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The Burj Al Arab on its island, with Jumeirah Beach and the Palm beyond, Dubai

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Experience

VIP Experiences in Dubai and Private Access Across the Region

The finest VIP experiences in Dubai and across the Middle East happen when the crowds have gone: a museum opened after hours, Petra lit by candles for your party alone, a pit-lane walk before the Grand Prix. This is our guide to private access, and how to arrange it.

Updated

At a glance

Private Access at a glance

Lead time
Two to eight weeks; three months or more for race weekends
How to book
Hotel chief concierge, specialist travel designer, or the venue's private-events team
Typical cost
From approximately US$1,500 for private tours; after-hours venue hire far more
Best season
October to April

Art of the private moment

The art of the private moment

Privacy is the ultimate luxury in a region that now welcomes tens of millions of visitors a year. Many of the Middle East's great sites and venues will open their doors outside normal hours for a private tour, a dinner or a proposal, and the best hotels have teams whose only job is to make that happen.

Start with your hotel's chief concierge, often a member of Les Clefs d'Or, or a specialist travel designer; see our guide to concierge, security and family services. Pair private access with a private arrival at the airport and a chauffeur.

Downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa seen from a helicopter above the city.
Photo: Tim Reckmann from Hamm, Deutschland · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Private experiences worth arranging

Louvre Abu Dhabi after hours

Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

The museum hosts private tours and events outside public hours, a rare chance to walk beneath the dome in near silence. Arrange through the museum's events team.

Official site ↗

Museum of the Future private tour

Dubai, UAE

Private and VIP tours of Dubai's landmark museum, with a guide and timed entry that avoids the queues.

Official site ↗

Grand Egyptian Museum private viewing

Giza, Egypt

Private guided visits with an Egyptologist, timed to see Tutankhamun's galleries at their quietest. See our Cairo guide.

Official site ↗

Petra by Night, privately

Petra, Jordan

Petra's candlelit Siq and Treasury can be booked for a private evening through specialist operators, with music and tea under the stars. More in our Petra guide.

Official site ↗
Seasonal

Formula 1 Paddock Club

Abu Dhabi and Qatar

The official Formula 1 hospitality, with pit-lane walks, garage tours and the best views at Yas Marina and Lusail. See our F1 Middle East guide.

Official site ↗

Private balloon flight

Dubai, AlUla, Cappadocia

A private basket over the Dubai dunes, AlUla's canyons or Cappadocia at sunrise, with breakfast set up where you land.

Official site ↗

Burj Khalifa: The Lounge

Downtown Dubai, UAE

The world's highest lounge, on levels 152 to 154, with a quiet, exclusive view over Dubai at sunset.

Official site ↗

Private desert dinner

Dubai and Abu Dhabi

A table set among the dunes with lanterns, a private chef and Arabic music, arranged by top desert operators. See desert sports.

Official site ↗

Private yacht at sunset

Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat

A superyacht or classic dhow for the evening along the Dubai Marina or the Muscat coast. See superyacht charter.

Helicopter over the Palm

Dubai and Abu Dhabi

A private helicopter flight over Palm Jumeirah and Downtown, or a transfer to a desert resort. See helicopter transfers.

Hegra privately with an AlUla Rawi

AlUla, Saudi Arabia

Private tours of Saudi Arabia's Nabataean tombs at Hegra with a local storyteller guide, at sunrise or sunset.

Official site ↗

Topkapı Palace private tour

Istanbul, Türkiye

Early-entry or private guided visits to the sultans' palace and treasury before the day crowds arrive.

Official site ↗

Private falconry morning

UAE and Qatar

Fly a falcon with a master falconer in the desert, followed by Arabic coffee and dates in a Bedouin-style majlis.

Chef's table

Across the region

Many of the region's finest restaurants offer chef's tables and private dining rooms. See finest restaurants.

Arranging it well

Give as much notice as possible, be clear about group size and any dress or photography requests, and confirm what is and is not permitted at religious and heritage sites. Gratuities for private guides are appreciated; see money and tipping.

Many who come for private experiences return to buy a home; our prime Luxury Real Estate agencies page lists the firms trusted by international buyers.

Ultra-Luxury Real Estate · Own Here

From a stay to a home of your own

Across the Middle East, the finest resorts and the finest homes now sit side by side, and many international buyers own before they ever visit.

Ultra-Luxury Tourism & Ultra-Luxury Real Estate

Checked October 2026. Prices and dates are approximate and can change. See our standard.