Day trips · By bus, car or guided tour · Checked against operators’ own pages
Day Trips from Abu Dhabi: Five Worth the Journey, from About AED 320
Live check just now: Guided Al Ain day tour from AED 508.12
Find your Abu Dhabi experience
How to choose
Five trips, from a 90-minute drive to a three-hour one. Choose by how far you will travel and whether the last stretch needs a guide or a 4x4.
Good to know
- Dubai and Sharjah are off the chart: we found no operator-published journey time for either.
| Item | Minutes one way by road |
|---|---|
| Al Ain | 90 |
| Sir Bani Yas, to the jetty | 120 |
| Liwa | 180 |
| Option | Our verdict |
|---|---|
| Al Ain · hourly bus, about 90 minutes by road | The best all-round day: a free oasis, a mountain road and Bronze Age tombs. |
| Dubai · direct buses from the main bus station | The easiest second trip: a flat fare, and guided days are sold from Abu Dhabi. |
| Sharjah · buses 117 and 118 | A museum and waterfront day that needs no guide; the return bus sets its length. |
| Liwa and the Empty Quarter · about 3 hours by road | Big dunes, but the larger ones need a 4WD; a guided 4x4 day fits visitors without one. |
| Sir Bani Yas Island · about 3 hours, boat included | An island wildlife park; most experiences run through hotels or tour providers. |
Al Ain: a guided day from AED 500, or an hourly bus
Al Ain repays the distance: shaded oasis paths, a mountain road you can drive to the summit, and Bronze Age tombs at Hili. The oasis itself is free.
See or book an Al Ain day tour
- Take an intercity bus from Abu Dhabi’s main bus station; Al Ain services run every hour.
- Start at Al Ain Oasis, open daily 9am to 7pm, with about 147,000 date palms.
- Rent a bicycle or electric scooter inside the oasis to cover more of it.
- Drive or ride up Jebel Hafit late in the day for views over the city.
Good to know
- The oasis’s falaj channels are about 3,000 years old, and their water flow can vary by season.
- Hili Archaeological Park is 10 kilometres outside the city; its Grand Tomb dates to about 2000 BCE.
| Item | AED per adult |
|---|---|
| Guided Al Ain day tour, from | AED 495.79 |
| Regular intercity bus to Al Ain, one way | AED 30 |
| Bicycle or electric scooter at the oasis, from | AED 30 |
On your own
Hourly buses reach the city, but the oasis, mountain and Hili lie apart, so expect hops between them.
With a guide
Guided full days are sold from Abu Dhabi and skip the bus timetable.
A guided Al Ain day tour starts from AED 500.
Prices checked 19 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
Dubai: a guided day from AED 320, or a direct bus
Dubai is the easiest second trip: three direct bus services leave Abu Dhabi’s main bus station, and a guided day loops the city without a car.
- Take bus E100, E101 or E102 from Abu Dhabi’s main bus station; all three run daily.
- On a guided day, join the loop from your hotel and return to it the same evening.
- If you go alone, pick one district and stay in it.
Good to know
- The fare is one flat price to Dubai, whichever of the three services you take.
| Item | AED per adult |
|---|---|
| Guided Dubai day tour, from | AED 315.83 |
| Intercity bus to Dubai, one way | AED 25 |
On your own
A flat-fare direct bus, but you then need local transport around Dubai.
With a guide
Guided days are sold from Abu Dhabi as one loop, so nothing depends on local transport.
A guided Dubai day tour starts from AED 320.
Prices checked 19 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
Sharjah: a museum day by bus, no guide needed
Sharjah suits a slow day of galleries and waterfront. Its Museum of Islamic Civilization sits on the Al Majarrah waterfront and holds over five thousand artefacts.
- Take bus 117 or 118 from Abu Dhabi’s main bus station; both run daily.
- Go to the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, on the Al Majarrah waterfront in the Heart of Sharjah.
- Fix your return bus before you settle in: the timetable, not the sights, sets the length of the day.
Good to know
- The museum’s six galleries cover Islamic faith, science and the arts across several centuries.
On your own
The bus and one museum fit a day, and a flat fare needs no guide.
With a guide
No guided Sharjah day from Abu Dhabi is listed on Mubboo, so this trip stays unguided.
Liwa and the Empty Quarter: a guided day from AED 570
Liwa is where the Empty Quarter begins, with date palms beside Tel Moreeb, a dune over 300 metres high. The larger dunes need a 4WD.
- Leave early: the drive is about three hours each way.
- Without a car, an intercity bus to Liwa runs every hour; the dunes then need a 4WD ride.
- Driving yourself, take a 4WD vehicle and travel in convoy.
Good to know
- Liwa Oasis is accessible throughout the year.
| Item | AED per adult |
|---|---|
| Guided Liwa day tour, from | AED 562.77 |
| Intercity bus to Liwa, one way | AED 35 |
On your own
The bus reaches Liwa, but the larger dunes need a 4WD, so this is a 4WD trip.
With a guide
Full-day 4x4 trips are sold from Abu Dhabi and take the dune driving off your hands.
A guided Liwa day tour starts from AED 570.
Prices checked 19 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
Sir Bani Yas Island: three hours out, a wildlife park at the end
Sir Bani Yas is an island wildlife park with Arabian oryx, cheetah and giraffe, plus the ruins of a Christian monastery. Over half the island is set aside for conservation.
- Drive the E11 towards Tarif and Mirfa; after Al Ruwais, take exit 113 for Sir Bani Yas.
- Park at Jebel Dhanna Jetty, about two hours from Abu Dhabi.
