Dazzling Dubai

plus Kenya Wildlife Safari & India's Golden Triangle optional extensions

NEW: Prices now INCLUDE airline taxes & fees!
Includes airfare, fuel surcharges, airline taxes and fees, hotels, transfers, many meals, touring & more. *

Overview

Itinerary at a Glance Dazzling Dubai
Day	Destination
1	Depart USA
2	Dubai
3	Dubai City Tour
4	Dubai
5	Dubai
6	Dubai/USA
Kenya Widlife Safari Extension
6	Dubai/Nairobi
7	Nairobi/Kigio Conservancy
8	Kigio Conservancy/Masai Mara National Game Reserve.
9	Masai Mara National Game Reserve
10	Kigio Conservancy, Nairobi & Dubai
11	Arrive USA
India's Golden Triangle Extension
6	Dubai/Delhi
7	Old & New Delhi
8	Delhi & Agra
9	Agra, Fatehpur Sikri & Jaipur
10	Jaipur
11	Jaipur & Delhi
12	Delhi/USA

Departures	March – November 2012
Departs	Los Angeles (LAX), New York Kennedy (JFK), San Francisco (SFO), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Houston (IAH), Seattle-Tacoma (SEA)
Highlights	Abra Water taxi ride, Dubai Museum, Mall of the Emirates. Optional extensions Kenya Wildlife Safari and India's Golden Triangle.
Included Features	Round trip flights from New York via Emirates including fuel surcharge and taxes and fees Airlines wide-bodied jet service 4 nights Deluxe hotel accommodations in Dubai at the Hyatt Regency Buffet breakfast daily Arrival & departure transfers with meeting, assistance and porterage Professional, English-speaking tour director On the Kenya Wildlife Safari Extension, 1 night accommodations at the Deluxe Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi, 1 night at the Malewa Wildlife Lodge, 2 nights at the Siana Intrepids Camp, Masai Mara, plus 5 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 3 dinners

Dubai has been called the ultimate playground of the rich and famous. From Conde Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure, the Discovery Channel, National Geographic Traveler and others in the know, everyone involved in travel today considers Dubai to be the hottest new destination around.

Dubai is bigger, grander, more lavish (and considerably more expensive) than any place we've ever been. The world's most expensive hotel, the Burj Al Arab, that universally recognized sailboat-shaped architectural wonder whose room rate exceeds $1500 per night, is located in Dubai. The world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, is rising in the middle of town, and that's just for starters. An entire series of man-made islands, in the shape of palm fronds and another series in the shape of the entire world, are being created off the shore line, complete with gorgeous private villas and luxury hotels and resorts. And you definitely won't find more luxury hotels and enticing duty-free shopping anywhere. This little gem, whose metamorphosis from sleepy desert enclave to futuristic metropolis has happened in just the past 35 years, is surrounded by sand - miles and miles of sand - with rippling dunes that are perfect for 4x4 adventures, camel riding and even intimate dining under the stars.

There is absolutely nothing like Dubai in the world, but you don't have to be rich and famous to enjoy this amazing destination for yourself. In true Friendly Planet style, your 6-day visit to Dubai includes airfare, deluxe hotel accommodations, daily buffet breakfast, transfers, and a city tour. And all of this will cost you less than a similar visit to Las Vegas!

But don't wait to reserve your place. Space is definitely limited, and at these prices, it will surely sell out fast!

Other packages you might like:

• Best of India & Nepal: 15 days from $2894*
• Best of Kenya & Tanzania: 15 days from $4541*
• Kenya Safari Express: 8 days from $2099*
• Kenya Wildlife Safari: 11 days from $2791*
• Taj Mahal Express: 9 days from $1499*

Dates, Prices & Options

Coming from somewhere else? Unfortunately, we don't offer departures from cities that are not listed, but you can book your own connecting flights separately.

Want to stay longer? We may be able to arrange for you to extend your stay up to 30 days later than the scheduled dates above. Ask us about availability, prices and details.

Passengers traveling from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) will require an additional hotel night returning one day later than the dates displayed. The cost of the hotel and transfers is included in the add-on price above.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Depart USA. Your exciting journey to Dubai begins this evening as you check in for your wide-body jet flight via Emirates Airlines, voted one of the world's 5 best.

Day 2: Dubai. Arrival this evening. Our representatives will assist you through visa and customs formalities and escort you to your waiting coach for the short transfer to your award-winning, centrally located hotel. Hyatt Regency

Day 3: Dubai City Tour. After breakfast, your tour manager will conduct a short orientation meeting at your hotel to review the activities available during the next few days. You will have an opportunity to arrange optional tours if you wish, or spend your time in Dubai wandering on your own. After the meeting, it's time to board your touring coach and begin your tour of the city. The first stop is Dubai's picturesque Creek, which divides the city into two parts, the Deira on the northern side and Burj Dubai to the south. This is your first photo opportunity and one that gives you a magnificent panorama of the city and its amazing futuristic skyline.

