• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Want to see the best of Dubai? We got you covered. But as you can expect from a Withlocals experience, the real excitement is its hidden gems. Join your favorite local and get a feeling of the city's real vibe on a tour that has it all, so you can say: I experienced the real Historic Dubai!

Destination

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Hindi, Tamil

Included

• Private Guide
• 1 Local Snack & Drink
• Tickets for the Coffee Museum
• Transport by Abra
• tickets for Sheikh Saeed al Maktoum house
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance to attractions other than mentioned

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 13 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at Exit 1 (outside) Sharaf DG metro station - Dubai to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. City Highlights

   See from Gold Souk, Spice Souk, Dubai Creek abra station and other landmarks and must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots in town so you can get the perfect overview of what makes Dubai so unique

4. Hidden Gems

   Along the way, your local host will show you treasures hidden in plain sight that only the locals know about. Get to know the city through a different perspective, the local way, and discover places and stories that not many tourists experience

5. Magical Storytelling

   Behind every landmark and every stop, there’s a story, and your local host is ready to tell it all. Get ready to listen to incredible stories, one-of-a-kind insights, and fun facts only a knowledgeable local would know!

6. Special Treat

   Follow your host to one of their favorite eateries for a snack or a drink beloved by the locals. Take a break and catch up with your new local friend and get the answers to all your travel questions

7. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Wenda🇱🇺 Luxembourg

(About local Kasim)

1 March 2025

Kasim was nice, patient and kind. We enjoyed the walked in the souks. The only reason why i didn't give it a 10 is because Kasim was quite late and the itinerary involves a bit much coffee drinking at the beginning and the kids got a bit impatient. Other than that, we enjoyed very much the afternoon out. Thank you very much! Very nice walk with a knowledgable guide

Peter

(About local Ikram)

15 February 2025

Ikram met us on time and as planned, and took us on a fascinating tour as described. It was a great mixture of national and local history, and an introduction to his own life and the souks. Thank you for your time Ikram!Excellent

emjay1968

(About local Melwyn )

19 January 2025

Melwyn was a fantastic guide, so full of knowledge and insights throughout our tour with him. The Al Fahidi district is a must-see when visiting Dubai, and with a well-informed guide like Melwyn, it becomes accessible and so much more than its alleyways and souks. The only downside for us was that Melwyn was very late, we had to ring him to find out where he was. We had booked the tour the previous day online but he hadn’t checked his emails! Despite this, we would confidently recommend Melwyn - with perhaps a suggestion that you message or ring to confirm if booking at short notice.Fabulous insight into Dubai’s story

Jonathan

(About local Suqlain A)

1 December 2024

Eva🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Sruthy)

3 November 2024

We learned a lot of new things, e.g. that there are 99 different types of dates in Dubai, that Dubai used to be a resting place for pilgrims to Mecca, that the Persians brought spices to the Arabian Peninsula and that despite different cultures we can laugh about so many things together. Sandy stepped in for Scruthy as she had just had a baby but it was a perfect handover. Sandy is a fun, spirited and expert guy full of authentic stories about life in Dubai and lots of helpful tips about how to navigate the city. We enjoyed every minute with him! Thank you so much Sandy🥰Tasting, feeling & smelling Dubai

Sally-Anne🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Jose Gomez & Sandy Nat)

31 October 2024

Thank you Sandy - we thoroughly enjoyed our tour of old Dubai and the souqs. We learnt so much about so many different things to do with Dubai. It is a tour that must truly be done so that you see all sides of Dubai. Thanks A must do tour

Nico

(About local Orlina)

28 October 2024

Orlina was sick but Mario did replacement...Very good tour, friendly men. Thanks Mario 👍It was Mario

Tony

(About local Sruthy)

12 August 2024

Our guide Sruthy (Sandy) was a great guide. Very well informed about the history of Dubai, the UAE, the structure of the royal families etc., and took us on a journey of discovery. 100% worth doing, the sights, sounds, smells and tastes were fantastic.Wonderful insight into old Dubai

