Experience the sights and sounds of Dubai while you visit the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2016. Below are the details of our various tours. Bookings for the Social and Cultural Programme can only be made in the Green Room. Enjoy!
Programme Overview
| Day | Morning | Afternoon/Evening |
| Tuesday 8th March | Historical Bastakiya tour with Traditional lunch Walking tour of old Dubai |
|
| Wednesday 9th March | Burj Khalifa | Zabeel Stables Frying Pan Adventures (Bookings closed) |
| Thursday 10th March | Burj Khalifa | Desert Safari & Desert Stanzas |
| Friday 11th March | At leisure | At leisure |
| Saturday 12th March | Walking tour of old Dubai | Author farewell dinner on a dhow |
Historical and Cultural Morning with lunch
Tuesday 8th March, 10.30 am – 2.00 pm
A walking tour guides guests through Al Fahidi District(also called Bastakiya), one of the UAE’s oldest traditional Emirati neighbourhoods. The district’s narrow lanes, traditional buildings and tall wind-towers offer a glimpse of historical Dubai. The tour will end with a traditional lunch and an interactive cultural discussion with Emirati hosts.
Dress Code: Ladies – covered shoulders, comfortable shoes, sun hats. Men – long trousers, sun hats
Visit At The Top, BurjKhalifa, Downtown Dubai, followed by a talk by Jasper Hope, CEO of Dubai Opera
Wednesday 9th March, 8.45 am – 12.30 pm
You will be taken by coach from the InterContinental Hotel to Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.
At the heart of modern Dubai towers the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. Ascend in a high speed elevator at 10m per second to the observation tower, AT THE TOP, to enjoy a breath-taking and unobstructed 360 degree view of Dubai (old and new), the desert and the Gulf Sea.
Jasper Hope will share his vision for Dubai Opera, visible from At the Top, which will form the heart of the Dubai Opera District when it opens later this year. Hope, previously CEO of Royal Albert Hall in London, will provide an exclusive glimpse into the unique architectural space which is set to become Middle East’s most significant performing arts space: hosting opera, theatre, concerts, ballet, art exhibitions, orchestra, film and sports events.
Visit to the Zabeel Stables
Wednesday 9th March, 3.00 pm – 5.00 pm
Enjoy an exclusive tour of Zabeel Stables: training and rehabilitation centre for horses belonging to the Al Maktoum family, the ruling family of Dubai.
Home to over 120 horses, including several Dubai World Cup contenders, the stables offer a serene and tranquil environment with stunning views of the city’s skyline.
The world-class facilities reflect the significance of horses in Emirati culture and heritage.
Enjoy tea and coffee and a guided tour of the stables with Satish Seemar.
Frying Pan Adventures (BOOKINGS NOW CLOSED)
Wednesday 9th March, 5.00 pm – 8.00 pm
This tour winds its way through Dubai’s most historic streets, exploring, tasting and savoring traditional cuisines that continue to be served in Old Dubai everyday.
Visit At The Top, Burj Khalifa, Downtown Dubai
Thursday 10th March, 8.45 am – 12.30 pm
You will be taken by coach from the InterContinental Hotel to Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.
Your visit will begin at the reception in the lower level of Dubai Mall (the world’s largest shopping mall) where you will be entertained and informed by a multi-media presentation chronicling Dubai’s history and the story behind the development of Burj Khalifa.
You will ascend in a high speed elevator travelling at 10m per second and on arrival at the observation deck, AT THE TOP, you will enjoy a breathtaking, unobstructed 360 degree view of Dubai, the desert and the Gulf.
Desert Safari + Desert Stanzas + A Desert Dinner (Mandatory)
Thursday 10th March, 2.30 pm – 11.30 pm
| 14.30 – 23.00 (1st pick up) Desert Safari + A Desert Dinner You will leave the Intercontinental Hotel in chauffer driven 4 x 4 land cruisers, and drive out of Dubai to experience the magic of the desert, the thrill of driving over sand dunes and the silence and stillness of the desert landscape. |
16:30 – 23.00 (2nd pick up) Desert Sunset + A Desert Dinner If you are unable to go on the earlier desert safari you will be collected from the InterContinental Hotel and travel out to the desert by coach, where you will meet up with fellow authors at sunset and enjoy a memorable night under the stars in a traditional Bedouin encampment. |
Followed by: DESERT STANZAS: Poetry under the Stars
At Leisure
Friday 11th March
- Enjoy the very best of the exciting LitFest Programme onsite at the InterContinental Hotel.