Next stop is the Bastakiya district, where traditional courtyard houses, with characteristic wind towers that cleverly catch the breezes to cool the houses, line the narrow alleys. Many of the houses in this picturesque area of Dubai, previously home to the city's merchants, have been lovingly restored by proud locals who wish to preserve the unique ambience of the district.

Continue to the Dubai Museum, housed in the massive, restored Al Fahidi Fort. Inside, lifelike dioramas offer a fascinating view of life in Dubai before the discovery of oil. You'll learn the importance of the date palm to the desert culture, the maritime traditions of fishing and pearl-diving, boat building and much more. Take a walk through the bustling, exotic souks, where you'll find beautiful and bargain-priced textiles, spices and gold.

The highlight of your city tour is a chance to take one of Dubai's most reliable and inexpensive forms of transportation, the Abra Water taxi. Your touring coach will be waiting as you disembark from your water taxi to take you back to your deluxe hotel. Lunch is on your own, either at your hotel or in one of the many restaurants around town. Your hotel is centrally located so that you can explore the city's sites. Or take advantage of our optional guided tours. (B)

Day 4: Dubai. The next two days are yours to explore the city and all it has to offer. See the Burj Khlaifa, (formerly known as Burj Dubai), which officially opened in 2010 as the tallest building in the world. There is construction taking place in every part of Dubai, and it is all impressive to see. But no building is quite as amazing as this tower, which at its present level reaches a height of over 160 floors, and includes office space, homes, restaurants and observation decks. This miracle of international cooperation and coordination houses a luxury Armani hotel, offices of some of the world's most successful companies, and for a lucky few, residences that are as high as the clouds and as luxurious as you can find anywhere in the world.

Take time to visit the Mall of the Emirates, where you'll have a chance to don ski jacket, boots, gloves and hat and take to the indoor ski slopes. The temperature here is a cool, 32 degrees while outside, it might be 100! Or, if you are in the mood for adventure, set out on an optional desert safari tour, where you'll discover the vastness and stark beauty of the sand dunes that surround Dubai. You'll also enjoy a BBQ dinner and live belly-dancing entertainment on this exciting optional tour ($90 per person). (B)

Day 5: Dubai. Enjoy another full day at leisure in Dubai. Today's optional excursion features a tour of Modern Dubai, a bonanza of visual extravagance that shows the face of modern Dubai—the city of innovation. Allow your camera to capture the opulence of Burj Al Arab, the tallest hotel built on land reclaimed from the sea, and the world’s most expensive hotel, with a fleet of 25 white Rolls Royce limousines parked in the courtyard to chauffeur guests where-ever they need to go. Drive past the unique Palm Island and zip through the trendy Dubai Marina, Internet City and Media City. Conclude your tour with a visit Emirates Hills, a picturesque venue of posh villas and lush greenery, and the renowned Gold and Diamond Park ($50 per person).

This evening, we recommend an optional dinner cruise by dhow boat on the Dubai Creek. A magnificent view of both sides of Dubai Creek illuminated by night adds to the charm of this wonderful way to end your stay in Dubai ($90). (B)

Day 6: Dubai/USA. Transfer to the airport to board your return flight to the USA. Arrival at JFK International Airport in New York later this afternoon. Or, take advantage of your included international airfare and continue on an optional extension to Kenya or India.

Special Optional Tours Package

$179/person if pre-booked

To take full advantage of your visit to Dubai, we offer a discounted package of the most popular optional tours featured on our tour. These are not "seat in coach" tours that pick up passengers in various hotels. All the optional tours are operated for Friendly Planet groups only. (A minimum of 4 passengers is required for optional tours to operate).

Optional Tours Package includes:

• Half day desert safari (Day 4)
• Half day Modern Dubai, including Burj Al Arab (Day 5)
• Dhow dinner cruise (Day 5)

The special package price of $179 per person is available when booked and prepaid prior to departure. If you don't want to book the entire package, individual optional tours will be available once you arrive in Dubai. (When booked individually in Dubai, these tours cost $230).

We cannot accept bookings for the pre-paid optional tours package within 75 days from departure or after final payment has been received.

Kenya Wildlife Safari Extension

Why not take advantage of your already-included international airfare and continue your tour to Kenya. A wonderful mini-safari, carefully planned to include those places where game viewing is best and most reliable so you make the absolute most of your short stay. You'll explore two wonderful game parks on guided safaris, and your expert driver-guides will make sure you experience the very best of Kenya.