Andy🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Melwyn )

6 May 2024

We booked a tour with Melwyn and was really impressed. His knowledge of Dubai was excellent and was a really lovely person. Melwyn really took the time to explain about Dubai and its history and we learnt a lot. There's a lot more to Dubai than the hotels and beaches. I would throughly reccomend Melwyn and this tour if you want to know more about Dubai with a fantastic tour guide. Thanks Melwyn! From Vanessa and Andy Fantastic tour and brillant tour guide

Ardy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ali Abbas )

24 April 2024

had a great few days with ali in dubai and abu dhabi. informal and laid-back style, and extremely informative.friendly and knowledgeable in dubai

Erik🇹🇭 Thailand

(About local Ali Abbas )

12 April 2024

Ali is a very friendly guide who knows a lot about the history of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. He was on time at the at the meeting point. The tour through the souks of Dubai was really interesting and included visiting a coffee museum, having bites of local food at the market and going to a spice shop. We would fully recommend Ali.Very friendly guide

Harald🇦🇹 Austria

(About local Jose Gomez & Sandy Nat)

29 March 2024

thx to sandy for the very nice und perfect tour. we had enough time so see the small shops at the suks. Great Toru

Kristina🇫🇮 Finland

(About local Jose Gomez & Sandy Nat)

1 March 2024

We were very pleased with our tour in Dubai. Sandy is a very knowledgeable guide, and also a lovely person. We spent time in the souks, heritage village and also found out a lot about everyday life in Dubai. Thank you!Lovely day in Dubai

Renee🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Suqlain A)

22 February 2024

We had a great tour with Suqlain while visiting Dubai. My kids were not super interested in the history but Suqlain was able to keep them engaged through the tour. There is a lot of history in Dubai and a lot of little fun facts that we had no clue about so this was a great way to gain some insights. Highly recommend to use with locals and Suqlain specifically if you are in Dubai. With locals also helps coordinate many other activities which makes it really amazing because you can pretty much customize it to fit your needs.Family tour of Dubai hidden grms

matthew🇺🇸 United States

(About local Melwyn )

14 February 2024

Melwyn was a great ambassador to Dubai. His knowledge of the city, culture and history was deep. No question went unanswered. I would recommend Melwyn to anyone wanting to learn more about DubaiKnowledgable and Friendly

Els

(About local Suqlain A)

18 November 2023

Suqlain shiwed us around 'old Dubai'. we enjoyed the tour and the inside information on Dubai Suqlain shared with us. We enjoyed the Creek, the Souks, the boatride and especially the delicious street food. We asked many questions, but Suqlain ansewered with patience and a smile. Enjoyed the hidden Dubai gems

Kristy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Kasim)

15 November 2023

Recommend doing this tour as your second day, as the first should be the old town. Drive to all the key new sites stopping for pictures and key information. Melwyn was knowledgeable of everything about the cityAnother great tour in Dubai

Solene

(About local Kasim)

6 November 2023

We really enjoyed the tour, learned new things and discovered a different face of Dubai. Thank you! Amazing Experience

Lea🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

(About local Ali Abbas )

30 October 2023

Ali is an exceptional guide. He expertly navigated us through the historic streets of old Dubai, offering captivating insights into the city's evolution. His deep knowledge and engaging storytelling made the tour truly enjoyable. Ali's recommendations in the bustling Souk were invaluable. What truly sets him apart is his incredible passion for his job and his great sense of humor. This private tour provided a unique perspective on Dubai, and we very much recommend Ali. We can't wait to book with him another of his tours in the near future. Thank you, Ali, for an unforgettable experience!Exceptional Tour Guide Experience

watupdawg🇺🇸 United States

(About local Jose Gomez & Sandy Nat)

20 October 2023

Sandy was wonderful! He arrived early, and messaged us, letting us know, which we appreciated. He was so knowledgeable, kind, funny and sweet. He took us all over, and showed us all the cool, interesting places. He never tired of our many questions. Took us to the Textile, Gold, and Spice Souqs. Very cool. Food and Juices were amazing! Will definitely go back before we head home! Thank you, Sandy!!! 😁Sandy is Amazing!

