Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates! On our trip to Dubai in May we really wanted to visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, so we dedicated a day to making the trip. If you’re visiting UAE, I highly recommend you visit this mosque. Keep reading as I will be sharing everything you need to know about visiting Sheikh Zayed Mosque!
HOW TO GET TO ABU DHABI
My husband and I traveled to Abu Dhabi from Dubai via a car rental. Driving from Dubai to Abu Dhabi takes about 1.5 hours. We found the roads and highways to be really simple, wide and safe. We decided to drive ourselves because we wanted to have the freedom to do whatever we wanted and not be on a schedule. Another bonus was the rental car cost 60 USD round trip including gas for the entire day.
Here are some options of the ways you can get to Abu Dhabi by road:
- Car rental: With a valid drivers license you will have no problem renting a car in the UAE from any reputable company. We rented our car from Avis.
- Public transport: There are regular buses from Al Ghubaiba bus station in the Bur Dubai area to Abu Dhabi. These are non stop to Abu Dhabi bus station and take 2 hours and cost about 25 AED. Once you arrive at the Abu Dhabi bus station, you’ll need to get a local bus or a taxi to the mosque or anywhere else you plan to visit. This is definitely a cheaper option but takes a lot longer and you have to pay for additional taxis/ubers to get you from place to place in Abu Dhabi.
- Tour from Dubai to Abu Dhabi: You can book a tour where you will be picked up from your hotel and taken to explore the best places in Abu Dhabi, however note that these tours can be expensive and range anywhere from 7-10 hours including travel time. The plus side is you have a guide and learn along the way!
- Taxi: A quick, yet expensive option. A taxi ride can range from 150 – 300 AED EACH WAY. Your hotel can easily arrange a round trip taxi service for you. You could also pre-book your own taxi, which maybe a little cheaper. It’s worth noting that although Dubai taxi drivers are meant to take credit cards, some don’t. Make sure to check before if you plan to use your credit card.
If you are visiting from a different country or area of the UAE, you will fly into Abu Dhabi International Airport.
SHEIKH GRAND MOSQUE
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the largest mosque in the country, made of marble and one of the most popular Abu Dhabi tourist spots. During my travels, I’ve been able to visit quite a few mosques, and each one of them has been beautiful and unique in their own way! But I am going to make a claim that the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi might just be the world’s most beautiful mosque. Here are some worthwhile facts to know before you visit:
- Sheikh Zayed Mosque officially opened to the public in 2007
- It cost about 545 million USD to build
- It holds 2 World Guinness records: the largest carpet and the largest chandelier in a mosque
- It’s made up of 82 domes, 1,144 columns and 236,800 square feet
- It holds up to 40,000 worshipers
WHO CAN VISIT THE MOSQUE?
The mosque is very welcoming to visitors of all faiths, as long as you respect the simple rules, which include dressing conservatively, no food/drinks and not taking photos of people praying.
Mosques are a sacred place of prayer and respectful etiquette should be observed when visiting. Think of this as if you were visiting a church, temple, synagogue or any other place of religious worship. Leave the loud voices, profanity and negativity at the door.
WHAT TO WEAR
The mosque provides clear guidance on their website. Women should be covered from the neck, to the wrist and to the ankle, and have their hair covered. No transparent or tight clothing. Men should have their shoulders and knees covered.
If your clothing doesn’t meet the requirements you can borrow an abaya to wear over your clothing. You’ll need to take your shoes off when you go enter the main mosque building.
VISITING TIMES
- Daily: 9 am to 10 pm (last entry at 9:30 pm).
- Fridays: 4:30 pm to 10 pm (last entry at 9:30 pm).
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is closed for tourism activities (and open for worship) on Friday mornings, and reopens after 4:30 p.m. for visitors.
