Al Ain Day Trip from Abu Dhabi with Lunch

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Delve into Al Ain oasis on a full-day tour from Abu Dhabi. Aboard an air-conditioned coach, travel to the picturesque setting, which is backed by the Hajar Mountains and dubbed the UAE’s “Garden City.” Explore Al Ain National Museum and Sheikh Zayed Palace Museum; discover the traditional “falaj” water channels; and drive up Jebel Hafeet mountain for spectacular views. Visit a food market, camel racetrack and mountain springs, and finish with a buffet lunch at a 4-star hotel.

USD $109.00

Traveler Reviews

Review by:   Louisa M,    April 2018
Our tour was outstanding in every way. Our guide picked us up at our hotel. There were only 4 of us which allowed our guide to create the perfect tour. His knowledge of history and the most important areas to see was amazing. He even took the time to take us out into the beautiful desert and to see the camels being trained to race. I totally encourage anyone with an interest in touring this beautiful and fascinating place to book this tour.

Review by:   Julie S,    February 2018
This is a great tour because it's outside of the cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai....It seemed, in a sense, to be a more authentic experience because of the emphasis on the natural landscape - from the Oasis, to the dunes, to the climb up the mountain. You get a sense of how royalty lived pre-oil, or shortly after the discovery of oil with the visit to Sheikh Zayed's former home before he became president. And, if you have kids - they'll like it. I went alone with my kids who are 5 and 8.

Review by:   kellyfeng1987,    February 2018
There was not much to see at Al Ain. Beside this, everything else was great.

Review by:   maurizio s,    January 2018
This trip to a town very different from bustling Abu Dhabi is a must-do for anyone interested in having a look into the past of the country and into real Emirates. The tour reflects 100 listed in the programme, and the guide Tomy was very professional and informative, besides being fluent both in English and German. In the old palace of Al Ain can feel the flavour of a past gone forever, while the ethnographic section of the national museum is of great interest. The camel market is simply exciting, and the view from Jebel Hafeet is wonderful. The lunch provided plenty of delicious food. Maybe we would have loved to spend some more time at some location, but there are really lots of sightseeing in the programme, and we would also not have lost any of them. I take this opportunity to commend the driver of our bus who, after having dropped us at the hotel, at 10 pm drove back good 20 km to bring me back my mobile phone that I had inadvertently left in the bus: thank you once more, our kindness and honesty reflect great credit upon you and your agency, who was very helpful in getting me in touch with you. An highly recommended excursion!

Review by:   Carol F,    January 2018
Nizar transported 3 of us in a safe, timely, friendly, and informative manner to the sights, each better than the last. Be aware that the map and signage at the Oasis are not very explicit, the route is not straight like shown- get name and number of gate. The mountain drive is jaw dropping and the green bbq park gave me the oportunity to interact with an amazing family that offered to share their food after I complimented them on the aroma. And there is nothing more fun than interacting with hundreds of curious camels. Go.

Review by:   Suzan H,    January 2018
I had one day in Abu Dhabi to spare so signed up for this tour. Breathtaking fantastic day away from the main city. Small coach, only half full so not overcrowded, which was great. Saw a bit of the desert, the camels which were ever so cuddly, the fort and museum. Definitely a day for those wanting more culture rather than just mickey mouse style glam and glitz. Tour company was very organised and professional, kept me updated re pick up times and location and also answered my email queries very quickly within a few hours. Definitely recommend this one for anyone with a day to spare who is interested in the more traditional cultural side of the Emirates. I will be using this tour operator for more trips when I return in the future.

Review by:   Clive D,    December 2017
Good tour interesting facts about the Uae

Review by:   Anthony M,    November 2017
Great trip. Great guide who went the extra mile and who provided excellent commentary.

Review by:   ROBERT p,    November 2017
My first visit to Al Ain. Worth the trip guide was outstanding and very knowledgeable. There is a need to remind oneself that while the culture is old, permanent structures are younger than many would expect.

Review by:   Equipegt,    September 2017
This is a must do ,full day out brilliant guide ,lovely buffet lunch .stops for tea or coffee on way and back ,mountain views incredible

Review by:   arthur b,    August 2017
Interesting tour .... excellent guide and saw a lot of things in one day that I would not have seen on my own.