Day 6: Dubai/Nairobi. Enjoy your final breakfast in Dubai, and then transfer to the airport for your flight to Nairobi. Upon arrival, our representatives will assist you with passport and customs formalities and escort you to your hotel. After a pre-safari briefing, enjoy the rest of the day at leisure to explore on your own or take an optional city tour. Intercontinental Hotel (B)

Day 7: Nairobi/Kigio Conservancy. After breakfast, depart Nairobi for the Kigio Conservancy, home to Impala, Buffalo, Dik Dik, Zebra and other animals. The Conservancy also provides sanctuary for Rothschild giraffe, the most endangered of all the giraffe subspecies and rhino, which are an endangered species throughout the world. You'll arrive at Kigio in time for lunch. Later this afternoon, enjoy a game drive followed by dinner. An optional Night Game Drive will be available locally ($55). Kigio Wildlife Camp (B,L,D)

Day 8: Kigio Conservancy/Masai Mara National Game Reserve. After breakfast, depart for your drive west, down the scenic Rift Valley escarpments and past the township of Narok in the Masai country to Masai Mara National Reserve. This park offers wonderful scenery and plenty of game viewing. It is perhaps the only region remaining in Kenya where the visitor can see animals in the same abundance as existed a century ago. Arrive at your lodge in time for lunch. Later this afternoon, set off for the afternoon game drive that will continue until sunset. Siana Springs Intrepids or similar (B,L,D)

Day 9: Masai Mara National Game Reserve. Continue your discovery of the many species of game in the park today on two drives, one this morning and another later in the afternoon. After lunch, enjoy some leisure time at the lodge, including a refreshing swim in the pool. (B,L,D)

BALLOON SAFARI ADVENTURE: Early this morning, you'll have an opportunity to take an optional balloon ride across the Masai Mara. Weather conditions permitting, your Balloon Safari begins in the pre-dawn hours, a time when the magnificent view over the part is most thrilling. Toward the end of your flight, you'll rise to a height of 1500 feet for a panoramic view of the twisting Mara River and the savannah below ($459).

Day 10: Masai Mara, Nairobi & Dubai. After a leisurely, breakfast, drive back to Nairobi. There will be time for a late lunch on your own, and some last minute shopping. Later, transfer to Jomo Kenyatta Airport to check in for your overnight return flight to the USA via Dubai. (B)

Day 11: Arrive USA. Your adventure to Dubai and Kenya ends this morning as you arrive at JFK International Airport in New York.

India's Golden Triangle Extension

Why not take advantage of your already-included international airfare and continue your tour to India. Journey through the Golden Triangle, visit old and new Delhi, Agra and the amazing Taj Mahal and explore the Pink City of Jaipur’s Amber Fort and Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds).

Day 6: Dubai/Delhi. Enjoy your final breakfast in Dubai, and then transfer to the airport for your flight to Delhi. Upon arrival, our representatives will assist you with passport and customs formalities and escort you to your hotel. Hilton New Delhi/Janakpuri. (B,D)

Day 7: Old & New Delhi. After buffet breakfast at the hotel, board your coach to explore Old and New Delhi. Sprawling on the banks of the river Yamuna, bustling Delhi typifies the soul of India, where many layers of civilizations have flourished for more than 3,000 years. Begin at the modern Laxmi Narayan Temple, built in honor of the Hindu goddess of wealth, Laxmi, and of her consort, Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the Hindu Trinity. Popularly known as the Birla Temple for the noted industrialist family which built it, Laxmi Naryan Temple was one of the first major Hindu places of worship open to the lower caste Harijans (untouchables) .

Continue to Raj Ghat, the memorial to Gandhi, built at the site of his cremation on the banks of the Yamuna River. Drive past the magnificent Red Fort, built in 1648 as a symbol of Mughal's power.

Later, ride by bicycle rickshaw to Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque. Completed in 1656 after six years of work by 5,000 laborers, the red sandstone and marble mosque is considered one of the loveliest houses of worship in the world. Ascend one of the minarets for sweeping views over old Delhi.

Next, you'll marvel at the Qutab Minar, the world's tallest free standing minaret at 72.5 m (238 ft), and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you'll also find the Iron Pillar, a curiosity thought to date from 5th century A.D., which has never rusted.

