🏨 Explore the Backstreets of Old Dubai with an Insider Activity

Explore the Backstreets of Old Dubai with an Insider

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From $112.00

166 reviews (4.98)

Price varies by group size

Lowest Price Guarantee

Pricing Info: Per Person

Duration: 4 hours

Departs: Dubai, Dubai

Ticket Type: Mobile or paper ticket accepted

Free cancellation

Up to 24 hours in advance.

Learn more

Overview

Dubai’s historic and humble beginnings tell a story like no other. We’ll start the day by marching the streets of old Dubai stopping by several enchanting sights and witnessing the city’s dynamic history woven by its people. My goal is to take you through a journey of tales and show you just how the small Arab village became a top destination throughout the sands of time.

We'll learn about the emirate’s incredible leadership, people, and local traditions. We’ll wander the souqs, meet the owners, and learn the secrets behind some of the world’s most expensive traded items. We'll hop on a traditional wooden abra boat (think Arabian gondola minus the singing) and cross over the magnificent Dubai Creek. Once we’ve explored the historic Al Fahidi neighborhood with its merchant houses and their incredible windtowers, I guarantee our stomachs will be grumbling loud enough to guide us themselves to one of Dubai’s best eats where we can break bread, drink tea, and be merry.

What's Included

Admission fees

Meal as per itinerary and bottled water in restaurant

What's Not Included

Gratuities

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Soda/Pop

Traveler Information

CHILD: Age: 7 - 11
ADULT: Age: 12 - 75

Additional Info

Children must be accompanied by an adult
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
It is recommended that you bring bottled water, sunglasses, hat, and sunscreen.
Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if the minimum of 2 people is not met. In the event of this happening, you will be offered an alternative date or a full refund.
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Public transportation options are available nearby
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
This tour includes moderate physical activity. Guests should be in good health, able to walk slightly longer distances at a comfortable pace, and able to participate in periods of standing.

Children must be accompanied by an adult
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
It is recommended that you bring bottled water, sunglasses, hat, and sunscreen.
Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if the minimum of 2 people is not met. In the event of this happening, you will be offered an alternative date or a full refund.
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Public transportation options are available nearby
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
This tour includes moderate physical activity. Guests should be in good health, able to walk slightly longer distances at a comfortable pace, and able to participate in periods of standing.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Experience may be cancelled due to Insufficient travelers
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

What To Expect

Al Shindagha Museum

Our first stop will be an incredibly enlightening visit to the Al Shindagha Museum to learn about the history of the Gulf and its transformation from a pearl diving village to a global destination.

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Dubai Creek

The wooden abra boats plying the busy Dubai Creek are one of Dubai's most iconic scenes to witness. Guests will enjoy an unforgettable experience on a private abra ride and capture the city from the water as we time-travel from its past to its present.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Dubai Spice Souk

Dubai's Spice Souk is an incredibly aromatic network of shops and eateries that sell everything from saffron to chocolate dipped dates. To navigate the bustling souk, the best way is to learn about the origins of the spices at first from your guide and shop-owners before you cruise your way around the market.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Dubai Gold Souk

We'll walk through Dubai's oldest market, the Gold Souk, a place buzzing with eager shoppers there to explore its 300+ shops and covered walkways. We'll stop to learn about the world's obsession with this shiny yellow metal, especially during festive occasions.

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Textile Souk

The Textile Souk is a labyrinth of traditional Arabian souvenir stores with plenty of fabrics, scarves, and I heart Dubai t-shirts. Here, your guide will introduce you to the national dress worn by both men and women, and demonstrate how each garment is worn.

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood

We'll wander through one of Dubai's historic neighborhoods where its merchants once lived in now-restored homes. Your guide will explain the brilliance behind the architecture of these structures, particularly its windtowers, designed to keep inhabitants cool.

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Al Fahidi

Our last stop will be a fantastic meal at a traditional restaurant where we'll break bread together. The guide will pre-order several dishes so that guests can experience the various flavors and spices used to marinate, and answer all your curious questions.

60 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Reviews

The BEST tour you will take in Dubai

Nahrain_J, 19-08-2022

It’s easy to think of Dubai as an amusement park of manmade and record breaking constructions. That was certainly my opinion after 48-hours of touring the well publicised attractions.

But all that changed when I met Nada.

The Dubai (not born but) raised local showed me and another solo traveller an older and culturally rich side of the Emirati city that everyone should experience in order to understand its history and eventual transformation into a global tourist hotspot.

Our knowledgeable host took us through various museums, walked us through four markets and introduced us to a number of friendly locals (salam to the men in the Iranian spice store - until we meet again!).

Nada showed us the humble way Emiratis lived only a couple of generations ago and came prepared with a backpack full of sample scents and food. She filled us in on Dubai’s trading roots as well as its place alongside its sister Emirati cities and the Middle East.

When the tour came to an end, Nada secured us a table at a popular Iranian restaurant where we had the BEST meal. No exaggeration, this was the only meal in Dubai that I actually enjoyed.

The tour was fun, fast paced and educational. I highly recommend it to every first time visitor.

Nada, thank you again for exposing us to a whole other side of the city. Meeting and learning from you was definitely a highlight of my trip.