Michael🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Sruthy)

17 October 2023

We had Sandy who was excellent. Very knowledgeable and accommodating of questions we had. Would definitely recommend. Great tour of old dubai

Sarah🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Jose Gomez & Sandy Nat)

9 October 2023

Sandy was a great guide - really knows his stuff and the tour got our visit to Dubai off to the perfect start. As well as learning lots about the history of Dubai and the UAE and visiting areas we might’ve otherwise missed, he also gave us top tips to make the most of the rest of our visit. Highly recommend a tour with Sandy if you’re visiting Dubai.Historic Walking Tour

Irfan🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Sruthy)

7 October 2023

Although we got off to a rocky start as the host did not get or see the booking confirmed 3 hours earlier on the same day, and this cost me an hour waiting at the meeting point melting in the heat, whilst trying to converse with the chat agent. It was frustrating not being able to actually talk to someone, rather that a chat agent whom your not sure it virtual or real. But after a rocky start, they managed to locate the host who eventually assigned the job to another host closer to our location. After approx 90mins of chaos, we finally met the new host “Sandy” who was a delight and absolutely made up for the rocky start so we enjoyed the rest of the day. Great job ✅🙏Rocky start

Daria 🇺🇸 United States

(About local Jose Gomez & Sandy Nat)

4 June 2023

I had great time on my historic walking tour with Sandy. I was by myself but I felt completely safe. Sandy was very fun, very knowledgeable, and very easy to communicate with. It was great experience to add to my short, 3 days, trip to Dubai. Fun walking tour with Sandy.

Brent🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ali Abbas )

17 May 2023

Ali was great - even when our flight was delayed two hours, he had everything ready for us to make our short time in Dubai special. Highly recommended. Very Accomadating Guide

Dale🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ali Abbas )

27 April 2023

A very short visit to Dubai was made epic with our tour guide Ali. He was timely, informative and a memorble personality. Would ask for him again and have already recommended him to another team leader coming to Dubai next month. Thanks Ali - you were great!Great Dubai experience with Ali

Sven🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Vibha)

19 April 2023

Vielen Dank Vibha für einen schönen, informativen und interessanten Spaziergang durch die Altstadt Dubais. Wir werden uns auch insbesondere Dank dir gerne an einen tollen Dubai-Besuch erinnern.😊

Maximiliane 🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Jose Gomez & Sandy Nat)

7 April 2023

Sandy hat uns nur in wunderschöne, abgelegene Flecke der Altstadt in Dubai geführt…hier war nichts mehr von Dubais Metropolen-Trubel zu spüren und wir fühlten uns eingetaucht in 1001 Nacht! Es war wirklich amazing!!!!Super! Geheimtipp!!!

Martijn🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Jose Gomez & Sandy Nat)

7 March 2023

Wij hebben begin maart 2023 een 3 uur durende privé tour gehad van Sandy. Wij waren met ons gezin inclusief 3 kinderen van 7, 4 en 1 jaar. We hebben het fahidi district bezocht, de Creek overgestoken met een Abra boot en daarna verschillende souks bezocht. De kinderen hebben we niet horen mopperen, ook voor hun was het allemaal erg interessant om te zien en te ervaren. Tijdens deze tour hebben wij veel informatie gekregen over de verschillende bezienswaardigheden, de historie en het huidige Dubai en UAE. Wij hebben Sandy als een zeer prettig persoon ervaren, ook erg leuk en geduldig in de omvang met de kinderen. Hij heeft veel kennis over Dubai en de UAE waardoor wij een veel completer beeld hebben gekregen van de ontwikkeling van de stad Dubai en het land UAE. Tevens gedurende de tour ook nog diverse tips voor ons verdere verblijf in Dubai. Absoluut een aanrader en voor ons voor herhaling vatbaar mochten we de UAE nog eens bezoeken in de toekomst. Fantastische familie tour Oud Dubai-Creek

