A trip to UAE …Dubai and Abu Dhabi is amazing during the Christmas holidays. The weather is perfect and the winter festive season makes it an even more lively place. Situated in the Arabian Peninsula both the Emirates Dubai and Abu Dhabi have their unique charm from iconic modern buildings, museums, theme parks, palaces, grand mosques, and malls to old historic souks, dhows, and mesmerizing desert dunes. Excellent wheelchair accessibility and helpful people made it a perfect holiday destination. The places we visited in Dubai are…Bhuj Khalifa, Dubai mall, Dubai Marina, Palm tower, Souk Madinat, Jumeirah,
Bur Dubai, Historic Al Fahidi, Bur Dubai, Desert Safari at Palm Oasis, Gold, Spice, Grand Souk.
Bhuj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina, Palm Tower, and Souk Madinat Jumeirah are very wheelchair accessible.
Al Fahidi and Desert Safari are the two places where I will be giving you details about wheelchair accessibility as these places can be a little challenging sometimes.
Desert Safari at Palm Oasis
The desert safari is worth experiencing in Dubai. It has many different activities like sand boarding, camel riding, quad, Falcon experience, dune bashing, biking and finally visiting a Bedouin-style desert camp which has a variety of shows with Henna painting and BBQ buffet Arabian style. It may sound like a challenging tour for people in wheelchairs but with detailed research, some activities can be hassle-free and fully enjoyable. We were lucky to have Kareem Zayed as our trip advisor who took such good care of every detail.
The first stop of the desert safari is the buggy rental place. This is a lively area where you find different shops selling Arabian attire for the buggy ride and camel ride. You can also have a wonderful Falcon experience here.
Wheelchair accessibility ♿️ ♿️
The place is completely ♿️ wheelchair accessible. The buggy ride and the camel ride are not wheelchair accessible but you can take pictures with them. The person holding the amazing Falcon goes out of the way to give a perfect experience to a person in a wheelchair. Sometimes if you cannot go to the shopping area, you can just stay in the car and enjoy people-watching. You can get the Falcon experience from a car too.
After the amazing buggy ride on the dunes and the camel ride, we headed straight to the Lahbab Desert, known for its unique red dunes where we experienced dune bashing. Our driver took us on a thrilling ride up and down the tall dunes and chased the sunset. It was a thrilling experience on the red sand. The ride was very bumpy and felt like a roller coaster, but we felt safe and didn’t have to worry thanks to our guide who was skilled, and highly experienced. This activity is also completely wheelchair accessible. You may not step on sand but you get the full experience from the car. Dune Bashing while playing Arabian Music in the Car made it even more memorable
The Bedouin Camp
After completing the above activities, we headed to Oasis Palm camp which is a wheelchair-accessible aesthetic, Bedouin-style desert camp. Here, we get to ride and feed camels, enjoy a BBQ buffet, try henna painting, hold a falcon, smoke shisha, and watch a dance show.
Wheelchair accessibility ♿️ ♿️
These Bedouin desert camps are mostly on sand and it is tough for a wheelchair to roll on it. Thanks to our guide who suggested a camp which has a concrete path which makes it very accessible. The restrooms have a little step that can be navigated with some help.
Al Fahidi and Bur Dubai
Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood in Dubai is a ♿️ wheelchair-accessible place where you can experience the old way of life in Dubai. This place has been preserved and restored to showcase the traditional buildings, wind towers, alleys, and squares that were once home to the merchants and traders of the city. You can wander around the neighborhood and discover various cultural activities, shopping, museums, art galleries, and events that celebrate the rich history and diversity of Dubai. Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood is a place where you can immerse yourself in the Arabic experience and appreciate the contrast with modern Dubai.
Al Fahidi tea house is an amazing experience for having a traditional Arabian breakfast ( Akhayma Heritage restaurant)
This place has a complete Arabic setting where people from different countries visit just for the experience. Here you can enjoy the old souks and the Abra ride across the river.
Wheelchair Accessibility ♿️ ♿️ ♿️
Al Fahidi district is very wheelchair accessible. You can start from Alseef Center for shopping and keep walking toward the tea house. There is a wheelchair-accessible bathroom near the parking lot. Abra ride can be done by a person in a wheelchair only with some help. In general, Abras are not wheelchair accessible.
There is also a wheelchair-accessible bathroom at the Abra 1 boat service stand. The Grand Souk and the Gold Souks are completely accessible.
Bhuj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina, Palm Tower, and Souk Madinat Jumeirah are very wheelchair accessible.
Very Friendly and knowledgeable Karim Reya drove us around the city. He made our experience very informative and meaningful. He knows wheelchair-accessible places and is also very helpful while navigating the few uneven paths in Dubai.
Karim Reya- +971503947881
If you want to enjoy the breathtaking view of the Burj Khalifa from your room along with great hospitality then Hotel Dushit Thani is a very good choice. The hotel has a spectacular view of the town from its rooms, breakfast area, and restaurants. It is also completely wheelchair accessible. The staff at the hotel are extremely helpful and always go above and beyond to make your stay comfortable. https://www.dusit.com/dusitthani-dubai/specialoffers/saver-offer-plus-with-breakfast/?gad_source=1