Worth Every Dirham!

donnamX5497UM, 04-04-2022

Wandering with Nada is highly rated and deserves every accolade!
We started our tour of Old Dubai at the Shindagha Museum in the Dubai Creek area. This was a wonderful introduction into the history of Dubai. Next, we explored the Spice and Gold Souqs. One of the stops, there, was very informative: we learned how to tell the difference between real and fake saffron and had a chance to taste many
spices. We learned about the different traditional dress worn throughout the Gulf region. We also took an Abra across Dubai Creek which was fun. The tour culminated in a wonderful Emirati lunch. Nada is an extraordinary Guide: very knowledgeable, entertaining, charismatic personality, flexible, punctual, and most professional.

Old Dubai walking Tour with Nada

Daniel M, 19-04-2022

We wanted to spend some time touring the backstreets of Dubai as well as an experience guide in the souks.
We came across Nadas tour and based solely on the positive reviews, we signed up just yesterday

Nada’s warm and inviting personality combined with her deep knowledge and experience of the history and culture were the first things that we noticed during the tour.
Not only was it very interesting and informative, but throughout the entirety of the tour, Nada was mindful of the group, the temperature, providing rest stops and water for the group and remaining engaged and informative throughout the whole time. The experience in visiting museums, walking through the markets and the lunch at the end of the tour were simply outstanding. I’ve traveled around the world for many years and Nada provided a genuinely excellent tour

Fabulous tour of Old Dubai!

LaurFitz, 11-10-2022

It was an absolute pleasure wandering Old Dubai with Nada! It was such a treat to see another side of the city, a world away from the glitz of the Dubai Mall and other newer attractions. Nada's enthusiasm for and knowledge of the history of the of the area was very engaging. I loved winding through the narrows streets of the spice and gold souks and absorbing all of the sights, sounds and smells. The tour culminated in a delicious Emirati dinner at a bustling local eatery. The full moon over the creek was the icing on the cake.I would highly recommend this tour!

Highly recommended

Karen0101, 22-04-2022

This was probably the best of the several tours we took during our trip to Dubai. There was nothing 'touristy' about it. Nada was full of interesting information, her knowledge was extensive but just as importantly, she was good company, the time passed incredibly quickly. With Dubai being such a modern country there is little history to explore, but Nada took us away from the sky scrapers and we saw the souks, ferries and local restaurants. This is not a shopping trip, we explored the souks and stopped at a spice store but there was no time for any other purchases, however it is very useful for knowing where to go and what prices to pay, we shopped after the tour ended. While this is a walking tour there were sufficient breaks and options to stop that it was not at all arduous. I would highly recommend this tour.

Priceless Experience

gdrda, 22-12-2022

Excellent tour…Nada was a treasure trove of information on Dubai history, culture and practices. The Emirati restaurant she brought us to was an eye-opening experience and we enjoyed the delicious lunch - incidentally, the restaurant al-Khayma is on the Michelin guide bib gourmand list! The tour may not be the cheapest but every minute of it was priceless!

The best intro to Dubai!

womentravelsrvcs, 19-12-2022

Nada is what really made this tour. If it wasn't for her insightful explanations, we would still believe that Dubai is just another Las Vegas. As it was, we learned so much about the culture, the history and the intricacies of living in Dubai, and in the UAE, and came away with a multi-layered understanding of the place. This is what travel should be. Thank you, Nada, for helping us along our journey, for your easygoing demeanor and your cultural sensitivity. We we be back!

Not to be missed

FamilynFun, 17-12-2022

We were fortunate to spend four hours with Nada on a most interesting exploration of old Dubai. Nada’s passion, lived experience, knowledge and insights were illuminating and interesting. She shared with us a side of Dubai that many visitors wouldn’t see but which really helped us understand the history, culture and traditions of this amazing Emirate. Her graciousness and hospitality made our small group feel like family. I recommend this tour most highly and, on our next trip, we will be doing couple of more of Nada’s tours.

Great experience

jeannep723, 24-11-2022

Nada made our day! The tour was very well organized. She provided insight on the history, geography, culture, etc of the region. Nada went out of her way to help us plan for other activities, guided us on how to use the metro… She was very friendly and personable and made us want to come back to UAE! Thanks Nada!!!

Amazing private tour!!

sofia r, 22-11-2022

Amazing tour! Nada was able to make this a curated tour, making sure that got information not just about dubai but the culture of the region in general.
The local advises she gave me for food and tips on how to negotiate and where to buy things were amazing, as well the length of the tour was perfect.
This tour gives you a completely different view of the typical dubai.

Must do., not to be missed.

g2wain, 28-12-2022

Truly the only tour you need to do if you only have time for 1 tour. Nada gave great insights to the life and history of Dubai and a really great pace to the tour as well. She met us in the old part of old Dubai, took us on the small boat across the creek to the spice souk, gold souk, on the small boat to the textile souk ending the afternoon at an Emarati meal (which was
fantastic!). The spice shop Nada took is to showed us the different grades of saffron and also introduced us to a plethora of spices. We did not go to perfume souk but if you want a recommendation ask Nada for one
Really great tour. Not to be missed.

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