Dubai

Kickstart your trip to Dubai

City Essentials: First Day • 3 hours 5.0 (5)

Kickstart your trip to Dubai

The perfect 3-hour experience for your first day in Dubai. Get oriented and gain tips from your host to make the most of the rest of your visit.

What makes this experience special

Key highlights

Maximize your time in Dubai by starting your trip with an insider's perspective
Let a local guide you beyond the iconic skyscrapers and luxury malls
Get recommendations for dining and unwinding, from Emirati restaurants to trendy rooftop bars
Get tips on how to navigate the city like a true local and avoid tourist traps.
Learn to immerse yourself in Dubai's dynamic energy, rich culture, and diverse neighborhoods
Spend 3 hours exploring hidden gems or must-see attractions customized to your preferences
Kickstart your Dubai visit with a local insider who will unlock the city like no guidebook can

What to know before you go

Here’s everything you need to know before your day unfolds.

At a glance What’s included Things to know

3 hours

Fully tailored to your preferences

English Other languages may be requested

What’s included

Private and personalized experience

3 hours with a Host

Walking-focused experience but taxis or public transport will be used for non-walkable distances at your own expense

Hotel meet-up (available on request for central location)

What’s not included

Tickets to any attractions

Food and drink

Transport

Gratuities (optional)

Meeting point

Your hotel/apartment or any other central location

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience

What to bring

We recommend wearing comfortable shoes and carrying a light bag for your essentials.
Public transport may be used during the experience - please bring a travel card or small amount of cash for fares.

How your day could unfold

A flexible, unscripted experience designed entirely around your interests. Your host will adapt the day based on what excites you most

What you’ll do

17,500+ 5-Star Reviews and Counting

Trusted and recommended by travelers worldwide, including 99% on Google and TripAdvisor.

recommended by 99% of travelers on google

recommended by 99% of travelers on tripadvisor

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What travelers think of this experience

Gene Jan 2025

My food tour with Sheikh was awesome. He provided I nice mix of Dubai history, along with a description of the food history, along with a nice combination of tastings of the food that is a complex mix of influences from multiple Middle Eastern Countries, as well as influences from Inda and Pakistan. I thoroughly enjoyed my tour and ate way too much food!

Jamie Mar 2024

Guide was great, and very flexible. Good opportunity to see things other than the obvious in Dubai.

Tim Jun 2023

Just generally a a good tour

Stephen Jun 2023

This was an amazing tour that was personalized to my interest. I chose the perfect half day in Dubai tour. City Unscripted held true when they matched me with the perfect tour guide. This was a private tour and Charlie Miiro my guide had great suggestions and took me to places that I hadn’t thought about. I appreciated Miiro’s flexibility, knowledge of Dubai amongst other things. In addition we had a lot of engaging conversation along the way. I was celebrating my 35th birthday this trip and Miiro surprised me with a little gift which just shows how thoughtful he is and the type of host City Unscripted employs. Thanks again to the team of City Unscripted and most of all Miiro for a wonderful experience.

Stephen Jun 2023

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