Although a relatively new city, Dubai enjoys a rich heritage with a history that goes as far back as the Bronze Age. Take this journey with us back in time and explore the roots of this country. Visiting Bastakiya and its narrow lanes is an experience you will never forget. A ride on a lovely little abra will transport you to the busy market area with the famous Gold and Spice Souks. From here, you will move on to see Jumeirah Mosque, to admire the 8th-century Islamic architecture.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 12.
Enjoy a unique half-day tour of Dubai, exploring its old neighborhoods as well as some of the more traditional bazaars and souks. Following a pick-up from your hotel or cruise ship, transfer to experience a magnificent view of Dubai Creek, passing through the heritage area of Bastakiya. See the charming wind-tower houses built by the wealthy merchants of old Dubai. Continue to Al Fahidi Fort, the city’s oldest building and now home to Dubai Museum. See some of the city’s archives and exhibits that chronicle the development of the city. Next, climb aboard a traditional wooden abra water taxi and cross Dubai Creek to the Spice Market and Gold Souk. Soak up the scent of exotic spices, and see some of the best jewelry in town. Watch a private fashion show at Treasure House, with free time after to examine the leather goods and exclusive jewelry. Continue to the Women’s Museum to learn about the role of women in the UAE, past and present. Re-board your transfer vehicle and drive to Jumeirah Mosque for a photo opportunity outside one of Dubai’s most important landmarks. End with a drive past the ultra-luxury and ultra-contemporary Burj Al Arab to compare and contrast old and new, traditional and modern Dubai.
ALL Dubai Hotels/ Dubai Port
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
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For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Old Dubai Gold Souk and Water Taxi lasts about 4 hours. The itinerary has 4 stops.
Prices start at $45 per person for this Dubai experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, starting at 8:30 AM.
Children aged 0–11 pay from $30, adults from $45.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Yes, pickup is offered. ALL Dubai Hotels/ Dubai Port Pickup points include DoubleTree by Hilton Sharjah Waterfront Hotel & Residences, Le Wana Hotel.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 25 participants.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Specialized infant seats are available Water Taxi not wheelchair accessible and infants required to sit on laps.
Wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
We had an amazing trip, visiting the Mosque was a really insightful and experiencing the souk was memorable. Roman our guide was extremely knowledgeable and able to answer any questions with real depth of knowledge. Fantastic experience.
The activities described in our program were not all carried out despite the great professionalism of our guide who was at the top
We had an amazing experience exploring old Dubai with our guide, Ahmed Magdy! He was knowledgeable and friendly, making our visit to the Gold Souk and water taxi ride truly memorable. The stop at Burj Al Arab was breathtaking, and the beautiful mosque added a serene touch to our day. Ahmed’s guidance made this tour unforgettable! Also many thanks to our driver who made the journey nice and smooth.
As a previous review say, you buy mostly with the eyes. Vendors are relentless, does not stop after the words "no thanks" It is just the way it is. Gold to me looked too shiny to be real, but according to various websites, it is real gold. I'm still not convinced. Trip with water taxi was cheap and quick. The wait in the que can get a bit long. all and all a great day out.
Make sure you have 1 dinar for the driver. You can also buy your ticket from the courter. It is the easiest way to get around from one souk to another souk. I enjoyed the ride. It was quite hot waiting, so make sure slap on your sun screen.
If you happen to be in Dubai with time on your hands, then I would recommend a visit, but no necessarily with a view to buy. The negotiations would be too draining!
The river taxi is a convenient way to cross the water from the older part of Dubai to the gold souk and spice area. It wasn't a luxury trip but it felt safe, functional and only took about five minutes. Much more preferable than arriving by road vehicle as the traffic by the souks was awful. A constant traffic jam.
Dear Valued guest, Greetings from Desert Gate! We are sorry to hear about the negative experience you had. Please note that your concern is very important for us and would like to further look into this matter. Kindly share with us your contact details and our team will reach out to you as soon as possible. Best regards, Desert Gate Tourism.
The tour guide was quite knowledgeable and catered for a variety of different languages. The offering was well priced and presented excellent value.
Dear valued guest, Greetings from Desert Gate! Thank you for sharing your feedback. We are delighted to hear that you had a great time and were satisfied with your desert safari experience with us. Rest assured that we will convey your generous feedback to the desert gate team and your compliment on Shams for his service. Do share your experience with your family and friends visiting UAE. We hope to see you again soon. Best regards. Desert Gate Tourism
The tour guide was very informative and friendly. The only downside was the shop at the souk he took us to - they took us for a ride price wise - a typical High pressure act Quico busy busy sales experience. But everything else was amazing!
Dear Dona, Greetings from Desert Gate! We're glad to hear that you had a great experience with our tour guide. Thank you for telling us about the shop and we'll make sure to let our team know accordingly. We appreciate every feedback we receive as it helps us improve our services and we look forward to seeing you again. Best regards, Desert Gate Tourism
Amazing day in old dubai!!!! I had a great time with the guide Ahmedabad alla ... Higley recommended
thank you for the review!
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Dubai Gold Souk and Water Taxi | 4 hours | 4.1 (26) | $45 | |
 Dubai Aladdin Tour: Souks, Creek, Old Dubai and Tastings | 3 hours | 4.9 (4,567) | $27 | View |
 Dubai City Tour Old Town, Abra Taxi Boat, Gold & Spice Market | 2–3 hours | 4.2 (10) | $29 | View |
 Old Dubai City Tour - Dubai Frame, Abra Ride, Al Seef & Gold Souk | 4–5 hours | 5.0 (3) | $130 | View |
 Dubai Old Town Walking Tour with Abra ride, Spice and Gold Souk | 2–3 hours | 5.0 (32) | $80 | View |
 Private walking tour of Old Dubai with water taxi ride | 2h 30min | — | $55 | View |
 Old Dubai Cultural Half-Day Tour: From Al Seef to Gold Souk | 4–5 hours | 5.0 (20) | $87 | View |