Designed as a two night stopover itinerary, the Dubai ConneXion is for those who don’t want to miss out on experiencing the total craziness of this Arabian megalopolis. You’ll be picked up directly from the airport as you land (and of course, dropped off when you leave), so no time is wasted in getting you right into the heart of the action.

 

 

The Dubai ConneXion

Perfect if you are en route to Asia, you can take advantage of the great value flights on Emirates and stopover in Dubai. Usually there is no extra charge for two nights stopover so why not take the chance to see the land of extremes. Dubai is an impressive place and when you say with Xtreme Gap Year, you can have some incredible adventures too.

This trip works particularly well to break up your long haul flight, acclimatises as you nicely, and gives you a once-in-a-lifetime experience of this mega-city and the surrounding desert.

The Dubai ConneXion Highlights:

 

  • Checking out some of the worlds largest skyscrapers
  • Staring in awe at the impressive Burj Kalifa nearly kilometre high
  • Roaring through the Arabian desert driving your own 1600cc Dune buggy
  • Fully guided tour of the city
  • Luxurious stay in three or four star hotel with pool.
  • Seeing what the night life is all about in summer the world’s most luxurious hotels

Photos

Full Details

The Dubai ConneXion

It’s hailed as the El Dorado of the East, a veritable city of gold, where gleaming scrapers soar into the cloudless Arabian sky, and energy oozes from every facet of every street. Dubai is the commercial king city of the Persian Gulf, a global centre of trade, commerce and enterprise, now the unlikely stuff of real and raw gap year experiences. In the last decade, this once humble city, nestled in the scorching deserts of the Arabian Peninsula, has grown at a faster rate than any other in the world. With investors flocking thick and fast, Dubai has become host to some of mankind’s most daring of engineering projects – from the construction of the awesome and formidable, Burj Khalif, the world’s tallest building, to the residential Palm dredges, the world’s largest man made islands. It’s a description riddled with superlatives, and with good reason. Dubai is a place to live life to the full, where sightseeing and adrenaline pumping experiences are inseparable and utterly concomitant.

With Dubai becoming a favourite stop-over destination of many of the major Airlines travelling from from Asia and Australia to Europe (and the other way around), we’ve developed the Dubai ConneXion itinerary, to ensure that you squeeze every drop of fun you can out of your travel agenda. So, forget boring lay overs, spent twiddling your thumbs in airport departure lounges, think hedonistic party nights and luxury accommodation, think desert dune biking and breath taking sights. With this fill-in, stop over trip itinerary, we’ll really get your gap year kick started, with a healthy dose of pure exhilaration in one of the world’s most edgy metropolises.

Designed as a two night stopover itinerary, the Dubai ConneXion is for those who don’t want to miss out on experiencing the total craziness of this Arabian megalopolis. You’ll be picked up directly from the airport as you land (and of course, dropped off when you leave), so no time is wasted in getting you right into the heart of the action. You’ll be greeted at the airport by our Dubai residential Xtreme Gap guides, who’ll be able to answer any questions you have about the city as you make your way to your stop-over accommodation.

While you may be raring to experience the budget accommodation life of a backpacker, you’ll have to wait just a little longer. In true Dubai style, you’ll be staying in super comfortable 3 or 4 star hotels, swimming pool at the ready. Within hours of landing, you could be sipping cocktails and taking a dip, revelling in the luxurious opulence that has become Dubai’s trademark, wondering why anyone would ever want to just wait in the airport. After unwinding with a good night’s sleep (or perhaps a party for good measure), it’s straight to the action.

We like to keep our itineraries as versatile and as customisable as possible, so you’ll have the choice of packing all the action into a single day, or spreading it over two. With the first option you’ll embark on a combined dune buggy and drive through tour day excursion, and with the second you’ll spend half a day with a sit-in city tour, and a second day on the dunes. Whatever you opt for, we’ll make sure your stopover is action packed to the full.

The city tour will show you all of Dubai’s opulence and grandeur, taking you from the colossal Burj Khali building, to the Dubai City Mall, the world’s largest shopping complex, from the white-sanded seafront, famous for its nature defying Palm Island construction projects, to the Burj Al Arab, the world’s second largest hotel-cum-iconic symbol of this Persian super city. But, this is just the beginning, next up, the dune buggies.

Arabian desert Dune buggy adventure

Once you’ve got a handle on the ceaseless energy of Dubai, we’ll put you right in the middle of it. We pick you up from your hotel early in the day, heading out of the city’s heart to the sea of desert dunes that oscillate into the horizon. You’ll watch the red hot sun of the Middle East rise over the dunes before suiting up and manning your very own 1500cc, rumbling, roaring, dune buggy monster, designed to eat up the desert terrain like nothing else.  With a 25km course of super-steep, heavy inclines and fast descents you’ll transverse the Persian sands and, conquering everything in your path. Half way through you’ll have the chance to stop and do some sand-boarding on some of the best slopes on offer, just to keep the adrenaline flowing. What’s more, you’ll be guided the whole time, so there’s no chance of getting lost in the desert, and no lack of encouragement, for when you’re trying to scale those really tough sand banks.

We’ve aimed to create an action-packed itinerary that suitably reflects the character of this fast paced, and adrenaline pumping destination. There’s really no need to resign yourself to a mundane stopover and days of jet lag tiredness when you arrive at your final destination. While you may not get all that much sleep in between dune biking up Dubai’s formidable desert mounds, and exploring the hedonistic party life of the city’s classy bars and electric clubs, you will have the chance to catch up on at least some rest mid-flight, but most of all, the two day Dubai Connexion will really squeeze the most out of your travel plans, wherever you’re headed!

Accommodation

We use a verity of accommodation options usually 3 star.

Trip Frequently Asked Questions

What about visas?
Nationals from the United Kingdom do not need a visa to enter Dubai you will be issued one at the airport. Other nationalities should check prior to travel.
What if I can't drive?
You will need a driving license in order to drive around Dune buggy in the desert, if you cannot drive you will be driven by a guide (the buddies are twin seater vehicles). Please note you will need to be up to drive a manual car.
Our meals included?
Meals and not included, you should expect to budget London prices for meals.
In my free time how do I get around?
Whilst this is quite a fall on itinerary, there is some free time, you will be centrally located but as you are essentially inner-city in the desert you certainly won’t want to walk anywhere. Taxis are cheap and plentiful most rides tend to cost between two and five pounds.
What else can I do there?
Dubai has one of the worlds best drop zones, if you really want to go for it we suggest you check out skydive Dubai and book a jump over the palm!
Who will meet me at the airport?
One of our locally based English-speaking reps will meet you at the airport. They will have a sign with your name on it.

Price

£399

Included

  • Meet & greet at the airport and arrival transfer to accommodation
  • Departure Airport transfer w/assistance
  • Three/Four Star hotel with a swimming pool for two nights
  • Dubai Half Day City Tour
  • Dune Buggy Adventure
  • Transfers to the desert for the Dune buggy adventure and back again
  • Detailed predeparture pack

Excluded

  • Flights
  • Spending Money
  • Meals

Dates

There are no set start dates that this programme, your itinerary will be organised around your flights.

 

“Driving through the desert in my own Dune buggy was immense. At last some proper adventure!”
Toby Young
“Dubai was such a spectacle, impressive and ridiculous but amazing fun. So glad I got to see it.”
Kate Maxted