Private Old Dubai Walking Tour: Forts, Souks, and Boats
Description
Journey with us on this private two-hour walking tour to explore the city as you have never seen it. We will guide you through the middle east markets, traditional houses, and historic by lanes of the old city. You will go back in time to see what life was like on the sleepy banks of a pearling and fishing village. The tour includes a visit to a Fort, a boat ride across the creek, and visits to the famous textile, spice and gold souks (markets). Along the way, you will hear the story of the men and women who transformed this regional trading outpost into the global juggernaut that it is today. Elements of Emirati culture will be seen up-close as we explained the nuanced ways that the traditions still thrive. Far away from the glass skyscrapers of modern Dubai, this tour will introduce you to the real, and fascinating, heart and soul of the town. You simply cannot miss this side of Dubai!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Featuring heritages homes transformed into cafes, museums, art galleries and hotels - a close look at Dubai's first settlement
Dubai Museum is currently closed for renovation. We will understand the museum, the wall of Old Dubai and the Al Fahidi Fort from the outside.
A hidden gem in Old Dubai - a tucked in temple lane
Discover fabrics and swatches initially forming the core of the trade in the middle east - there is always time for shopping! Cashmere, anyone!
This boat ride is the most fun way to arrive at the Spice and the Gold Souq on our tours
Go Big or Go Home is the motto of our expansive Gold Souq in Dubai
Here is where we learn about the kinds of spices, saffron and vanilla, be wowed by the range of teas and taste some dates and camel milk chocolates!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(125)
Wonderful, informative tour with Francesca. Booking, paying, and communication with Trip Advisor were all easy. Definitely feel like I've seen Old Dubai and learned a lot about the traditions, culture, and life since eaerly 1800's. Highly recommend!
We loved the Old Dubai walking tour with Ricky. It was the perfect length for our family with pre-teen kids, and the pace kept everyone engaged without feeling rushed. Ricky was extremely knowledgeable and shared lots of interesting history and local insights. All entry fees were included, which made the experience very easy. Be sure to bring some cash for tipping and any purchases along the way. The local restaurant recommendation was fabulous and a real highlight of the day. Highly recommend for families wanting to explore Old Dubai.
Our guide Ricardo was amazing! Extremely knowledgeable and took his time with us throughout the tour. It was fantastic to hear about the local traditions and he helped us navigate the souks brilliantly. Thank you!
Great tour of old Dubai, the textile souk, spice souk, and the gold souk! Pri was amazing and very warm. We had great conversations and learned about Dubai. She also helped us with some purchases to make sure we got good prices. Highly recommended and would be happy to do more tours with Pri!
Lovely morning out! Pri was equally great with the kids and adults. Learnt a lot about Dubai’s rich history and heritage.
This private walking tour was the absolute highlight of our trip to Dubai. If you want to see the authentic, historical soul of the city, you must do this! Ricardo was incredible—so knowledgeable and passionate about the history. Because it was a private tour, we could go at our own pace, ask tons of questions, and get a truly personalized experience. We loved stepping back in time while walking through the beautiful old alleyways and seeing the historic forts. But the best part was the two most "classic" Dubai experiences: riding a traditional Abra boat across the Dubai Creek and exploring the bustling souks. The sights, sounds, and smells of the Spice Souk and the dazzling Gold Souk were unforgettable. I can't recommend this tour enough. It's an immersive, fascinating, and fun way to see a side of Dubai that many visitors miss. Five stars!
Pri is the best tour guide! She really made it a lot of fun and is very knowledgeable. Everyone we met during this tour was so hospitable and polite. We loved the private boat tour across the ocean water. Beautiful! This was our favorite excursion. 😊
We enjoyed every moment of our tour despite the summer heat! Our guide Ricky made the tour both interesting and fun. Thanks to his valuable insights and historical context, he brought Dubai's past to life and gave us an excellent understanding of Dubai's evolution from a small pearl diving port to the modern city it has become. The tour was well paced and covered a lot in a short amount of time. This tour should be the first stop on any first time visitors' trip to Dubai!
Thank you so much for this wonderful 5-star review! We're thrilled that Ricky was able to bring Dubai's fascinating history to life for you and provide such valuable insights into our city's incredible transformation from a pearl diving village to the modern metropolis you see today. Your recommendation means the world to us, and we're delighted that despite the summer heat, you found the tour well-paced and engaging - we'll be sure to pass along your kind words to Ricky!
Francesca was fantastic! She was so welcoming and knowledgeable. We learned so much and she was so great with our kids. They had a wonderful time too which is never easy on a tour. We highly recommend taking this tour with your family to Learn about the history and culture of the city. This was a great activity to start our first day in Dubai.
Thank you for this wonderful 5-star review! We're so happy that Francesca was able to make the tour both educational and family-friendly - it's always special when we can engage both adults and children with Dubai's rich history and culture. Your recommendation for families means everything to us, and we're thrilled that this tour provided the perfect introduction to Dubai on your first day!
We had a great trip with Fawzy. The tour guide was very well informed and has responded flexibly to our wishes. We'll be back!
