Skyscrapers and souks of the Gulf

Dubai's Burj Khalifa and Creek, and Doha's Museum of Islamic Art and Souq Waqif, in four to six days.

Day by day Open the itinerary in the app

Dubai → Doha · 4–6 days

The route on the map, in the itinerary’s order.

United Arab EmiratesDubai
Days
2–3
When
Jan–Mar · Nov–Dec
Per person/day
Average 600–900 AEDMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.
QatarDoha
Days
2–3
When
Jan–Mar · Nov–Dec
Per person/day
Average 125–190 USDMid-range · per person/day
Cost scope
Per person per day: accommodation, meals, urban transport, visits and a small allowance for extras. Flights excluded; larger purchases vary. Editorial estimate, not a quote.

Who it is for

For a long stopover between flights, or for anyone who wants new architecture, museums and desert close to the city.

Not for summer travellers, since the heat from June to September limits time outdoors.

The strategy

Dubai comes first and Doha afterwards. Choose flights around arrival and return, allowing for airports, checks and transfers as well as time in the air. In summer, combine museums and other indoor spaces with short walks when the weather allows; night does not guarantee relief from the heat. Leave breaks between visits.

What you will see

Burj Khalifa, Dubai. A 828 m tower with 163 habitable floors, inaugurated on January 4, 2010, designed by Adrian Smith at SOM with a Y-shaped structure inspired by the Hymenocallis flower.
Museum of Islamic Art, Doha. An I.M. Pei project opened in December 2008 on an artificial island at the tip of the Corniche, inspired by the ablution fountain of the Ibn Tulun mosque in Cairo.