Most of the tour companies have multilingual tour guides and packages can be tailor-made for customers. You will be picked up from your hotel and transport is usually either by well-equipped four-wheel drive vehicles or small minibus.
We have listed some of the more popular operators and scheduled trips below, however you will need to contact the individual operators to obtain information on all they have to offer. It is a good idea to book a few days in advance. Prices are for adults, discounts are usually given for children.
Adventure Unlimited of Al Ain (03 7687458) runs trips into the wadis of the Hajar Mountains, climbing, camel safaris, potholing in Jebel Hafit and four-wheel-drive desert excursions.
Al Ain Camel Safaris (03 7688066), Hilton Hotel, Al Ain organizes excursions into the desert, including overnight trips, wadi bashing etc. Camel rides are a speciality.
Alpha Tours (04 2949888)
Website: www.alphatoursdubai.com
Hotel reservations, visa arrangements, incentive and special interest groups, city tours, desert and mountain safaris. Tours of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, creek cruises, desert safaris etc.
Arab Link (04 2689555)
Website: www.arablinkdubai.com
Hotel reservations, safari and sightseeing trips, complete holiday packages, conference and business travel arrangements, including car rental.
Arabian Adventures (04 3439966)
Website: www.arabian-adventures.com
Email: arabian.adventures@emirates.com
Operated by Emirates Airlines, Arabian Adventures have offices in Dubai (04 343 9966/3034888 and Abu Dhabi (02 6338111). They provide a total travel service – planning, hotel bookings, scheduled excursions and safaris. incentive packages etc. sporting, entertainment and outdoor activities. They can tailor a package to suit the requirements of an individual or a group, big or small, no matter what your interest. Seven-day operation with 24-hour help-line and 365 day reservation system.
Arabian Dream Tours (04 2274255)
Blue Dolphin Company LLC, Intercontinental Hotel (02 6666888) runs hour-long trips on a traditional Arab dhow from the Breakwater in Abu Dhabi. You can also hire a traditional dhow to take you further afield during the day.
Coastline Leisure (04 3984867) runs one-hour guided tours of Dubai Creek on a traditional dhow. The tours start at 11.30 p.m. and are at two-hourly intervals thereafter. Costs are Dh 35 for adults and Dh 20 for children.
Danat Dubai (04 3511117) have a number of cruises on offer on their 34m catamaran ranging from a Sharjah heritage cruise on Tuesdays and Saturdays, commencing at 9 a.m. for Dh250; Sharjah lunch cruise departing from Sharjah creek at 1.30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Saturdays for Dh130; and a trip by sea from Sharjah to Dubai commencing at 3.15 p.m. on Tuesdays and Saturdays for Dh50.
Desert Adventures Tourism (04 2242800)
Website: www.desertadventures.com
Visa Handling, Hotel Reservation, sightseeing tours, adventure safaris, car rental, incentive and group travel, Oman trips.
Desert Rangers (04 3453091) caters for the less conventional tourist. Visit the archaeological sites in Ra’s al-Khaimah, explore Hatta rock pools or take a canoe trip around the mangrove stands at Khor Kalba.
East Coast Outdoor Activities – in conjunction with North Star (050 6499858)
Email: janedoran@hotmail.com
Based in Fujairah and offers guided outdoor activities, including as mountain biking.
Hobby Holidays of Dubai (Colin Richardson 04 3472277)
Email: olinr@emirates.net.ae
Colin Richardson runs bird-watching tours in the UAE. He organizes and leads day (and half-day) birding tours, offering a choice of three tours, which take in a variety of places and habitats, enabling the business or holiday visitor to see up to 90 bird species in one day.
Net Tours (Abu Dhabi 02 6794656; Dubai 04 2668661)
Email: netmerry@emirates.net.ae
Net Tours has an office on Khalifa St opposite the Sheraton in Abu Dhabi. One of the largest and oldest ground operators in the UAE, it has a large fleet of 4WDs and operates its own dhows. Net provides visas, transfers, hotels, daily tours, desert safaris, incentive packages, and conferences ad exhibitions. Can provide groups with complete itineraries for trips to the UAE.
North Tours (04 2737474) organizes tours for visitors with special needs. Customized vehicles and specially trained staff are used. Itineraries are drawn up to ensure access.
Offroad Emirates (02 6333232)
Email: offroad@emirates.net.ae
Offroad Emirates specializes in cultural adventure tours throughout the UAE, either day outings or much longer trips. Self-drive is an option or you can opt for an experienced driver.
Orient Tours (Dubai 04 828238 and Sharjah 06 5682323) runs an evening cruise on the Dubai creek for Dh210, departing daily at 8.30 p.m. Desert trips, including camel riding and sandboarding, barbecue and belly dancing for Dh260, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, departing 3.30 p.m. Trip to Hatta, Dh260, inclusive of picnic lunch, Saturday to Wednesday, departing 8 a.m., Souqs and heritage centres in Sharjah, highlights of Abu Dhabi, Liwa Oasis. You can also experience a 40-minute air tour of Dubai for Dh250. This takes place every day. Orient tours Ra’s al-Khaimah and Umm al-Qaiwain from Dubai and Sharjah on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for Dh175.
Orient Tours departs from Dubai for Liwa Oasis on Mondays at 6.30 a.m.Dh395.runs a tour of Al Ain, commencing in Dubai, Thursdays only 8 a.m.–5.p.m., Dh85.
Ra’s al-Khaimah National Travel Agency (RANTA 07 2287536)
RMMI Travel Centre, (07 2284312)
Email: travelmmi@mmi.co.ae
Located on Oman St., Al Nakheel, Ra’s al-Khaimah.
Seascope semi-submersible at diving village in Shindagha offers 45-minute cruises of the coast.
Seven Seas Tours, Sheikh Zayed Road, Sharjah (06 5670760)
Website: www.seastravel.com
Email: seastour@emirates.net.ae
Sharjah Airport Travel Agency (SATA 06 5684411)
Website: www.shj-airport.gov.ae
SATA organizes Sharjah classical city tours, tours of the East Coast including Dibba, Khor Fakkan, Fujairah and Kalba, the market at Masafi and Al Dhaid; desert and mountain safaris, and dinner cruises.
Sharjah National Tourist and Transport Authority (SNTTA, 5684411). SNNTTA has an office on Al-Arouba Rd. and runs tours of Dubai, every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoon for Dh100. Illuminated dhow dinner cruise in Dubai Creek, Monday and Thursday evenings, Dh225. Dinner in the dunes every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings for Dh240. Cultural tours of Sharjah and Ajman every Sunday morning for Dh100. Camel races every Friday afternoon for Dh75.Tours of ancient sea ports every Wednesday for Dh160.
An overnight safari in the desert for Dh455. See www.sharjah-welcome.com for more details.
Sunshine Tours (02 4449914)
Website: www.adnh.com
Email: abusun@emirates.net.ae. Operated by Abu Dhabi National, Hotels Corporation, Sunshine Tours can handle all of your incoming needs in the UAE. Meet and assist, visa arrangements, city tours, shopping trips, museum excursions, desert safaris, cruises in modern yachts or traditional dhows, diving and golf or any specialist activity ‘from art or archaeology to ornithology or yoga’. Sunshine Tours have a desk in the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi.
Voyagers Xtreme, Dune Centre, Satwa (04 3455770; www.privatravel.com) organizes adventurous activities throughout the Emirates.
