UAE with Vertical Horizons

An ad in ITN about a 10-day cultural tour to Dubai and Abu Dhabi prompted a friend and me to contact Scott Jercich at Vertical Horizons Travel (Folsom, CA; 888/995-1016 or 916/983-8651, www.verticalhorizonstravel.com).

Our customized tour, Jan. 12-22, 2015, cost $1,834 per person. Round-trip airfare from San Francisco to Dubai (16 hours nonstop) cost another $1,215 each on Emirates. We stayed five nights at the Traders Hotel Dubai, two nights at the Yas Island Rotana in Abu Dhabi and two nights at the Iberotel Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort near Fujairah.  

We added an extra day for camel racing in Dubai, which we arranged on our own through www.toursbylocals.com at a cost of $260. Barti Rajan was our guide. We also modified the Abu Dhabi itinerary to include watching some of the 2015 President’s Cup Falcon Competitions. 

Camel racing and falconry are two traditional sports that are important in the UAE but viewed by few tourists. At both events, we felt comfortable and were treated very well, even though we were the only women around. Having a knowledgeable male guide with us was important.

Our tour guide, Moussa Hanfer, was fantastic. His easygoing style and enthusiasm were infectious. We learned a lot about the culture and practices that had never been explained to us as clearly in other Muslim countries. 

Knowing that we were open to new experiences, Moussa added visits to two new cities under construction: Saadiyat Island, which will feature the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum in its cultural district, and Masdar City.  

“Under construction” is an understatement. Building is going on everywhere, and everything has a unique design. The UAE is only 43 years old, but most of its development has taken place in the last 10 years.

Dubai has an extremely efficient, clean and easy-to-use Metro system. We felt very safe going out by ourselves. On Fridays the Metro does not begin running until 1 p.m.  Buses, however, do operate earlier on Fridays, but they did not accept cash, only cards obtainable from Metro stations. We did not try the buses.

Shopping malls were open 10 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. January is the month for the Dubai Shopping Festival, while February features the Dubai Food Festival.

The roads were excellent throughout the country, although traffic jams were common in Dubai during rush hour. We saw few road signs, so having a local driver is a must.

The weather was in the 70s during our visit. We dressed conservatively and wore head scarves and long sleeves and long pants whenever we entered a mosque.

This trip far exceeded our expectations. The UAE is a modern, safe and stable country with many treasures.

VIRGINIA EGGLESTON

Novato, CA