Sightseeing continues in New Delhi, which reflects the legacy the British left behind. You'll see the India Gate, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The 42 meter high structure is a war memorial for the Indian soldiers who died in World War I and the Afghan Wars. Burning in a shrine under the arch is the Amar Jawan Jyoti (the flame of the immortal warrior), which marks the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Proceed to the Parliament building and the Rastrapathi Bhawan, the President's residence. (B)

Day 8: Delhi & Agra. After breakfast, drive to Agra, an ancient city that came into prominence in Medieval times under the Mughal rulers and was once the capital of a sprawling Mughal kingdom covering much of southeast Asia. This afternoon, enjoy an awesome sunset tour of the Taj Mahal, truly one of the wonders of the world. Built in the 17th century by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as an expression of his love for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj took 22 years and 20,000 men to build, its white marble quarried 200 miles away and transported to the site by a fleet of 1000 elephants. Though the Taj is known for its stunning symmetry and balance, it is the close-up marble inlay work which is really astounding. You'll have ample time to explore this outstanding piece of architecture, and to wander the pristine gardens that surround it. Trident Agra. (B)

Day 9: Agra, Fatehpur Sikri & Jaipur. After breakfast, depart for Fatehpur Sikri, the once-glittering capital built by Mughal emperor Akbar beginning in 1570. It was abandoned shortly after it was completed for lack of water and remains today a ghost town. Marvel at the well-preserved red sandstone palaces and buildings.

Later, continue to Jaipur, stopping en route at Barara Village, where you'll have a special opportunity to learn about rural Indian village life and interact with locals. Trident Jaipur. (B)

Day 10: Jaipur. This morning's tour starts with a stop at the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds). Its beehive-like structure is an interplay of red and pink sand stone, painstakingly outlined with white borders and motifs. Behind this elaborate latticed facade, the cloistered ladies of the court could watch the daily goings-on in the street below.

Then, continue to the imposing Amber Fort, ancient capital of Rajasthan. The fort was begun in the 17th century by Maharaja Mansingh, Emperor Akbar's most successful general. Perched atop the Aravalli hills overlooking the Moat Lake, the fort's fortified battlements and crenulated walls spread over many acres. Ascend to the fortress by jeep or elephant (if available) to view the sprawling complex of courtyards and halls, many of them hung with magnificent paintings and inlaid with precious stones

This afternoon, explore the markets and lanes of Jaipur on your own. Known as the Pink City, Jaipur is India's first and perhaps best planned city, full of beauty and color. Here you find magnificent palaces and gardens, serene lakes, and wide tree-lined streets. Except for the busy traffic of bicycles, cars and buses, little seems to have changed since 1727, when Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II designed and built the city.

Or take an optional tour to some of the city's famous pink sandstone buildings, including the City Palace Museum, housing the magnificent art collections of the Maharajas of Jaiputo. At the entrance to the City Palace is Jantar Mantar, the largest of five observatories founded by classical astronomer Sawai Jai Singh II nearly three centuries ago. Its 14 massive masonry instruments are extraordinarily precise and were used for measuring time, predicting eclipses, tracking stars' location as the earth orbits around the sun ascertaining the declinations of planets, and more. ($30 per person) (B)

Day 11: Jaipur & Delhi. Enjoy some free time in Jaipur for some last minute shoppiing. In the afternoon, return to Delhi via motor-coach and transfer to the airport for your departure flight via Dubai. (B)

Day 12: Delhi/USA. Your memorable journey ends today when you arrive in New York.

 

Booking & Travel FAQs

Shop & Compare

Our packages may look similar to others you've seen, but we invite you to shop & compare. There are important differences that make Friendly Planet tours the best you can find.

Credit Cards or Cash: Whether you pay by check, money order or your favorite major credit card, your tour price is the same. No extra cost to charge your dream vacation to Dubai when you travel with Friendly Planet.

No Compromise on Quality: Despite our extraordinary prices, there are no compromises on our Dazzling Dubai tours. You'll stay in well-located, Deluxe hotels in Dubai and Cairo and Superior First Class hotels in Kenya that are noted for their amenities and service. Optional tours, where offered, are priced specially for Friendly Planet groups.

Included Features: This is where comparison really pays off. Check the big-name sites to price your Dubai vacation. You'll soon see just how incredibly value-rich our package is because of the included features which cost more except when you book with Friendly Planet. Your arrival and departure transfers are all included, not expensive extras as in other tours. You'll enjoy a lavish buffet breakfast daily with lots of delicious choices to begin your day. Your package includes a comprehensive city tour and even your flights have been selected to be sure you enjoy four full days in Dubai.

Free Comprehensive Destination Guide: To help you prepare for your trip, you will receive a free, comprehensive Friendly Planet Dubai destination guide - a Friendly Planet exclusive - filled with plenty of helpful information about the destinations themselves (including history and other fascinating facts), weather, tipping, local customs, how to dress, plus insider shopping, nightlife and restaurant suggestions, organized by cuisine and cost.

Personal Service: Most important of all, the extra ingredient that makes our tours stand apart from others—the wonderful, personal attention you'll receive from our friendly staff in the USA and our representatives in Dubai, Kenya and Egypt, is completely free of charge. Compare our Dazzling Dubai programs to others, feature for feature. You'll see for yourself that ours are the very best value for money you'll find anywhere.

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