7-Day UAE Itinerary: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the Northern Emirates

Seven days in the UAE gives you room to go beyond the Dubai–Abu Dhabi circuit and see why the northern emirates attract a different kind of visitor entirely. Ras Al Khaimah has the country’s highest peak and the fastest zip line in the world. Fujairah sits on the Gulf of Oman — a different sea, different coastline, and some of the UAE’s best snorkelling. Sharjah is 20 minutes from Dubai by taxi and has the best cultural museums in the country.

This itinerary is structured as: Days 1–3 Dubai, Day 4 Sharjah, Days 5–6 Abu Dhabi, Day 7 Ras Al Khaimah or Fujairah.

Budget Tiers (Per Day, Per Person)

Tier	Accommodation	Food	Activities & Transport	Daily Total
Budget	AED 220–300	AED 80–150	AED 150–300	AED 450–750
Mid-range	AED 400–650	AED 200–350	AED 300–500	AED 900–1,500
Luxury	AED 2,000–5,000	AED 500–1,000	AED 500–1,500	AED 3,000–7,500

---

Accommodation

Dubai (Nights 1–3)

Budget — Premier Inn Dubai Airport (approximately AED 280/night): Metro-connected, clean, no-nonsense. Well-suited for travellers who are out most of the day.

Mid-range — Rove Downtown (approximately AED 450/night): Central location, stylish rooms, easy walking distance to Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa area.

Luxury — Four Seasons DIFC (approximately AED 2,500/night): Excellent service, quieter than the resort-strip hotels, strong restaurant, and a short taxi ride from most sites.

Abu Dhabi (Nights 5–6)

Budget — Premier Inn Abu Dhabi Capital Centre (approximately AED 250/night): Near the exhibition district, 25 minutes from the Corniche by taxi.

Mid-range — Traders Hotel by Shangri-La (approximately AED 550/night): On the Corniche waterfront, good pool, reliable service.

Luxury — Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental (approximately AED 3,800/night): The defining Abu Dhabi property — beachfront, extraordinary scale, gold-cappuccino on the menu.

Ras Al Khaimah (Night 7 — optional overnight)

Mid-range — DoubleTree by Hilton Marjan Island (approximately AED 500/night): Beach resort on a man-made island in RAK, well-reviewed, good value by UAE standards.

Luxury — Anantara Mina Al Arab (approximately AED 2,200/night): Beachfront eco-resort with mangrove views, one of the quieter luxury properties in the country.

---

Day 1 — Old Dubai: Creek, Souks, Al Fahidi

The historic north of Dubai — Deira and Bur Dubai — is the best introduction to what the city was before oil. Start before 10am.

Gold Souk and Spice Souk (Deira): The Gold Souk’s covered lanes hold hundreds of jewellers operating on the day’s per-gram gold price. The Spice Souk, five minutes away, sells frankincense, saffron, and rose water. Allow 45–60 minutes combined.

Creek crossing by Abra: The traditional wooden water taxis cross Dubai Creek from Deira to Bur Dubai for approximately AED 1 (cash only). The 5-minute crossing gives clean views of both banks.

Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood: Preserved wind-tower houses from the late 1800s. The Dubai Museum inside Al Fahidi Fort charges approximately AED 3. Allow 1–1.5 hours.

Lunch: Ravi Restaurant (Satwa, Pakistani, approximately AED 30–60) or Al Ustad Special Kabab (Bur Dubai, Iranian grills, approximately AED 35–65).

Evening: Al Seef promenade along the Creek at dusk. Dinner at Arabian Tea House — courtyard setting, mezze, approximately AED 80–150 per person.

---

Day 2 — Downtown: Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Fountain

Morning (early): Burj Khalifa. Book At the Top tickets online in advance — from approximately AED 149 for Level 124. Opens at 8am; early entry avoids queues and haze.

Midday: Dubai Mall. The aquarium (approximately AED 150–220) is the main paid attraction inside. Browse the rest freely — the dinosaur skeleton in the atrium and the indoor waterfall are free to view.

Lunch: The Noodle House (approximately AED 80–130) or Comptoir 102 in DIFC (approximately AED 100–180).

Evening: Dubai Fountain. Shows run every 30 minutes from 6pm. Watch from the boardwalk (free) or from an Abra fountain tour (approximately AED 25).

Dinner: Zuma Dubai (Japanese robatayaki, approximately AED 300–500 with drinks, book ahead) or Thiptara at the Palace Downtown for Thai food with fountain views (approximately AED 250–400).

---

Day 3 — Desert Safari and Dubai Marina

Afternoon: Desert safari. Half-day safaris depart hotels around 3pm and return by 9–10pm. Morning versions (8am–1pm) suit cooler months and photography.

• Budget group: approximately AED 150–200 per person
• Mid-range private: approximately AED 350–600 per person
• Luxury (Platinum Heritage vintage Land Rovers): approximately AED 900–1,400 per person

Evening: Dubai Marina. The 7km Marina Walk promenade is best after 6pm. Pier 7 (Dubai Marina Mall) has seven restaurant floors at varying price points — approximately AED 120–250 per person.

---

Day 4 — Sharjah: Museums and the Blue Souk

Sharjah sits 20–30 minutes north of Dubai by taxi (approximately AED 50–70). It’s the third-largest emirate by population and the cultural capital of the UAE — Sharjah has more museums per capita than anywhere else in the country, most of them free or low-cost.

Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization: Free entry (as of 2026). Covers Islamic art, science, and history across 5,000 artefacts from the 7th century onwards. Allow 90 minutes.