Review by:   Christine V,    July 2017
Not recommended. My tour guide is better described as a personal driver and did not speak English very well. He did not offer any interesting insights into the region and simply read off the signs along the road and in the museums as his contribution as a guide. He was often talking or texting on his phone leaving me alone to explore the sites by myself-- honestly a relief since it was clear he could not offer additional information that wasn't already provided by the museum signs. Hugely overpriced for what is offered: what you are paying for is round trip transportation and an average buffet-style lunch. The sites themselves are free and open to the public except the National Museum which costs 3 AED. Skip the hot springs: the water comes out of a pipe. The only real highlights are the camel and goat markets which is truly a fun, regional experience and a chance to interact with locals. Al Ain itself is worth a visit, just not with this tour. PS: I was the only one who booked for the day so I was alone on the trip and felt pressured by my guide to take photos with him. Uncomfortable...

Review by:   Moneeza K,    May 2017
Fantastic tour with a fantastic tour guide, really interesting and great to be shown around beautiful Al-Ain with someone so enthusiastic

Review by:   LENA D,    April 2017
This is a fantastic tour. Our driver and guide Mr K.Gafoor was excellent._br/_ He has shown us a lot and gave us a lot of explanation. AL AIN is definitely worth the visit and the viator tour is definitely high recommended. Thanks a lot to Mr K.Gafoor and the good organization of Viator !

Review by:   Karen M,    April 2017
Al Ain provided a nice break from Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It is a very long drive though. There were only 5 of us so we were in a van which didn't have the best air conditioning. Our guide was professional and knowledgeable if a bit bossy. Jebel Hafeet had some wonderful views but I wish we had done the museum visits first. After the long, hot day I was too tired to concentrate on the exhibits by the time we got there in the afternoon.

Review by:   Stephanie M,    April 2017
The weather was awful it was raining all day, therefore the indoor museum trip was great. The mountains looked stunning but full with clouds and rain and super cold and you weren't able to look down. Our group was Australian, American and British tourists and the tour guide didn't speak proper English unfortunately, we asked him questions and he gave us no answer or answers which didn't make any sense._br/_ Al Ain is definitely worth seeing and the palace, date plantation, mountains are interesting, but the overall tour experience could have been much nicer.

Review by:   Strawbs,    April 2017
Our family had a fantastic time on this tour. We were lucky enough to get private tour with Majeet, who was attentive, humorous and was able to share his extensive knowledge of UAE and Al Ain with us. Jabel Halfeet was amazing and inspiring. We would recommend this trip to anyone wanting a great day

Review by:   Cheryl C,    April 2017
Fantastic tour, very interesting, great views from Jabel Hafeet, magnificent buffet lunch, recommend

Review by:   Jones1465,    April 2017
This was a really nice day. The lunch was pretty good. The tour guide was excellent and spoke clearly. The SUV we were in was brand new and clean. No complaints at all and I highly recommend. Very nice way to spend a day in Abu Dhabi

Review by:   Erin P,    March 2017
My family and I had a wonderful time on the trip! The tour was well planned with convenient and interesting stops along the way. The knowledge of our tour guide was quite impressive and thorough. I would highly recommend this trip.

Review by:   Aubrey M,    February 2017
We enjoyed this tour very much. Our guide was excellent, lunch was very good, and the markets and camel racetrack unusual and interesting. I would have enjoyed a little more time at the museums, and it would have been okay to skip the climb up the sand dunes for a view.

Review by:   Duncan C,    February 2017
Tremendous tour, great guide, superb lunch.

Review by:   ERNESTO M,    February 2017
Great tour, excellent guide and driver. it is enjoyable to see the camel racing practice on the way to Al Ain and the camel market. Excellent lunch buffet . The greenery oasis of Al Aiin is something you don't expect to see in the desert. Overall we really like the trip and would recommend this to anyone.

Review by:   Annie S,    January 2017
nice visit to palace, oasis, desert, etc. It is something to do but not very exciting.

Review by:   Thalia W,    January 2017
Interesting trip....just not enough time at each stop!