- Cross on the free speedboat, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Plan three to three and a half hours each way, boat included.
Good to know
- There is no general entry fee, but activities, wildlife tours and stays are charged separately.
- Many experiences are open only through registered hotels or tour providers.
On your own
Possible by car to the jetty, but the wildlife drives are booked through hotels or providers.
With a guide
A guided drive is the practical way in; we show no Sir Bani Yas booking option yet.
If you only do one
Al Ain. It has the free oasis, an hourly bus and the shortest drive here, so it works with or without a guide.
Good to know
- Dubai instead if you have not seen it: the bus is direct and needs no planning.
- Liwa instead for dunes, but only with a 4WD or a guide.
- Sir Bani Yas instead for wildlife, and give it the whole day.
Attractions & day trips from Abu Dhabi
What it costs, and where to book
| Plan | Tickets and transport | Book |
|---|---|---|
| Guided Al Ain day tour | about AED 500 | Book an Al Ain day tour |
| Guided Dubai day tour | about AED 320 | Book a Dubai day tour |
| Guided Liwa day tour | about AED 570 | Book a Liwa day tour |
Prices checked 19 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation. Amounts over 20 are rounded up. Ticket prices are per person for the first reviewed ticket and change by date.
Where a guided day tour earns its money, and where it does not
A guide earns its money on Liwa, where the larger dunes need a 4WD, and on Al Ain, where the sights lie apart. Dubai and Sharjah are simple enough by bus; Sir Bani Yas runs through hotels and tour providers.
Mubboo compares flights and tours and may earn a commission when a traveller uses a partner link. Booking and payment happen with the provider.
Questions people ask
Can I reach Al Ain from Abu Dhabi without a car?
Yes. Intercity buses to Al Ain run every hour, and the oasis is free and open daily. The mountain and Hili need a car or a guided day.
Do I need a 4x4 to see the Liwa dunes?
For the larger dunes, yes: many Liwa attractions require a 4WD vehicle. Without one, book a guided 4x4 day.
Can I visit Sir Bani Yas Island in one day?
Yes, but allow three to three and a half hours each way, including a short boat crossing. Most experiences run through hotels or tour providers.
Are Ras Al Khaimah and Ajman worth a day trip from Abu Dhabi?
Not by public bus: each has only two departures a day, which suits a night away. A same-day trip there needs a car or a private driver.
Plan deeper in Abu Dhabi
Sources (15)
Every figure above was checked on the dates shown.
- Mubboo reviewed day-trip options for Abu Dhabi (the booking platform destination 4474); per-person prices read when the page is built — mubboo.flights/abu-dhabi/tours (checked 2026-09-19)
- Abu Dhabi Mobility, inter-emirates bus services and ticket prices — admobility.gov.ae/en/inter-emirates-services (checked 2026-09-19)
- Abu Dhabi Mobility, inter-city bus services and ticket prices (Al Ain, Al Dhafra) — admobility.gov.ae/en/inter-city-services (checked 2026-09-19)
- Experience Abu Dhabi (Department of Culture and Tourism), Al Ain Oasis — visitalain.ae/en/experiences/nature/al-ain-oasis (checked 2026-09-19)
- Experience Abu Dhabi (Department of Culture and Tourism), Jebel Hafit — visitalain.ae/en/experiences/nature/jebel-hafit (checked 2026-09-19)
- Experience Abu Dhabi (Department of Culture and Tourism), Hili Archaeological Park — visitalain.ae/en/experiences/history/hili-archaeological-park (checked 2026-09-19)
- Experience Abu Dhabi (Department of Culture and Tourism), Sir Bani Yas Island — visitabudhabi.ae/en/where-to-go/islands/sir-bani-yas-island (checked 2026-09-19)
- Liwa International Festival, plan your visit (getting to Liwa) — liwainternationalfestival.ae/en/plan-your-visit (checked 2026-09-19)
- UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Liwa Oasis and the Empty Quarter — moccae.gov.ae/en/knowledge/ecotourism/liwa-oasis-and-the-empty-quarter (checked 2026-09-19)
- Sharjah Museums Authority, Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization — www.sharjahmuseums.ae/en-US/Museums/Sharjah-Museum-of-Islamic-Civilization (checked 2026-09-19)
- Mubboo Tours search, Abu Dhabi (the booking platform destination 4474), term ‘Al Ain full-day tour from Abu Dhabi’ — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=4474&term=Al%20Ain%20full-day%20tour%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi¤cy=USD&mode=keyword&sort=featured (checked 2026-09-19)
- Mubboo Tours search, Abu Dhabi (the booking platform destination 4474), term ‘Dubai day trip from Abu Dhabi’ — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=4474&term=Dubai%20day%20trip%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi¤cy=USD&mode=keyword&sort=featured (checked 2026-09-19)
- Mubboo Tours search, Abu Dhabi (the booking platform destination 4474), term ‘Liwa and Empty Quarter day trip’ — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=4474&term=Liwa%20and%20Empty%20Quarter%20day%20trip¤cy=USD&mode=keyword&sort=featured (checked 2026-09-19)
- Mubboo Tours search, Abu Dhabi (the booking platform destination 4474), term ‘Sir Bani Yas’ — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=4474&term=Sir%20Bani%20Yas¤cy=USD&mode=keyword&sort=featured (checked 2026-09-19)
- Mubboo Tours search, Abu Dhabi (the booking platform destination 4474), term ‘Sharjah’ — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=4474&term=Sharjah¤cy=USD&mode=keyword&sort=featured (checked 2026-09-19)