Abu Dhabi: Grand Mosque, Heritage Village & Ferrari World Day Tour

4.88

(465 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect to feel so small walking up to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque—honestly, it’s hard to describe that first moment when you see those white domes and all that marble. Our guide, Khaled, handed out scarves for anyone who needed them (I did), and explained a bit about the different Islamic designs while we shuffled quietly inside. The carpet under my feet was softer than I thought it’d be. There was this faint scent of incense in the air—maybe oud?—and I caught myself whispering without meaning to. It’s busy, but somehow still feels peaceful.

After that we drove along Sheikh Zayed Road (Khaled joked it never ends), past these glass towers that kind of look like they’re leaning into the sun. We stopped at Emirates Palace for a quick photo—couldn’t go inside, but even from outside you get why people talk about it so much. Gold everywhere. Then came Heritage Village, which I honestly thought would be touristy but… I liked it more than I expected. There was this old man weaving baskets who smiled every time someone tried to ask about his work in English (I just pointed and he nodded). The wind off the water smelled salty and a little dusty; you could almost imagine what Abu Dhabi felt like before all the skyscrapers.

We swung by Marina Mall (just long enough for a coffee) and then made our way out to Yas Island. You can spot Ferrari World’s red roof from ages away—it kind of glows against the sand. We didn’t go on any rides (that’s extra), but took some goofy photos pretending we were racing drivers. The whole day trip from Dubai to Abu Dhabi felt packed but not rushed; Khaled kept checking if everyone was okay with the pace or wanted longer at certain spots. He even warned us about haggling at the carpet souk—“don’t pay first price,” he said with a grin.

I still think about those quiet moments in the mosque—the way sunlight hit the gold details just right—and how different everything felt just an hour from Dubai. If you’re curious about Abu Dhabi but don’t want to stress over logistics or missing something big, this private tour is probably as easy as it gets.