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Old Dubai Tour: Souks, Spices, and Authentic Emirati Feast
5.0
140 Ratings
Dubai
Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Old Dubai on this half-day walking tour. Explore the souks, savor local food, and discover the hidden gems of the city. Join us for a unique and authentic experience!
Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Old Dubai on this half-day walking tour. Explore the souks, savor local food, and discover the hidden gems of the city. Join us for a unique and authentic experience!
Duration:
3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Dubai Spice Souk - Enjoy a nostalgic Old Dubai treat paired with sweet milky tea in the charming back alleys of the souk.
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Dubai Spice Souk - Participate in our exclusive spice game, “SPINGO,” at the souk! Afterwards, refresh with a chilled Iranian dessert infused with rosewater, fruit cordial, and lemon juice.
(SPINGO is replaced with another…
- Dubai Spice Souk - Enjoy a nostalgic Old Dubai treat paired with sweet milky tea in the charming back alleys of the souk.
- Dubai Spice Souk - Participate in our exclusive spice game, “SPINGO,” at the souk! Afterwards, refresh with a chilled Iranian dessert infused with rosewater, fruit cordial, and lemon juice.
(SPINGO is replaced with another activity during Ramadan)
-
Dubai Spice Souk - Savor hot stuffed bread filled with one of our favorite ingredients from a tiny corner bakery.
During the hotter months: This stop may be skipped if temperatures are too high in the summer. Instead, a special local bread will be ordered at our final dinner stop. - Dubai Spice Souk - Taste a traditional, cooling Iranian dessert topped with rose syrup and lemon juice.
- Deira Old Souk Abra Station - Experience crossing the creek from Deira to Bur Dubai in a traditional wooden boat.
- Textile Souk - Stroll through the lively textile souk and indulge in freshly fried Indian snacks.
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Bottled water
- Abra ride across the creek
- 4 snack stops and 1 sit-down meal
- Use of audio receiver and free earphones to hear the tour guide clearly
- Professional guide
- Bottled water
- Abra ride across the creek
- 4 snack stops and 1 sit-down meal
- Use of audio receiver and free earphones to hear the tour guide clearly
What's Not Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Substitutions in case of allergies/restrictions
- Meals
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Substitutions in case of allergies/restrictions
- Meals
Additional Information
Embark on a fascinating 3.5-hour exploration of Old Dubai, revealing the city’s essence beyond the typical tourist routes.
Start with a nostalgic delight tucked away in the souk’s alleys, sparking your adventure. Participate in our exciting spice game, SPINGO, where you’ll discover and learn, culminating in a refreshing icy treat to invigorate your…
Embark on a fascinating 3.5-hour exploration of Old Dubai, revealing the city’s essence beyond the typical tourist routes.
Start with a nostalgic delight tucked away in the souk’s alleys, sparking your adventure. Participate in our exciting spice game, SPINGO, where you’ll discover and learn, culminating in a refreshing icy treat to invigorate your senses.
Enjoy the allure of Dubai Creek on a traditional abra, taking you to the lively textile souk of Bur Dubai, where the evening will conclude with a popular Indian street snack.
Join this journey to experience the highlights of Old Dubai, from spice souks to genuine snacks, in a manner that feels like exploring with friends.
Note: One eating stop is omitted from May to September.
- Minimum age is 8 years
- Please advise us at least 48 hours in advance of the tour in case of serious food allergies, including gluten, nuts and dairy
- A moderate amount of walking is involved, approximately 3.4km
- Comfortable walking shoes are recommended
- Tour may be cancelled if there are less than 3 participants and rescheduling options or full refund provided.
- All food is ordered in advance and we may be unable to provide substitutions in case of allergies/restrictions.
- Please do message us after booking if you have any dietary restrictions/allergies.
