Who this tour is for
Etihad transit passengers and anyone connecting through Zayed International with 6 to 8 hours between flights. If you have less than 6 hours, read the 5 hour layover guide first. If you have more than 8, the 8 hour Grand Layover Tour adds the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Corniche palaces.
Most guests book this tour on a long haul connection between Europe, North America or Australia and Asia, arriving with hand luggage only and checked bags already through to their final destination.
Your 4 hours, minute by minute
- 0:00: Meet at arrivalsStarbucks in the arrivals hall, or Exit 4, parking row 4. Your driver holds a name board.
- 0:15: Depart the airportLuggage stays safe in the vehicle throughout.
- 0:30: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque90 minutes inside: the 82 domes, the world's largest hand-knotted carpet, the reflective pools. Abayas provided free at the mosque.
- 2:15: Corniche and skyline drivePhoto stop on the waterfront with Etihad Towers and Emirates Palace in view.
- 3:00: Return to the airportDropped at departures a full 2 hours before your flight.
What you will see at the Grand Mosque
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the largest mosque in the UAE and one of the largest in the world. It opened in 2007 and holds more than 40,000 worshippers. On the visit you walk the main courtyard, framed by 1,096 columns inlaid with mother of pearl, then the main prayer hall with its 5,700 square metre carpet, hand knotted by 1,200 artisans, and the seven Swarovski crystal chandeliers. The reflective pools around the courtyard give the classic photograph, and the mosque is lit in a lunar cycle after sunset so it looks different every night of the month.
Entry is free. Visitor hours are 9 AM to 10 PM Saturday to Thursday and 9 AM to 12 PM on Fridays (last entry earlier on Fridays), with the standard visitor route closed during prayer times. We check the day's timings before pickup and build the visit around them.
What's included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle and professional driver
- Airport parking fees and all taxes, the price you see is final
- Mosque entry (free) and timing around prayer closures
- Live flight tracking: if your inbound flight is late we adjust the pickup, if it is cancelled we reschedule or refund in full
- Optional licensed guide in English, Arabic, French, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese or Hindi at additional cost
Good to know
The mosque closes during Friday prayers and adjusts hours in Ramadan and we plan around this automatically. Modest dress required; abayas lent free at the entrance.
You will pass through UAE immigration on the way out and airport security on the way back in. Most passports receive a visa on arrival at no charge; see the visa guide for the full list, or read can I leave Abu Dhabi airport during a layover for how the process works.
Related guides: Full Mosque Visitor Guide · 5-Hour Layover Guide · 7-Hour Layover Guide · Etihad Layover Guide · Night Layover Guide · Layover with Kids