Undoubtedly, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque will be on your list of must-see attractions when visiting the United Arab Emirates. But you are probably wondering what does it cost to visit the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi?
Would you believe us if we told you it was completely Free to see the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque!?
Well, let’s take a step back. Entry to the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi doesn’t cost you a dirham; it’s a public house of worship made for the people. That doesn’t mean there aren’t some costs to consider, though, when planning your visit to the Abu Dhabi Grand Mosque.
What Does it Cost to Visit the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi?
Entry to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is always free of charge, with optional cultural tours and premium services available to enhance the visitor experience.
To save time on entry, you can pre-register for your visit online here, up to one month in advance of your visit.
Free Cultural Tours
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center provides free cultural tours of the mosque at the following times:
- Sunday to Thursday: 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 5:00 PM
- Friday: 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
These tours last 30-45 minutes. They are not bookable in advance, so it’s strongly suggested to arrive at the meeting point, clearly signposted, 10 minutes before the start time. You will be given headsets to help you hear the guide, as group sizes can be quite large.
The timing of these tours may change and be adjusted during Ramadan. Always check on the SZGMC website before your visit.
Private Cultural Tours
For an enhanced experience with a smaller group, you may opt for a paid private tour run by SZGMC. The present offering includes:
- Private Tour (30 mins – AED 250 | 60 mins – AED 500 | 90 mins – AED 750)
Immerse yourself in an exceptional private tour of the mosque with a dedicated Cultural Tour Specialist, ensuring privacy and memorable insights into Islamic art and architecture.
- Golden Tour (45 mins – AED 1000 | 90 mins – AED 1500)
Enjoy an elevated experience with a dedicated Cultural Tour Specialist, VIP parking, and a club car journey along a special route offering spectacular views.
- Unseen Glimpses (30 mins – AED 250)
Embark on a unique club car journey along an exclusive route that showcases hidden perspectives and offers exceptional photo opportunities of the mosque.
These private cultural tours can be booked and paid for online in advance through this link.
Sura Cultural Tours
This special night tour option was introduced in 2024 as an opportunity for visitors to view the Mosque outside of its usual operating hours (available from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am).
The special ‘El-Dellel’ e-tour is available in 14 languages and can be pre-booked at a cost of AED 20. We explain more about Grand Mosque night tours over here.
Transportation to the Grand Mosque
No matter where you are setting out from, you are likely going to need some transportation to get to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, as it is not situated immediately adjacent to any accommodation.
- Staying in Abu Dhabi, you can take a local bus service from Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station. You will need a Hafilat Bus Card to use the Abu Dhabi public transport system. This journey will cost you 2 AED.
- If you have an Abu Dhabi Hop-on-hop-off bus ticket with Big Bus, you can use the Green Route to travel from Abu Dhabi Mall to the Grand Mosque every 2 hours, as part of your ticket.
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Departs Abu Dhabi Mall at 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and 4:00 PM
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Departs Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque at 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 3:30 PM, and 5:30 PM
- You may be able to catch one of the Experience Abu Dhabi courtesy buses – Route B3 and Route E include stops at the mosque.
- From anywhere in the city, it’s quite straightforward to hail one of the silver Abu Dhabi taxis (or use the Yango app) to reach the Grand Mosque. Equally, there is always a full taxi rank outside the mosque waiting to take guest to their next destination. Your journey could cost anywhere from 15 AED (minimum fare) to 60 AED, depending on where you set out from. Careem and Uber are also available as rideshare options.
- If you are in the UAE for a while and are a confident driver, you may want to consider hiring a car to have some flexibility in your itinerary. Driving to the Grand Mosque is relatively well signposted (just be cautious of the circular loop of freeways), and there is ample visitor parking at the main entrance.
- Take in the Grand Mosque as part of an organised tour with transportation. Setting out from either Abu Dhabi or Dubai, you can pay to join a tour, which, whilst not entirely free, will cover your transportation costs.
Here are some of the most popular options to consider from Dubai; we have a detailed guide to visiting the Grand Mosque from Dubai over on our Dubai website.
Dress Code for the Grand Mosque
While visitors from all backgrounds are welcome to visit the mosque, please note that there is a dress code that you need to comply with in order to preserve the sanctity of the mosque.
Broadly speaking, for women this means all skin on arms and legs must be covered, ankle to wrist, as well as heads covered. Men require their legs covered and must wear shirt sleeves.
Whilst it’s relatively straightforward for men to comply with the rules, most non-Muslim women do not own an abaya, a head scarf or appropriate head covering. If you turn up without the appropriate clothing, security will point you to the small souq attached to the Grand Mosque to purchase appropriate items of clothing.
These are relatively inexpensive, starting from around AED 40 AED, but should be factored into your budget for visiting the Mosque; Consider it a souvenir from your trip!
See our complete Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Dress Code guide here
NB – the mosque used to rent abayas to women and kanduras to men for free. They stopped this practice during Covid and the BYO system has been in place ever since.
Registering to Enter the Grand Mosque Abu Dhabi
Entry to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is free, but visitors are still asked to register before their visit.
Doing this online will save you time when you want to enter. At peak times, when all the tour buses arrive, this can be quite a time saver.
While there is no entrance ticket for tourists to enter the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, you should factor in transportation to the mosque and appropriate attire.
Additional costs will be incurred and separate ticketing required should you wish to undertake a private tour or enter the Light & Peace Museum or ‘Diya Experience‘. These new attractions are attached with, though separately ticketed from the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
More Free & Cultural Attractions in the UAE
You may also be interested in checking out next:
- Our guide to 40+ Free Things to do in Abu Dhabi
- All the best Museums to visit in Abu Dhabi (Including newly opened attractions on Saadiyat Island)
- 15 Beautiful Landmark Buildings in Abu Dhabi
- The Best Cultural Attractions in Abu Dhabi
- How to Visit Abrahamic Family House – Interfaith Complex
Before you go… Important things to consider when planning a trip to Abu Dhabi
- Pop into our essential planning information page; it includes everything you need to know about getting around Abu Dhabi, a handy guide on what to pack and top tips for first-timers on the dos and don’ts, laws, and customs in the UAE.
- Start planning your itinerary around the 60+ top places to visit in Abu Dhabi.
- Don’t forget to pack your travel insurance!
- Discover the best places to stay in Abu Dhabi.
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