How much does Old Dubai Discovery cost per person?

AED 350 per person for 15–29 people; AED 300 per person for 30–40 people. All figures exclude 5% VAT. A group below a band's minimum chargeable size is billed at that minimum: 24 people in the 15–29 band, 32 people in the 30–40 band. Where a larger band costs less in total, it is quoted instead: groups of 28–29 are billed as 32 people at the rate for 30–40 people.

How long does Old Dubai Discovery take, and when does it start?

5.5 hrs door-to-door. Ideal start: 09:00 pickup — cooler morning walking, lunch at 12:30, back by 14:30. Departure window: 08:30–10:00. Afternoon starts are unworkable Oct–Apr due to heat and souk closures. The timeline on this page is door-to-door, so the transfer is already inside it.

What is not included in Old Dubai Discovery?

Personal purchases in the souks; Alcoholic beverages; Videography (see add-ons); 5% VAT. These are stated before enquiry rather than raised at invoice time.

What happens to Old Dubai Discovery if the weather turns?

Trigger: Rain, or temperature above 36 °C (the programme is substantially outdoors on foot). Assessed 24 hrs prior. Fallback: Museum-weighted variant — Al Shindagha and Etihad Museum substituted for the souk walk, keeping the abra crossing if conditions allow. No price change. You are told: No later than 17:00 the day before.

How far in advance do we need to book Old Dubai Discovery?

The booking lead time is 10 days. Ramadan and December dates book out first.

D-02 City & Culture Oct – May

Old Dubai Discovery

The Dubai that existed before the towers. Heritage district, abra across the Creek, spice and gold souks, lunch in a courtyard house.

A team mid-programme on Old Dubai Discovery — Dubai, Al Fahidi, Dubai Creek, Deira souks. — Illustrative

Duration: 5.5 hrs door-to-door
Ideal start time: 09:00 pickup — cooler morning walking, lunch at 12:30, back by 14:30
Departure window: 08:30–10:00. Afternoon starts are unworkable Oct–Apr due to heat and souk closures
Group size: 15 min — 40 max
Emirate / venue: Dubai — Al Fahidi, Dubai Creek, Deira souks
Season: October – May
Booking lead time: 10 days

Price per person · excluding VAT

Group size	Price per person
15–29 pax Billed from 24 people	AED 350
30–40 pax Billed from 32 people	AED 300

Where a larger band costs less in total, it is quoted instead: groups of 28–29 are billed as 32 people at the rate for 30–40 people.

50% advance on signature. 100% cleared 3 working days before the event.

Numbers lock 7 days prior. Booking lead time: 10 days.

Last updated 4 November 2026.

Request a proposal Ask on WhatsApp

Why this is not the retail version

A heritage walking tour ticket sells at AED 150–250, in a mixed group, with a guide managing several languages and a fixed route.

Here the guide is briefed on your company, the abra is hired privately rather than shared with commuters, lunch is a reserved courtyard house rather than a queue, and the whole thing is timed to return staff to the office by 14:30.

Its real job is onboarding and new-joiner cohorts. Sell it to clients with high expat intake — it is the package HR books when they want new staff to actually understand where they have moved to. That makes it recurring rather than annual.

The day, minute by minute

Timeline

09:00 Coach departs client office
09:35 Al Fahidi Historical District. Guided walk through the wind-tower quarter
10:15 Al Shindagha Museum — Perfume House and Dubai Creek story
11:00 Coffee and Emirati snacks at a heritage café
11:30 Abra crossing — traditional wooden boat across the Creek
11:45 Spice Souk and Gold Souk, guided
12:30 Lunch at a restored courtyard house — traditional Emirati menu
13:45 Group photograph at the Creek waterfront
14:00 Coach departs
14:30 Arrival at drop point

Included

Return coach transfer from client office
Licensed heritage guide for the full programme
Al Fahidi Historical District guided walk
Al Shindagha Museum entry
Coffee and Emirati snacks at a heritage café
Private abra hire for the Creek crossing — your group only
Guided souk walk with a briefing on bargaining etiquette
Traditional Emirati lunch in a restored courtyard house
Water and refreshments throughout
Branded welcome setup
Photographer, 3 hrs — 40+ retouched stills within 5 working days
Event coordinator throughout

Not included

Stated up front so there is nothing to argue about at invoice time.