Robert🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Orlina)

6 March 2023

Es war für uns eine tolle Erfahrung mit Orlina Dubai "zu erkunden". neben den fachlichen Informtionen zu den besichtigten Orten haben wir virl über die Menschen und ihre Lebensweise erfahren. Vielen Dank dafür ... RobertSuper Erlebnis

Jochen🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Vibha)

22 February 2023

As a family of 5, we spent a wonderful afternoon with Vibha who showed us the hidden gems and treasures of Dubai‘s old town. Being fluent in German (and English), she provided us with countless insights into the Arabic culture and history. Vibha was genuinely interested in making the tour an outstanding experience for the kids and grown ups alike. We highly recommend the tour with Vibha!Wonderful Dubai tour with Vibha

David🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Vibha)

17 February 2023

Sehr spannende Altstadttour mit vielen Hintergrundwissen. Hat sehr viel spass gemacht. Vibha hat dies super gemacht!Super Altstadttour

Ron🇺🇸 United States

(About local Melwyn )

3 February 2023

Melwyn was able to take us on a tour of the history of Dubai from when it all began until now. It was a very interesting tour and we were able to appreciate how the "new Dubai" came to fruition.A wonderful afternoon in OLD Dubais

Birgit🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Orlina)

27 January 2023

The tour with Orlina was the perfect start to our vacation. Not only did we get an impression of Dubai, we also learned a lot of interesting little side stories. Orlina adjusted to our wishes in every way and put together an interesting tour for us. We would book this tour again at any time!Perfect start to our vacation

Annie🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Melwyn )

27 January 2023

Melvyn is a very dedicated guide, who is very friendly, helpful and willing to go the extra mile to make my family comfortable. On one instance , while we were having our lunch, he took the boat back to the old town to drive the car to us The local restaurant that he recommended was very good, food is very tasty and prices are reasonable. Melwyn. My family really want to thank you for a fantastic tour ! We will look for you again when we come back to Dubai! Very dedicated tour guide

Andrea🇺🇸 United States

(About local Jose Gomez & Sandy Nat)

19 January 2023

Sandy was a wonderful tour guide. I injured my ankle earlier in the trip and he was sure to keep to pace slow, check in on me throughout, and overall was just really nice. We learned a great deal about Dubai as well and had a good time. Sandy knew I wanted to shop For saffron and took me to the best place. He even carried my heavy bags. Thanks for an amazing time, Sandy! The problem with the your isn’t Sandy’s fault at all. Apparently, the meeting point is a well known metro station, but we were t riding the metro. We called an Uber who took us to the wrong side of town despite using the correct address. We then took a Careem and that driver also couldn’t fisn the meet point and dropped us somewhere nearby - Sandy had to come and get us. I’d suggest in the future to perhaps provide alternate meet points based on client interest and preferences. I would have been happy to meet at the Arabian Teahouse, for example, or any other landmark or restaurant that you can easily Google. I Know what happens with us is a fluke and totally not Sandy’s fault, but it would have been much better to Uber to a super cute restaurant, eat some breakfast, and then start the tour. Surely, there will be other clients who would like that too,Great tour with logistic hassles

Veerle🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Suqlain A)

5 January 2023

Suqlain is a great guide. He tells a lot of stories and interesting facts. You learn to discover an entirely different aspect of Dubai. Suqlain takes you to many different interesting places. Including some small stops to get a bite and drinks. Really wonderful host. Best tour ever

Rae🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Jose Gomez & Sandy Nat)

12 December 2022

We had a fantastic afternoon with Sandy walking through old Dubai and learning about this interesting and amazing place. Sandy is very knowledgeable and was patient whilst we window shopped in the gold souk. He was also able to change the time of our tour last minute, as we got in to Dubai later than expected. I highly recommend.Great tour of old Dubai

