We kicked off our inaugural tour, United Arab Emirates, with a group of 13 deaf travelers who enjoyed every moment of Arabian food, culture, and history across the cities of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Sharjah. Here are some highlights of our tour:
- Viewing the incredible 7-star hotel, the Burj Al Arab, on the little island with amazing interior design and the ultra-luxury of a regular room at the cost of approximately $10,000 per night, and the suites at the cost of $40,000 per night. We saw the beautiful tree-shaped Palm Jumeirah island on the Persian Gulf from the 52nd floor of Palm Tower.
- Visiting the Sheikh Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, the world’s largest mosque, showcasing stunning architecture that harmonizes various Islamic styles. The mosque boasts 82 domes, over 1,000 columns, magnificent 24-carat gold chandeliers, and the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet, crafted in Iran.
- Marveling at the UAE’s government & presidential palace, Qasr Al Watan, which is more than a Palace. The palace is a structural milestone with marble and white/gold mega-huge building, along with an interior of the Great Hall inside the building that has three signature colors: Blue, white, and yellow, which represent meanings, as well as impressive chandeliers consisting of 350,000 crystals, weighing 12 tons and hanging on a single point.
- Dune bashing on 4×4 wheel-drive vehicles on a desert. We also did camel riding, saw falcon shows, watched entertainment shows (Tanoura & Belly dancing) and ate BBQ dinner inside a desert tent.
- Meeting a Deaf Emirati businessman who gave an impressive tour around his recycling paper wrapping factory in Dubai.
- Chatting with a former Gallaudet University Deaf Emirati graduate student in Abu Dhabi with an inspiring story of how he was sent abroad for Deaf education.
On behalf of Hands On Travel, we would like to say THANK YOU to these 13 wonderful travelers for joining this inaugural tour!
Hands On Travel is a 100% Deaf-owned tour operator company that is truly proud to provide inclusive and accessible tours in sign language around the world since 2002.