Personal purchases in the souks
Alcoholic beverages
Videography (see add-ons)
5% VAT

Weather & backup plan

Trigger: Rain, or temperature above 36 °C (the programme is substantially outdoors on foot). Assessed 24 hrs prior.
Fallback: Museum-weighted variant — Al Shindagha and Etihad Museum substituted for the souk walk, keeping the abra crossing if conditions allow. No price change.
You are told by: No later than 17:00 the day before.

Customisation options

Videographer + edited reel	AED 1,200
Add Etihad Museum	AED 90/person
Arabic calligraphy or coffee-ceremony workshop	AED 1,600
Upgrade lunch to premium Emirati tasting menu	AED 110/person
Extend with Dubai Frame	AED 60/person
Arabic-and-English bilingual guide	AED 400

Questions about Old Dubai Discovery

How much does Old Dubai Discovery cost per person?: AED 350 per person for 15–29 people; AED 300 per person for 30–40 people. All figures exclude 5% VAT. A group below a band's minimum chargeable size is billed at that minimum: 24 people in the 15–29 band, 32 people in the 30–40 band. Where a larger band costs less in total, it is quoted instead: groups of 28–29 are billed as 32 people at the rate for 30–40 people.
How long does Old Dubai Discovery take, and when does it start?: 5.5 hrs door-to-door. Ideal start: 09:00 pickup — cooler morning walking, lunch at 12:30, back by 14:30. Departure window: 08:30–10:00. Afternoon starts are unworkable Oct–Apr due to heat and souk closures. The timeline on this page is door-to-door, so the transfer is already inside it.
What is not included in Old Dubai Discovery?: Personal purchases in the souks; Alcoholic beverages; Videography (see add-ons); 5% VAT. These are stated before enquiry rather than raised at invoice time.
What happens to Old Dubai Discovery if the weather turns?: Trigger: Rain, or temperature above 36 °C (the programme is substantially outdoors on foot). Assessed 24 hrs prior. Fallback: Museum-weighted variant — Al Shindagha and Etihad Museum substituted for the souk walk, keeping the abra crossing if conditions allow. No price change. You are told: No later than 17:00 the day before.
How far in advance do we need to book Old Dubai Discovery?: The booking lead time is 10 days. Ramadan and December dates book out first.

Read before you book

Old Dubai heritage tour for a team: what to book A practical guide to taking a team around Al Fahidi, the Creek and Deira souks: what's open, the abra crossing, and prices from AED 300 a head.

Also consider

A team mid-programme on Capital Culture — Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat, Qasr Al Watan, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

Year-round

D-01

Capital Culture

A full day in Abu Dhabi — Louvre, Qasr Al Watan and the Grand Mosque — with private guided access and lunch. The package that works when the weather does not.

Duration: 11 hrs
Group: 10–50
Emirate: Abu Dhabi

From AED 450 /person

View spec →

A team mid-programme on Sharjah Arts — Sharjah, Museum of Islamic Civilisation, Arts Square, Heart of Sharjah, Al Noor Island.

Summer-safe

D-03

Sharjah Arts

The emirate that spent its money on museums instead of towers. Islamic civilisation, the arts quarter, Heart of Sharjah and Al Noor Island after dark — and the entries cost AED 55 a person in total.

Duration: 7 hrs
Group: 15–50
Emirate: Sharjah

From AED 290 /person

View spec →

A team mid-programme on Garden City — Abu Dhabi, Al Ain: Al Ain Oasis, Al Ain Palace Museum, Al Ain Zoo, Jebel Hafeet.

Oct – Apr

D-04

Garden City

Al Ain — the oasis, the palace, and gahwa at the top of Jebel Hafeet as the sun goes down. Four degrees cooler than the coast and almost entirely free to get into.

Duration: 12 hrs
Group: 15–50
Emirate: Abu Dhabi +1

From AED 330 /person

View spec →