If you plan to visit the UAE during Ramadan then the visiting hours are different. The visiting hours during the month of Ramadan are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., from Saturday to Thursday. (Last admission at 2:30 pm). General tours during the holy month of Ramadan start at 10a.m. and 11a.m. The tour duration is 45 – 60 minutes. The Mosque does not open its doors for visitors on Fridays during the holy month of Ramadan.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
- Early in the morning: If you plan to avoid the crowds, visit the mosque when it opens (9 am), before the big buses full of tourists arrive.
- During sunset: one of the best times to visit the mosque is during sunset for the perfect lighting.
- At night: If you stay the night in Abu Dhabi then visiting the mosque at night looks really beautiful, as it is lit up.
PRICE
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque price ticket is FREE!
Guided tours are also offered free of charge and I highly recommend you take one. The standard tour duration is approximately 45 minutes and is led by an official tourist guide in either English and Arabic languages. You can find tour times below:
- Sunday – Thursday: 10:00 am – 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Friday – 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
- Saturday – 10:00 am – 11:00 am – 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
To join one of the tours, meet at the East entrance of the mosque 15 minutes before the scheduled tour time.
WHAT TO EXPECT
When you reach the mosque the first building you’ll go into has security that checks if you’re dressed appropriately in order to enter the mosque. If you’re not dressed appropriately, you will directed to a dressing room, where you are given an abaya or robe like dress. Once you’re dressed, you will be directed inside the main complex.
You will then pass gardens and water before you step inside the platform which surrounds the mosques central courtyard. Gold columns will guide you throughout the entire mosque. Don’t forget to look up once inside – you don’t want to miss the beautiful 24 carat gold chandelier and intricate ceiling details.
WHERE TO EAT
After spending 2 hours at the mosque we had worked up an appetite. We decided to stay near by and had lunch at Todd’s English Olives located within the Venetian Village in the Ritz Carlton.
ADDITIONAL THINGS TO DO
Get inspired at the Louvre Abu Dhabi – A direct extension of the Louvre in France, this one of a kind art museum in Abu Dhabi is the largest museum in the region. The stunning design has been inspired by shade cast by date palm fronds on a surface. Since there is mostly a queue to enter the Louvre in Abu Dhabi, I suggest getting skip the line tickets to make sure you don’t waste time queuing up.
Ride the fastest roller coaster in the world – Ferrari World is the first branded amusement park by Ferrari. Adventure seekers should definitely not miss Formula Rossa, which is the fastest roller coaster in the world!
Visit Emirates Palace – Known for being one of the most luxurious hotels in the world, Emirates Palace is worth a visit if you find yourself in Abu Dhabi. This hotel was the third most expensive to build in the world, having cost $3 billion USD to build. Enter the hotel by making a reservation at one of its restaurants, where they can enjoy luxury dining, a cocktail or even a golden cappuccino with real gold flakes.
Observation Deck at 300 – Located on the 74th floor, the Observation Deck at 300 provides a 360-degree view of Abu Dhabi’s skyline. If you want an aerial panorama of Abu Dhabi, Observation Deck at 300 is an excellent option. Floor to ceiling windows allow you to view the city in all directions. The entrance fee is about 25 USD. A credit voucher of 15 USD is attached to the entrance fee and can be redeemed at the cafe which offers afternoon tea and mocktails.
What’s the most beautiful mosque you’ve ever visited?
I’d love to hear about your favorite mosques around the world — share them below!
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Nice Article. Thanks for sharing the post. Dubai is one of the most popular tourist destinations. Your article explains all about Dubai very well. By they way how did you travel from Dubai to Sheikh Zayed mosque? By car? Thanks Again.
Thank you very much Shedi. Yes, I traveled from Dubai to Sheikh Zayed Mosque by car. I rented one from Avis and it was totally worth the money. We were able to get around easily and make our own schedule. Definitely recommend renting a car.
Thank you for the information. I am planing to visit the mosque next week. Now I am really looking forward to. You have given all the details needed. Thank you once again.
You’re so welcome Liyanage! Have a great time!