DAY ONE
Begin with a VIP welcome on arrival at the airport. Guests will be transferred to the hotel by stretch Hummers or limousines. En-route, Emirati tour directors in traditional dress will provide a commentary on past and present Abu Dhabi.
An
Arabic coffee and date welcome ceremony will greet guests at their hotel. Later, a fascinating display of
sword fencing and
ayallah dancing will accompany the evening’s poolside drinks, followed by an al fresco dinner.
DAY TWO
A hotel breakfast will be followed by a half-day
Jewels of the Island city tour, which starts at the majestic Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque.
Guests will then explore Abu Dhabi Corniche, the Heritage Village and Al Hosn Fort, a working
dhow (boat) yard and carpet
souk (market). Lunch can be organised aboard a
dhow, offering guests an ever-changing vista of the city and its neighbouring islands.
After lunch, guests transfer back to their hotel to enjoy
water sports,
golf or a rest on the beach or poolside. The evening menu features Emirati food served in an authentic village setting.
DAY THREE
Early risers can enjoy a
sunrise hot-air balloon ride over the desert, followed by a morning in the hotel spa or at one of the city’s shopping malls. This is followed by a
dune-driving trip in four-wheel-drive vehicles. The first stop is a
camel racetrack to see the camels in training.
From here, guests are driven to the edge of the desert and up 200-metre-high virgin dunes. Drivers are highly trained and the experience is a guaranteed pure
adrenaline rush.
Later, as waiters serve sunset refreshments, guests can enjoy a display of
falconry. The tour then moves to a traditional campsite where tribesmen welcome them by sprinkling rosewater and serving coffee and dates.
Arab clothing is laid out for guests to get into character for the evening. Traditionally designed tents with luxurious carpets and cushions await, or indulge in camel riding and
sand skiing. After dinner the group will be entertained by
Arabic story telling followed by a magical
fireworks display.