A Female Tour Guide in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Some of my guests find me because they searched for a female tour guide in Dubai. Fair enough. Here is what that actually changes on a tour, and what it does not.
What It Changes
At Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, I bring coverups for the women in the group: proper pieces that look good and photograph even better, so nobody is scrambling at the gate or wrapped in something borrowed. And I can answer the questions women actually ask at a mosque, about what to wear, where women pray and why the rules are what they are, without anyone feeling awkward for asking.
It also means a guide who will tell you plainly where you can wear shorts in Abu Dhabi (almost everywhere) and where you cannot (2 places), after more than 30 years of living and working here as a woman.
It suits solo women travellers, mothers and daughters, women’s groups, and families who prefer a woman to guide the women in their party.
What It Does Not Change
The tour itself. Same route, same stories, same standards. I am licensed to guide in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, I have held my Abu Dhabi licence since 2018 and renewed it by examination, and I am a licensed Louvre Abu Dhabi external guide. Being a woman is not my credential. It is just who shows up.
Where to Start
- Old Dubai Walking Tour: 4.25 hours on foot through Al Fahidi, the souks and across the Creek by abra, in a group of 12 at most.
- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque tour: 5.75 hours from Dubai, giving the mosque the time it deserves. Coverups for the women in the group.
- Abu Dhabi Cultural Tour: the full day from Dubai, with the mosque, Qasr Al Watan and Louvre Abu Dhabi.
- Private Custom Tour: your plan, your pace, just your group.
Who I Am
Nada Badran. Palestinian by origin, UAE resident for more than 30 years, MBA from IE Business School, former strategy consultant and former host of the travel show Tajawal Ma’a Nada on CNN Arabic. My work has been featured more than 110 times, in outlets including CNN, National Geographic, Condé Nast Traveller and The Telegraph. More about me.
Questions
Can I book a private tour with a female guide?
Yes. I lead my tours myself, most of them can be booked privately, and a Private Custom Tour can be built entirely around you.
Do women need to cover their hair at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque?
Yes. Women need a headscarf, long sleeves and full-length trousers or a skirt, with no slits and nothing sheer. On my mosque tours I bring coverups for the women in the group. The full detail is in my Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque visitor guide.
Do you guide in Arabic?
Yes, in English and Arabic.
No flags. No scripts. Just stories that stick.