Location
Mandoos Point Old Baladia Street
Old Baladiya Street
We meet by the big treasure chest, steps ahead of the Old Baladiya archway. Guide in "Keep Calm - I'm Your Food Tour Guide" t-shirt. Starts promptly on time! If late, WhatsApp number provided for location. Guide may not answer calls during tour. Latecomers take the responsibility to join group.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(140 Ratings)
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1 star
Anonymous
Jan 12, 2026
Frying Pan adventure - Great history lesson! Leader was excellent. Time control. Experienced leadership. Night time was beautiful
Review provided by Viator
W6785bjlizm
Jan 9, 2026
A great way to tour and eat in old Dubai - We had a great time doing this tour in old Dubai. It was expertly presented in a really interesting way, bringing to life old Dubai and the families that made it what it is today. The food options were all delicious and we added on the drinks option, though with the food they were quite filling! Plenty of food, earphones were fabulous for communicating with the whole group, the group was small and we ran right on time. We had been to the souk before but it was great to have the spices explained and help with making our purchase of saffron. There were locals and visitors on the tour and they all really enjoyed it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shan7p
Jan 4, 2026
Amazing food tour of Old Dubai - Our tour led by Ketki was amazing for our family of 4 adults. She kindly agreed to give us a tour on Christmas Day. Ketki was very knowledgeable and easy to ask questions. We truly felt at the end we understood the area, history and culture. The food stops were a great variety and plentiful. Items provided for the tour were thoughtful - wipes and hand sanitizer. The ability to listen with headphones made following along easy even from a distance so no information was missed. The guidebook emailed after the tour was excellent - providing details on all the places visited and food eaten. This tour was a highlight of our trip to Dubai for our entire family. We highly recommend it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lela_j
Oct 27, 2025
Fantastic tour guide... - Fantastic tour guide navigated us through many sections of Old Dubai that I otherwise would not have found and shared fascinating history behind amazing different types of cuisine. Would highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Sally
May 20, 2025
Dubai on a plate! - Great tour guide who shared lots about the history of the food and culture of Dubai. We tasted a really good variety of local foods which were all yummy. Such an interesting way to learn a lot about a place in a short time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Themimoux
Apr 21, 2025
I loved the tour in every way! An everlasting memory! - This was one of the best food tours I ever attended! Our guide Reem was knowledgeable, fun und friendly. We had a perfect day with her! The food was delicious and plentiful. Just the right mixture of different tasts and places - bakeries, street food venues, restaurants, most of them traditional places that are in Abu Dhabi for ages. And the area suprisingly is full of contemporary pieces of art, markets and community places. A „must do“, even if you are not a foodie or art lover! Join in, have a trip around Asia that is only one block in a neighborhood of Abu Dhabi and change perspectives! Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
789newman
Mar 24, 2025
Amazing and extremely well guided tour - This was an amazing and extremely well guided tour. Our guide Ketki was very informative and passionate about the whole area we visited and the experience of breaking Iftar with over 5000 muslims in the streets of the old souk was immense.
Plenty of food to try and the seafood meal at the end of the tour, Al Fanar restaurant, was superb, followed by a heavenly caramal stick toffee pudding!!
Overall a great tour and one we would recommend to anyone wanting to experience Dubai before oil.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
186zenas
Feb 26, 2025
The wonderful tale of Dubai and its start - Truly wonderful experience with Arva who gave us great history of the area as well as a background on different cultures and religions that all live simultaneously together. The small alleys with incredible culture and amazing food spots were truly impressive and Arva knew exactly which places to hit up. It’s a lovely walk and each alley gives u a totally diff feel and experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
F4095xadianad
Feb 13, 2025
Highly recommend ! - We had an amazing experience at the Dubai souks food tour! Ketki, our guide, was wonderful and not only gave us historical context to all the foods but kept us entertained throughout. All the food was delicious and this was as one of the best experiences we had during our Dubai trip. Highly recommend !!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
647nafeesaa
Apr 28, 2025
An interesting and enjoyable Abu Dhabi Public Art & Street Food Tour by Frying Pan adventures! - I had a fantastic experience on the Abu Dhabi Public Art and Street Food Tour! The tour offered a perfect blend of delicious food, beautiful street art, and fascinating insights into Middle Eastern culture. Our guide, Reem, was very knowledgeable, friendly, and thoughtful, making the tour even more special.
We visited several unique spots, each with authentic flavors true to their regions. From the Palestinian Ka'ak Al Quds sandwich at Al Khabbaz Bakery, to pani puri at Chaat Chaska, Kashmiri chai at MashaAllah Cafeteria, and amazing baklava at Al Dar Sweets — everything was absolutely delicious. I especially enjoyed the variety, and by the end of the tour, I was happily full!
On our way, we also saw beautiful artworks. Even though the weather was quite warm, the interesting facts and the lively atmosphere made us forget about the heat. The walking would have been even more pleasant in a cooler weather.
Overall, it was a well-organized and memorable experience. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting a real taste of Abu Dhabi’s food, art, and culture!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