Sharjah Heritage Area and Heart of Sharjah: The restored old city district around the Creek — similar in concept to Al Fahidi but larger and less touristed. The Sharjah Art Museum (free) and the Bait Al Naboodah heritage house (approximately AED 5) are both worth seeing.

Blue Souk (Central Souk): Sharjah’s main covered market — a distinctive blue-tiled building near the waterfront. Carpets, antiques, handicrafts, and gold. More relaxed bargaining atmosphere than Dubai.

Lunch: Restaurants in the Heart of Sharjah area serve Emirati and Lebanese food — approximately AED 40–90 per person.

Return to Dubai: Taxi approximately AED 50–70. Alternatively, explore Sharjah’s waterfront (Al Majaz Waterfront) in the evening before returning.

---

Day 5 — Travel to Abu Dhabi + Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Morning: Travel to Abu Dhabi.

Option	Cost	Duration
Bus (E102 from Ibn Battuta Mall)	AED 25	1.5–2 hours
Taxi / Uber	AED 250–300	1.5 hours

Afternoon: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

One of the largest mosques in the world, and the most visited site in Abu Dhabi. Free entry for non-Muslim visitors (closed Friday morning for prayers). Dress code strictly enforced; abayas provided free at the entrance. The main prayer hall carpet is hand-knotted and the largest in the world. Allow at least 90 minutes — more if you want to photograph properly.

Best light: late afternoon before sunset when the white marble turns warm gold. The night illumination is also worth seeing, so consider timing your arrival for late afternoon and staying through.

Dinner: Byblos Sur Mer (Lebanese seafood, approximately AED 200–350 per person) or Al Mezza at the Emirates Palace complex (Emirati and Lebanese, approximately AED 180–320).

---

Day 6 — Louvre Abu Dhabi, Corniche, Qasr Al Watan

Morning: Louvre Abu Dhabi (Saadiyat Island).

Entry approximately AED 63 adults (free under 13). Jean Nouvel’s perforated dome building is architecturally notable — the rain of light effect inside is one of the design highlights. The permanent collection covers 23 galleries, deliberately cross-cultural in framing. Allow 2–3 hours.

Lunch: Fouquet’s Abu Dhabi inside the Louvre complex (French café, approximately AED 150–280) or take a taxi to the Corniche for lighter options.

Afternoon: Qasr Al Watan (Presidential Palace).

Open to the public — one of the more unusual attractions in the region. The palace interior shows UAE statecraft through its library, ceremonial halls, and armoury displays. Entry approximately AED 60 adults. Allow 90 minutes.

Evening: Abu Dhabi Corniche.

The 8km waterfront promenade. Bike hire approximately AED 30–50 per hour. Corniche Beach entry approximately AED 10–20.

Dinner: Terrace on the Corniche at the St. Regis — mezze and grills with Gulf views, approximately AED 200–350 per person.

---

Day 7 — Ras Al Khaimah or Fujairah

For the final day, choose between two different experiences in the northern emirates:

Option A: Ras Al Khaimah — Jebel Jais and the Mountain Road

RAK is 90 minutes north of Dubai by taxi or hire car (approximately AED 200–250 for the taxi ride). The Jebel Jais mountain road climbs to 1,934 metres — the highest point in the UAE — through a landscape of stark Hajar Mountains that feels nothing like the rest of the country.

Jebel Jais Flight (Zip Line): The world’s longest zip line as of 2026, 2.83km at up to 150km/h. Entry approximately AED 699 per person. Book well in advance — sells out in high season. The viewing platform at the top is free to access.

RAK old town and waterfront: The historic fishing town around the creek is worth 1–2 hours. The Dhayah Fort (free entry) on a rocky outcrop north of the city offers wide views.

Option B: Fujairah — East Coast Beaches and Snorkelling

Fujairah sits on the Gulf of Oman — different sea, calmer waters, and better snorkelling than the Arabian Gulf side. Drive time from Dubai: approximately 1.5–2 hours.

Snoopy Island (near Sandy Beach Hotel): The best snorkelling spot on the east coast. The island is a short swim or kayak from shore. Sandy Beach Hotel charges approximately AED 75–100 day-use for beach and facilities access. Snorkel hire approximately AED 30.

Fujairah Fort: Built in the 16th century, it’s the oldest fort in the UAE. Entry approximately AED 5. The views from the battlements cover the old town and the Hajar Mountains rising immediately behind.

Khor Fakkan waterfront: The neighbouring enclave (technically part of Sharjah on the east coast) has a clean, well-maintained Corniche and is one of the more pleasant coastal towns in the northern emirates.

---

Inter-Emirate Transport Summary

Route	Method	Approximate Cost	Time
Dubai → Sharjah	Taxi	AED 50–70	20–40 min
Dubai → Abu Dhabi	Bus E102	AED 25	1.5–2 hrs
Dubai → Abu Dhabi	Taxi	AED 250–300	1.5 hrs
Dubai → Ras Al Khaimah	Taxi	AED 200–250	90 min
Dubai → Fujairah	Taxi / Hire car	AED 180–220	1.5–2 hrs
Hire car (daily)	Rental	AED 150–300	—

Practical Notes

Visa: Citizens of approximately 90 countries receive a free 30-day entry on arrival (extendable to 60 days). Always verify your specific passport’s eligibility before booking.

Currency: UAE Dirham (AED), pegged to USD at approximately 3.67. Widely accepted cards — contactless payments work everywhere. Cash useful for Abra taxis, smaller souks, and smaller northern emirate shops.

Dress code: Conservative in mosques and heritage areas (shoulders and knees covered). Beachwear only at beaches. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are relaxed by Gulf standards; Sharjah has stricter public dress expectations.

Best travel months: October to April. May to September brings extreme heat (37–45°C) though hotels discount significantly.