- Relax and unwind by the pool.
- Friday is the ‘Day of Rest’ in the UAE. Souks and many shops in Old Dubai are closed until 16.00, but remain open until 22.00. Shopping Malls are open from 10.00 – 23.00
Historical & Cultural walking tour of old Dubai
Saturday 12th March, 9.30 am – 12.30 pm
Step back in time and enjoy the atmosphere of the Al Fahidi Historic Area of Bur Dubai along the Dubai Creek. Walk through one of the oldest traditional Emirati neighbourhoods.
Walk along the creek in front of the Ruler’s Court, passing through the textile souks.
Take an abra ride along the creek. Before Dubai had any bridges, abras (traditional water taxis) carried people and goods across the Creek. Along the way you will pass large wooden trading dhows which have docked in the Creek since the 1830’s. Today’s dhows trade with Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Oman, India, Yemen, Somalia and Sudan, and are precariously loaded with a wide variety of goods.
The Dubai Spice Souk is a traditional market, selling a variety of fragrances and spices from aromatic frankincense and shisha to the myriad of exotic herbs used in Arabic and South Asian food – saffron from Iran, and curry powder from India.
Pick up by coach from Spice Souk and return to InterContinental Hotel.
Author’s Social programme
Monday 7th – Saturday 12th
City Sightseeing Tours
City Sightseeing Dubai’s hop-on hop-off bus tours combine sightseeing with transportation, allowing you to plan your itinerary. These tours will allow you to experience a scenic glimpse of Dubai’s diversity. Visit historical areas taking you back in time, view incredible skyscraper Landscapes, experience a magical paradise along the coast and admire the beautiful Dubai Marina. Audio commentary is available in 12 languages. Routes include over 45 stops showing the most popular attractions around Dubai.
24 HR TICKET INCLUDES: Night Tour, Arabian Dhow Boat Cruise, RTA Waterbus(Abra) Ride, Dubai Museum Entry, Sheikh Sayeed Al Maktoum House Entry, VIP Global Village Ticket (November-April), Al Ghurair Centre Shopping Discount Card & 5 other Museums.
Things to do in Dubai
In addition to the activities listed above, Dubai offers a range of activities to do and places to visit which you may want to explore at leisure. Click here to learn more.
Ras Al Khor Wild Life Sanctuary
This wildlife haven covers an area of 620 hectares and features a combination of salt flats, intertidal mudflats, mangroves, and lagoons. It’s this precious environment that supports more than 20,000 water birds and 67 species, a critical staging ground for the wintering birds of the East African to West Asian Flyway. The site is also home to more than 500 species of flora and fauna and is one of the best-managed arid wetland zones in the region. Click here for more…
Seawings Seaplane
A journey of sensory overload onboard a Seawings seaplane, delve into Dubai’s historic past, its present-day modern metropolis and the future developments of that are yet to come. The most complete experience that Seawings offers, a journey not to be missed and never to be forgotten. Click here for more…
Segway Glides
Great family fun filled with exciting photo opportunities all while gliding along on your own Segway. Click here for more…
BateauxDubai
Cruise along the Dubai creek on traditional Arabic Dhows or more modern cruisers and enjoy an especially prepared gourmet cuisine. Click here for more…
Ski Dubai
Ski Dubai is the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East and offers an amazing snow setting to enjoy skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing, or just playing in the snow. Click here for more…
Skydive Dubai
Skydive Dubai, the world’s premier skydiving location, neighbouring the luxurious manmade island The Palm Jumeirah and the Dubai Marina. Click here for more…
Things to do at Festival City and Hotel
Click here to learn things to do at Festival City and Hotel.Golf Package:
- Complete Golfing Package AED 495/625 Midweek/Weekend respectively
- 18 holes of golf
- FREE usage of hire clubs and golf shoes
- Complete Practice Package AED 150
- Unlimited use of practice facilities
As for the SPA packages:
- 25% discount on the 90 minutes full body massage
- 20% on other selected treatments.