All You Need To Know About Visiting Dubai’s Burj Khalifa
Key details you need to visit At the Top, stay at Armani Hotel Dubai, dine at At.mosphere, and visit Dubai Fountain and Dubai Mall
No trip to Dubai is complete without visiting Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building and the city’s most iconic landmark. If it looks familiar, you might have witnessed Tom Cruise climbing this soaring skyscraper in “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol”, in an attempt to save the world from destruction.
Most first-timers may only be attracted to the observation deck, but there is much more to this superstructure — it houses Armani Hotel Dubai, dazzling art installations and a handful of restaurants with sparkling views. Set in Downtown Dubai, the Burj Khalifa is also within close range of traveler favorites like Dubai Fountain, Burj Park, and The Dubai Mall.
If you’re on the hunt for a quick guide to visiting this icon, look no further. We’ve rounded up all the need-to-knows to get you off to a good start.
How Tall is the Burj Khalifa?
The Burj Khalifa is 828m (2,716ft), which is approximately twice the height of the Empire State Building in New York City and three times taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It is 196m (643ft) taller than the Shanghai Tower, the second tallest building in the world. This monumental structure is such an engineering feat that it holds seven world records.
Photo: Daniel Stocker/Getty Images
At the Top: Spellbinding Views of the
Dubai Skyline
One of the highlights of visiting the Burj is none other than the world’s highest observation deck, At the Top. After riding the longest elevator in the world—complete with a light show—you’ll truly feel on top of the world when you are greeted with 360-degree views of the Arabian Gulf.
At the Top is split across three floors (124, 125 and 148), and offers two packages: the general admission entry will take you to levels 124 and 125 on a 45-minute self-guided tour while At the Top SKY is a 90-minute guided experience that brings you to all three floors, including the SKY Lounge.
Prices
- At the Top: From AED149 (USD41), depending on the time of the day
- At the Top SKY: AED379 (USD103), non-prime hours 7 p.m.-10 p.m.; AED533 (USD145), prime hours 12 p.m.-6 p.m.
Opening hours
- At the Top: Sunday to Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Thursday to Saturday: 10 a.m. to midnight
- At the Top SKY: Monday to Sunday: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Best Times to Visit
The best time to visit is at sunset (4 p.m.-7 p.m.), when you’ll also be able to catch the Dubai Fountain in its full splendor, which runs every 30 minutes from 6 p.m. However, this is also when the attraction is the busiest. If you’d like to avoid the crowds, stop by in the early morning (10 a.m.-noon) and before closing. A solid reason to gun for off-peak timings would be considerably cheaper tickets.
Do check the weather forecast and book your tickets online in advance, especially if you have a particular time slot in mind. It’s pricier to book on the day itself and the slots typically open 30 days ahead.
If this is your first trip to Dubai and you’d like to check out multiple sights in one day, there are a variety of experiences that include a ticket to At the Top, from tours to the top attractions to guided excursions of heritage and contemporary locales. This will likely stretch your budget and help you make the most of your trip.
Another Way to See the Views: Dine in
the Sky
Perhaps a more special way of enjoying the panoramic view is to dine in style at At.mosphere, the world’s tallest restaurant. It occupies four separate floors — an all-day restaurant on level 122 and a lounge terrace on levels 152-154 (higher than At the Top). This is a great way to beat the sweltering heat and indulge in refined European fare whilst taking in the breathtaking sights. The lounge’s open deck is perfect for photos and of course, admiring the desert vista.
Stay at Burj Khalifa: Armani Hotel Dubai
If you’re looking for an unforgettable stay when in Dubai, the Armani Hotel Dubai could be right up your alley. Located within the Burj Khalifa, this is the world’s first Armani hotel. As Giorgio Armani himself was intimately involved with the design, the hotel beautifully reflects the elegance and simplicity that he’s renowned for.
Unwind in style at the Armani/SPA and indulge in a spa trail with saunas, steam baths and ice waterfall, or take your pick from a host of restaurants which serve an array of cuisines, from Italian to Indian. This award-winning hotel delivers top-notch hospitality.
Photo: Christopher Pike
What to Do Around Burj Khalifa
After visiting Burj Khalifa, most travelers would spend time at the Dubai Fountain and The Dubai Mall as they are a stone’s throw away.
Sitting at the doorstep of Burj Khalifa is the impressive Dubai Fountain, which will captivate you with its water, music and light spectacle. It comes alive every 30 minutes from 6 p.m., shooting streams of water 152m (500ft) high, choreographed to popular music. Conceptualized by the very creators behind the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas, you’re in for a treat.
The Dubai Fountain Boardwalk, a floating platform, will take you to a mere 9m away from the jets. If you’d like the best seats in the house, take the Dubai Fountain Lake Ride, where you’ll cruise within the 12ha (30ac) Burj Khalifa Lake on a boat.
Photo: Kirandeep Singh Walia/ Pexels
There are a staggering number of stores and restaurants at The Dubai Mall, with two renowned department stores — Bloomingdale’s (New York) and Galeries Lafayette (Paris). If you’re looking for kid-friendly fun while you shop, check out the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, KidZania, or the Olympic-sized Dubai Ice Rink. The aquarium also offers bundle tickets with At the Top, which would give you some savings. That’s not all, The Dubai Mall is also connected to The Dubai Mall Zabeel, a mall extension, via a link bridge. You might be spending more time at The Dubai Mall than you expect.
Photo: Almsaeed/ Getty Images
Getting from Dubai International Airport
(DXB) to Burj Khalifa
Car
Burj Khalifa is approximately 15km (9mi) away from DXB, so you’ll be able to get there from the airport in under 20 minutes. There are also ride-hailing services available in Dubai, such as Uber and Careem.
Taxi
Taxi fares from the airport start from AED25 (USD7), and your trip to Burj Khalifa should cost approximately AED65 (USD18). Dubai also has a special taxi service helmed by female drivers. A simple way to book a taxi would be to download S’hail, an app from Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
Metro
You could also take the Dubai Metro from Terminal 1 or 2 and alight at the Burj Khalifa/The Dubai Mall station. This is the cheapest transport option at AED5 (USD1) and it will take approximately 40 minutes.
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