· 9 min read
7 Days in the UAE: City, Desert and East Coast
A week across the Emirates — Dubai, the Liwa or Al Marmoom desert, Hatta's mountains, Fujairah's coast and Abu Dhabi — with driving times and fixed transfer prices.
Most visitors see one city and assume that is the country. A week is enough to add mountains, a second coastline and a desert night — the whole UAE fits inside a three-hour driving radius.
The route
- Days 1–2 — Dubai
- Day 3 — desert night, Al Marmoom or Liwa edge
- Day 4 — Hatta and the Hajar mountains
- Day 5 — Fujairah and the east coast
- Days 6–7 — Abu Dhabi
Days 1–2 — Dubai
Old creek, souks, Downtown, the Marina — the compact version is the 2-day stopover plan. Arrivals and fixed prices sit on the DXB transfer page.
Day 3 — A night in the desert
Not the 4-hour safari with the buffet: a proper overnight camp. Al Marmoom is 40 minutes from the city and protected; the Liwa edge, three hours south-west, is where the dunes turn into the Empty Quarter and reach 300 metres.
Day 4 — Hatta
Ninety minutes east, in an exclave surrounded by Omani territory. The turquoise dam, kayaks, mountain bike trails and a heritage village. Note that the road passes near the border — carry your passport.
Day 5 — The east coast
Over the Hajar range to Fujairah and the Gulf of Oman: Al Bidyah, the oldest mosque in the country, snorkelling at Snoopy Island and a coastline that looks nothing like the Gulf side.
Days 6–7 — Abu Dhabi
Finish in the capital: the Grand Mosque, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Watan and the Corniche. Details are in the 3-day Abu Dhabi itinerary; airport prices are on the AUH transfer page.
Driving times
- Dubai → Al Marmoom — 45 km · ~40 min
- Dubai → Hatta — 130 km · ~1 h 30
- Hatta → Fujairah — 90 km · ~1 h 15
- Fujairah → Abu Dhabi — 260 km · ~2 h 45
- Dubai → Abu Dhabi — 140 km · ~1 h 30
Practical notes
Fuel is cheap, tolls are automatic, and the E11 is fast but unforgiving — speed cameras everywhere. Many visitors book a private car with a driver for the Hatta and Fujairah legs rather than a rental; prices for every UAE route are on the UAE transfers page.
