Private city tour in Al Ain

Highlights

• Al-Ain Palace Museum filled with important cultural relics from the area
• Bronze age Hafeet Tombs in the form of beehives
• Al Ain open safar zoo, catch a glimpse of protected wildlife such as the Arabian antelope

All about the trip

Visit the “Garden City” of the UAE on this private sightseeing tour through Al-Ain. The lush green landscape, tree-lined avenues make this Oasis one of the most important in the Middle East. This city is beloved because of its ancient historical sights as well as its important foothold on modern UAE history.

The city is close to the border of the mountainous country of Oman hence the unique landscape surrounding the city. Al-Ain is where the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founder of the United Arab Emirates spent most of his life; shaping the city for opulence and practicality. On this tour, our experienced guide will show you around the city and take you to Al-Ain’s most popular destinations.

The first stop will be the Al Ain Palace Museum, dating back to 1937 in the Bedouin architectural style. The palace was once a fort where Sheikh Zayed and his family resided prior to 1966. The structure itself was renovated and converted to a museum in 1998, it exhibits the rich history of the country and preserves the beautiful links to the present and future. Next will be the Hafeet Tombs a Bronze Age necropolis. This site dates to nearly 5,000 years ago and exhibits tombs of Al Ain’s early inhabitants. The area is filled with hundreds of stone beehive-shaped tombs at the base of Jebel Hafeet mountain. The tombs are an incredible sight to behold, some artifacts show trade links between ancient Mesopotamia. Al-Ain is proud of its ancient roots and culture that still echo in their modern-day life.

We will then journey to the Al Ain Zoo, this “zoo” is like a wildlife park compared to the traditional Western zoo. Witness rare animals such as the white lion or the Nubian giraffe. As you travel through the park you can see grazing Arabian antelopes, oryx, gazelles, and lechwe. This park was founded in 1968 by the formidable Sheikh Zayed. Next, we will visit the Jahli Fort adjacent to the zoo. The Al Jahili Fort has been a cultural focal point of heritage for the people of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. The fort is one of the largest in UAE and was built in the 1890’s for the Al Nahyan ruling family. It has recently been restored and has now become a cultural center with a permanent exhibition dedicated to explorer Wilfred Thesiger.

Lastly, we will finish our tour of the “Garden City” at the local camel market and Heritage Village. The camel farm offers insight into the importance of the camel in Arabian culture as well as the history of domestication. We will then head to Heritage Village which is rich in Emirati culture and diversity. The village includes an old café, a popular market and two theatres where you enjoy art shows and listen to poetry and concerts.

Join in for a day of culture and sightseeing in this beautiful gem of a city!

What is included in the price

• Entry to all sites
• Experienced guide

What is not included in the price

• Personal expenses
• Lunch
• Optional gratuity
• Alcohol & quad bike (Quad Bike AED 50 per 10 minutes, 1 OFF) at extra cost

Instructions