Dubai Outdoor Activities

The vibrant Emirati city of Dubai offers a myriad of outdoor activities in its breathtaking scenery. There is an immense amount to see and do in Dubai, so if you like to have a good time outside of four walls, you won't be short of opportunities. You can enjoy camel rides at sunrise, thrilling jet ski and speedboat rides along the coast... Also, you can't miss hot air ballooning, tandem jump ing over the city or a professional photo shoot to create unforgettable memories. I tell you all the options in this article.

Any time of the year is the best time to travel to Dubai and tour the city' s coastline aboard a jet ski. This is a popular outdoor experience that allows you to see the city's skyline in a different way.

During this adventure on Dubai's waterfront you will see dazzling sights such as the following:

• The city's skyscrapers, such as the Burj Khalifa, IL Primo Tower and Emirates One Tower, among others.
• The 7-star Burj Al Arab hotel, which stands out for its impressive sail-shaped architecture.
• Palm Jumeirah Island, with its elegant hotels and apartment towers.
• The World Island, an artificial archipelago off the coast of Dubai, accessible only by sea.

This1-hour jet ski tour usually incorporates the company of an instructor, who will teach you how to move in the water safely. In addition, during the tour he will tell you a little about the city and the buildings you see in the distance.

Interesting information

• Price: approximately 155€ per person.
• Duration about 1 hour.

Taking a speedboat ride is another one of the best outdoor activities to do in Dubai. This type of speedboat ride in Dubai usually starts from the city's marina. There, you will put on your life jacket and board a speedboat with an experienced driver who will guide you along the route.

You will experience an exciting adventure in a means of transportation that moves faster on water compared to other types of boats. It is done with a group of up to 9 people, so you can do the activity with your travel companions.

As the boat moves away from the shore, you will begin to contemplate an amazing panoramic view of the city, identifying important destinations such as Atlantis The Palm Dubai, the Burj Khalifa and the Burj Al Arab hotel.

You will also hear information about the places of interest that you see during the tour. At some point during the tour you will stop to appreciate the views and take a few minutes to capture beautiful photographs.

Information of interest

• Price: about 37€ per person.
• Duration: approximately 45 minutes.

If you are looking for outdoor activities in Dubai that allow you to live a completely different experience, then a good option is to tour Dubai' s Al Marmoom desert by camel at sunrise. You will visit a real Berdu village and connect with its traditions.

You will get on a camel and take a ride through the desert, contemplating as you go the beautiful views and how the sun slowly begins to illuminate the landscape. You will arrive at an oasis in the middle of the desert where a Bedouin or nomadic people live and share with the inhabitants the preparation of a traditional breakfast.

This sunrise camel ride in Dubai's Al Marmoom oasis with breakfast is usually guided, so you will be provided with transportation to and from the hotel. You will also be provided with some tips for visiting the Dubai desert and clothing to protect you from both the sun and the sand.

Useful information

• Price: from 87€ per person.
• Duration: the experience usually lasts 5 hours.

If you are an enthusiast of extreme outdoor activities and plan to spend 2 days in Dubai or more, I recommend incorporating a Flyboard experience into your itinerary. You will take your adrenaline to the max and float over the waters of the Persian Gulf as if you had superpowers.

The adventure takes place in the open sea and you will have to put a Flyboard on your feet; this is a hoverboard connected to a hose and jet propulsion technology, which will allow you to take off from the water at a minimum height of about 3 meters. Of course, this will depend on your skills.

This 30 minute Flyboard session in Dubai is aimed at beginners and professionals of this sport. In any case, you will be accompanied by an instructor who will help you to have a unique experience according to your skills.

Information of interest

• Price: around 86€ per person.
• Duration: the activity usually lasts 30 minutes.

Dubai is a place with incredible panoramic views, and what better way to enjoy its rich landscape than from a bird's eye view. Take to the skies over the capital of the United Arab Emirates in a hot air balloon at sunrise and embark on an open-air activity that allows you to watch the golden glow of the sun warm the horizon.

You will soar some 1210 meters above the ground, and you will be able to see Dubai as if it were a scale model. You will be amazed to see the desert dunes, camels, the Hajar Mountains, the city skyline and skyscrapers like the Burj Khalifa. All this, through the melting pot of warm colors that forms in the sky at sunrise.

For this sunrise balloon flight you won't have to worry about how to get around Dubai to get to the takeoff site. The activity usually incorporates transfer to and from the hotel for convenience.

Information of interest

• Price: from 269€ per person.
• Duration: 4 hours approximately.

If you love adrenaline-filled outdoor adventures, then during your 1-day stay in Dubai or longer, you should zip-line across the city. You will enjoy Dubai from above and create a unique memory of your trip.

