) |
| Sharjah | Museums, souks and waterfront, by coach or hop-on hop-off bus | About 30 minutes | Included on the Emessa tour; not on the bus | Quote only |
| Al Ain | Oasis, forts, camel market and Jebel Hafeet | About 10-hour day | Included | Quote only |
| Fujairah and the east coast | Forts, Al Bidya Mosque, beaches, Friday Market | 7- to 10-hour day | Included | AED 399 (Suncity, minimum four) |
| Hatta | Kayaking, hiking and biking in the mountains | About 90 minutes | Not included | AED 60 (kayak) |
| Jebel Jais, Ras Al Khaimah | Ziplines, via ferrata, survival course | About two hours | Not included | AED 325 (via ferrata) |
| Musandam, Oman | Dhow cruise with swimming and snorkelling | Dibba trip listed at up to 15 hours in total; Khasab about 3.5 hours' drive | Included on the Dibba trip; extra for Khasab | AED 124 (Khasab half day) |
What to expect
Guided trips collect you from your hotel in the morning and bring you back in the evening, so a large part of the day is spent in the vehicle. On OceanAir's Abu Dhabi day trip, the nine hours include the drive both ways, about two hours at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and about two hours in the Louvre Abu Dhabi, where you explore without a guide. Entry tickets are included on the OceanAir trips; lunch usually is not.
For Hatta and Jebel Jais you normally drive yourself and book an activity on the spot. Hatta can also be reached by the RTA Hatta Express bus from the Dubai Mall bus station in about 90 minutes. The Jebel Jais road is paved, so you do not need a 4x4.
How to choose
- Culture in half a day: the Grand Mosque half-day trip takes about five hours and costs AED 220.
- More of Abu Dhabi: the premium day trip adds tickets for Qasr Al Watan and the Etihad Towers observation deck. Suncity's private tour adds a photo stop at Ferrari World, without ride tickets.
- Mountains and water: rent a kayak on Hatta Dam for an unlimited ride, or combine a hike, a bike ride and kayaking on the Do It All route.
- Adrenaline: the Jais Flight zipline runs 2.83 km across the canyons of the UAE's highest mountain; the Jais Sky Tour is a slower circuit of six lines.
- Sea and fjords: the Dibba dhow cruise includes transfers and a buffet lunch; the Khasab cruise goes deeper into the fjords but you have to get to Khasab.
- The east coast: Suncity's tour includes Snoopy Island and Dibba; Emessa's adds the Fujairah Museum and more time in Khorfakkan.
Practical tips
- Dress for mosques: women need loose clothes covering arms, legs and hair, and men must cover shoulders and knees. OceanAir lends no clothes to men.
- For Musandam, carry your original passport and check the entry rules for your nationality. Self-drivers need the car's registration card, Oman insurance and, for a rental car, a no-objection letter.
- Jebel Jais activities close in bad weather and out of season. When checked, the booking calendar showed some of them closed until mid-October 2026.
- Jebel Jais and Hatta have age and weight limits: the Sky Tour takes riders of 40–100 kg and the via ferrata 40–110 kg, and several Hatta hikes are for ages 16 and over.
- Emessa Tourism's tours do not run on Fridays and need at least three people.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a day trip from Dubai cost?
Among the priced trips listed here, guided trips with transport from Dubai cost from AED 220 (Grand Mosque half day) to AED 399 per adult, checked on 29 September 2026. Starting prices for activities you travel to yourself run from AED 60 for a kayak at Hatta Dam to AED 399 for a daytime ride on the Jais Flight zipline.
Can I visit Abu Dhabi in a day from Dubai?
Yes. The drive to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque takes about 90 minutes each way. OceanAir runs a five-hour mosque trip and nine-hour full-day trips that add the Louvre Abu Dhabi or Qasr Al Watan and Etihad Towers.
Do I need a passport for a Musandam trip?
Yes. Dibba harbour and Khasab are on the Oman side of the border. Khasab Sea Tours lists an AED 35 UAE exit fee and an OMR 5 Oman visa fee for nationalities that need one.
How do I get to Hatta without a car?
The RTA Hatta Express bus (H02) runs from the Dubai Mall bus station to Hatta in about 90 minutes. From Hatta bus station you continue by local bus or taxi.
When is the best time for Jebel Jais?
The official Jebel Jais site names October to April as the best season. Winter days on the mountain can be cold and windy, and activities close in bad weather.