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Which combo fits your day
| Combo | How the day runs | Usually included | Usually not included | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City tour + evening safari | Pickup ≈ 08:00, 4-hour city tour, back to the hotel, second pickup ≈ 15:00, back ≈ 21:30 | Photo stops, 4x4 dune drive, camel ride, sandboarding, BBQ, shows | Lunch, entry tickets, quad (option) | First-timers with one free day |
| Morning safari + afternoon city tour | Desert first while it is cool, city in the afternoon | Dune drive, sandboarding, camel ride, city highlights | Dinner and shows | Families, early risers, hot months |
| Burj Khalifa + safari | Tower visit in a set time slot, safari pickup in the afternoon | At the Top ticket, evening safari | A sunset time slot; check transfers to the tower | People who would buy both anyway |
| Helicopter + safari | 12–15 minute flight, then the evening safari | Flight, safari with pickup | Transfer to the helipad | A once-only treat, couples |
| Big Bus + safari | 24-hour hop-on hop-off pass, Creek dhow ride, safari to Caravanserai Desert Camp | Two bus routes, audio guide, dune drive, buffet, shows | Alcohol, quad (extra at the camp) | Independent sightseers |
| Two-day combo | City tour one day, safari the next | Both tours with transfers | Check what each day includes | Travellers who dislike long days |
City tour and safari
This is the most common combo. City tours differ more than safaris: some focus on old Dubai, with the Bastakiya quarter, an abra ride across the Creek and the spice and gold souks; others are a drive along the coast with photo stops at Palm Jumeirah, the Burj Al Arab, Atlantis and Dubai Marina. Read the stops before you book. Most are photo stops, and entry to landmarks is excluded.
Between the two halves you usually return to your hotel and arrange lunch yourself. A few combos turn the day around, with a morning safari first and the city in the afternoon, which works well in the hotter months. Private versions exist for families who want their own car all day; see private safari.
Burj Khalifa and safari
Do not plan both for sunset. Sunset slots at At the Top are usually sold at a higher prime-hour price and sell out early, and the safari pickup comes in the afternoon, before sunset. A morning or midday tower slot followed by an evening safari works; so does the tower on another day. Check which time slot and which levels (124 and 125, or the higher Level 148) the combo includes, and whether transfers to Dubai Mall are part of it.
Helicopter and safari
HeliDubai's short sightseeing flights leave from the helipad at the Dubai Police Academy, opposite Mall of the Emirates. You check in at least 45 minutes before take-off with a passport or photo ID, and children from age 2 may fly. In the combo we list, the safari includes hotel pickup but the transfer to the helipad does not, so plan a taxi. Book the flight for the morning or midday so it does not clash with the safari pickup.
Big Bus and safari
The Big Bus combo adds a 24-hour hop-on hop-off pass to a safari at the Caravanserai Desert Camp in the Al Badayer area. The buses run two routes, the Red route through Downtown and old Dubai and the Blue route along the beaches and the Marina, with a one-hour dhow cruise on Dubai Creek. Buses start around 09:00 and the last leaves Dubai Mall around 17:00. Use the bus in the morning and keep the afternoon free for the safari pickup. The camp includes falconry, henna and camel rides; quad biking and souvenir photos cost extra.
Before you book a combo
- Check the safari level inside the combo: dune-drive minutes, camp, dinner. More on the prices page.
- Check whether the two parts must be on the same date.
- Leave room between the halves: city-tour delays can push you close to the safari pickup.
- Arriving by ship or on a layover? See from the airport and cruise port.