Herman🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Orlina)

11 December 2022

we had a very interesting and complete journey through the old city. the guide had plenty of knowledge of dubai in both aspects of history as wel as modern day dubai. the culture was explained extensively and she showed us how the ancient culture and customs of the emirati are intertwined in this very new and modern city. The walk itself was very comfortable as there was plenty of shade and the route was mainly in pedestrian areas. The arabic coffee and the boat trip that were included added a nice touch to the vibrant feel of the city. overall a nice tour although expensive.an extensive tour through old dubai

Tracey🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Vibha)

5 December 2022

A first visit to Dubai for my daughter & myself & Vibha gave us a memorable tour round “old” Dubai with some fascinating insights to the culture & country. The 3 hours flew by! Highly Recommended.Memorable tour - recommended

Tommy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Melwyn )

27 November 2022

Melwyn created a personalized experience for us that we appreciated. He was knowledge of Dubai’s history and answered all our random questions. Additionally, he shared his journey to Dubai and his appreciation for the place he now calls home. We also thankful for his willingness to help us throughout our trip. A knowledgeable and responsive guide

Renee🇺🇸 United States

(About local Orlina)

25 November 2022

I arrived in Dubai to speak at a conference and only had about three hours to take in some local sights. I booked a walking tour with Orlina and we visited old Dubai as well as the souks. It was a wonderful experience with Orlina. She is very knowledgeable and we had a wonderful time. I would definitely book another tour with Orlina as she was a superb host and tour guide. Many thanks Orlina for making my trip memorable.!Awesome Experience!

Martina🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Vibha)

15 November 2022

Vibha war hervorragend, sie ging super auf unsere Wünsche, Fragen und Bedürfnisse ein. Sie spricht ausgezeichnet deutsch und kann sehr gut erklären. Organistirisch gibt es nichts zu bemängeln. Kontaktaufnahme war problemlos. Tolle Tour. Sehr empfehlenswert.

Heinz🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Vibha)

2 November 2022

Wir haben vieles über die Geschichte, über Kaffee, Gewürze, den Goldmarkt und über das Leben des interkulturellen Landes erfahren. Es war sehr interresant, abwechslungsreich und hat Spass gemacht. Vibah ist eine sehr freundliche und offene Stadtführerin, die auch ausführlich auf Fragen eingeht. Ist sehr zu empfehlen.Sehr empfehlenswerte Tour

Ari🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Vibha)

10 October 2022

We had an incredible walking tour of Old Dubai. Vibha was an incredible tour guide who has an incredible amount of knowledge and made this tour extremely interesting and enjoyable. I would recommend this tour to anyone visiting Dubai!!Amazing Old Dubai

Jürgen🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Orlina)

29 July 2022

We really enjoyed the guided tour with Orlinda. It was very interesting to learn about Dubai. Many thanks Jürgen, Sonja and LeaTolles Erlebnis

Rene🇺🇸 United States

(About local Lucy)

21 July 2022

Well organized we had time to do everything we wanted she is easy going I highly recommend her as a tour guideSuper tour

Monica🇺🇸 United States

(About local Orlina)

3 July 2022

I only had one afternoon and Orlina's tour of the Souk's and historical area was perfect. She has the right amount of detail, activity and pace. Highly recommendShort WIndow of Time? Orlina was perfect

Michelle🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Suqlain A)

26 June 2022

Suqlain was very knowledgeable, very kind and helpful. The whole process was really easy and he was very patient with us. We loved our time on his tour. Highly recommended The only guide you should chose!

Elke🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Vibha)

8 June 2022

Vibha ist ein sehr sympathischer Tourguide. Sie hat uns auf charmante Weise durch das alte Dubai geführt. Ihr Deutsch ist sehr gut. Die Kontaktaufnahme und Absprachen gelangen vorab zuverlässig. Eine Tour mit Vibha ist auf jeden Fall zu empfehlen. Ein gelungener Nachmittag