Review by:   Lars R,    December 2016
Very nice guide Majid and interesting trip!!!

Review by:   Cheryl W,    November 2016
Good tour, quite long. Nice to pet the camels. I'd try to add one point of interest along the way back to Abu Dhabi and skip the hot spring. The drive back felt really long and tiring.

Review by:   Ana Carolina O,    November 2016
Very nice tour. The place is beautiful, the guide was kind, the lunch at the hotel was perfect!_br/_ Highly recommended.

Review by:   ARTEMIS P,    November 2016
Beautiful trip, a lot of history about Abu Dhabi Royal Family. Lovely.

Review by:   baboolalneil,    October 2016
LOVE the country,s rich history.LOVED it.Must do.

Review by:   R Jiro W,    October 2016
It was a comfortable ride in a minivan. However, the tour guide was more of a driver and didn't provide us with much insight or information. Al Ain was an interesting place, but there is not much need to travel there if you are in Abu Dhabi. There main reason I went on this trip was to see the natural oasis, which turns out not to be natural any more and the water is trucked. The lunch was an amazing hotel buffet, but it didn't give the feel of Arabia. I am sure if the tour operator was more interactive and made the tour more interesting, it could easly be 4 stars.

Review by:   Annmaree B,    October 2016
Great trip, drivers English could be better also he was always on his mobile phone even when driving._br/_ My companion got the same tour cheaper by booking via phone in Abu Dhabi, than I got buying via viator, disappointed

Review by:   Marilyn B,    July 2016
Nice tour with a great lunch! The guide should be a bit better in english.

Review by:   b.ballingall,    June 2016
Great trip. Very surprised by the rocky, mountainous terrain out of Al Ain. The driver was extremely hard to understand because of his very strong accent.

Review by:   Charles B,    May 2016
Excellent tour that not only takes one to great sights but also provides wonderful history of this area.

Review by:   Roger G,    May 2016
This tour was excellent. Everything worked well and guide Majid did a very good job. We had a one day stopover and this tour gave us a comprehensive introduction to Abu Dhabi.

Review by:   Casey B,    April 2016
My wife and I were lucky enough to be only ones on the tour, so received a rare VIP experience in the AUE. Good introduction to some of the more normal lifestyles of Emirates citizens, including visiting the same places they go for their own short breaks. Worth it for the unusual mountain formations alone. Would recommend

Review by:   travel,    April 2016
Worth the money. Great tour guide!

Review by:   travel,    April 2016
Excellent tour guide, enthusiastic, knowledgable at a steady pace.

Review by:   Judith G,    March 2016
If you have only a full day to spend in Abu Dhabi, this is the way to go.

Review by:   Michela P,    February 2016
Giornata molto piacevole, paesaggi da sogno e buon cibo. La guida era molto preparata e il ritmo del tour sostenibile e rilassante. Vedere il confine con l'Oman e le montagne ci ha donato grandi emozioni.

Review by:   Gottlieb J,    January 2016
It was a great day out with a lot to see. Good tour guide. Excellent food.

Review by:   Dee,    December 2015
Excellent! I was very fortunate to have Rodney as my driver/ guide and he was brilliant! His knowledge was extensive and he made it a relaxing, interesting and informative day. Al Ain and Jabel Hafeet are wonderful places and make the 1.5 hour journey from Abu Dhabi definitely worthwhile. The lunch at the Alya Hotel was amazing as was the view over Oman/Al Ain from the top of Jabel Hafeet.

Review by:   evelynm001,    November 2015
Excellent day out fabulous English speaking guide who was very informative. Excellent lunch.

Review by:   richardgravells,    November 2015
This tour was 'Superb', the guide picked us up on time and with only 2 people on the tour it was very personal. The camal racetrack was an eye opener along with the museums and camal markets. The inclusive lunch was brilliant as well at a 5 star hotel. The mountains provided spectacular views, I can't recommend this tour enough if you want to get out and see the real UAE.

Review by:   Suzanne,    October 2015
It was a great experience, the driver/guide was very knowledgable and informative although it was a long day it was very enjoyable

Review by:   Robyn E,    October 2015
We had a great day, our guide Sahad was very knowledgeable and informative.

All Traveler Reviews...