For this XLine zip line experience in Dubai Marina an expert will teach you everything you need to make the most of the descent in a safe way. Afterwards, you will put on your harness and launch yourself from the Amwaj Towers to the marina, descending over the modern Dubai Marina district at a speed of approximately 80 km/h (50 mph).

During the descent, you will enjoy the city's urban and natural scenery. You will get a breathtaking panoramic view of the paradisiacal coastline, the Cayan Tower and the city's tall skyscrapers.

Information of interest

• Price: 161€ per person.
• Duration: between 30 minutes and 1 hour.

Dubai has many outdoor activities that combine adrenaline and breathtaking scenery, one of them being the tandem jump over The Palm. If thrills are your thing, this variant of skydiving is a must-do adventure during your 1-7 day visit to Dubai or longer.

You will fly over the city by helicopter and jump over Dubai's breathtaking scenery, experiencing a thrilling 60-second freefall. You will be attached by a double harness to a highly qualified instructor, who will be in charge of assisting you at the moment of parachute deployment and during the whole experience.

This tandem skydiving jump at The Palm will allow you to enjoy a wide view of the Dubai desert, the coastline and the urban area. You will see places such as:

• The island complex (Palm Jumeirah), which stands out for its palm tree shape.
• The artificial archipelago of the Islands of the World, which groups more than 300 urbanized islands.
• The Burj Khalifa, the world's largest skyscraper.
• The Burj Al Arab hotel, which stands out for its sail shape.
• The Ain Dubai Ferris wheel, which reaches about 210 meters high.

Information of interest

• Price: about 641€ per person.
• Duration: at least 60 minutes.

One of the outdoor activities that attracts the most tourists is the Dubai desert excursion. You'll escape the hustle and bustle of the city and connect with the local culture in a mind-blowing tropical desert atmosphere. You will be able to tour the terrain by quad biking and sandboarding down the dunes .

With this activity you won't have to worry about anything but having fun. Once in the desert, you will start the experience with a quad adventure. You will start at full speed and take your adrenaline to the maximum driving this all-terrain motorcycle. Previously, the guide will provide you with some recommendations for safe driving.

Then you will do sandboarding in the dunes of the Dubai desert, a modality similar to skateboarding or snowboarding but instead of sliding on the pavement or snow, you will be doing it on the sand. To end this desert tour with quad biking and sandboarding you will relax a bit by taking a leisurely camel ride that will make you feel like a local.

Information of interest

• Price: about 72 euros per person.
• Duration: about 4 hours.

Whether you visit Dubai in January, mid-year or during the December season, taking a ride on the sightseeing bus is always a good idea. You'll get a glimpse of the city, its prominent landmarks and some attractions from a comfortable open-top bus while being exposed to the open air.

Some of the best sightseeing buses in Dubai are as follows:

Sightseeing bus with free stops

When you book the unlimited non-stop City Sightseeing bus you will have 2 routes: the Red route (which passes by the Museum of the Future and the Queen Elizabeth II Museum) and the Blue route (which covers the marina area). You will see in the distance the coast of the city and the cruise ships in the Marina. You will also see from the outside the Mall of the Emirates, the Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, the Atlantis Aquaventure, among many other destinations. In addition, you will have access to a non-stop panoramic night tour to appreciate the sunset lights and the artificial lights that adorn the city.

• Price: from 62€ per person. But the price will depend on the selected option for 1, 2 or 3 days in Dubai.
• Duration: the tour lasts about 70 minutes for the red route and up to 130 minutes for the blue route.

Night tourist bus

The Big Bus night tour bus is ideal if you just want to get a glimpse of Dubai at night. You'll listen to recorded commentary as you take in the most recognizable landmarks with their nighttime illumination. You will see the Dubai Marina, the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, the Madinat souk market, the fountains of the Dubai Mall, among other things.

• Price: from 30€ per person.
• Duration: about 2 hours.

A professional photo shoot is another must-do outdoor activity in the city. Dubai's Old City has many postcard-worthy locations that you can use as a backdrop for your photos. You will be able to create memorable and lasting memories of your trip.

In this professional photo shoot in the old city you will walk along with the photographer in search of the best sceneries, some of them being the following:

• The Gold & Spice Souk. This is a picturesque and historic place located in the Deira neighborhood, an old commercial area.
• The Al seef district. It is a leisure area with a lively atmosphere and a privileged view of Dubai.
• Al Fahidi Heritage Fort. It is a fort built in 1787 and one of the biggest tourist attractions to see in Al Fahidi. This is a heritage district and one of the neighborhoods of Dubai that you have to know.

Information of interest

• Price: from 34€ per person.
• Duration: 2 hours approximately.