Half-term trip to Dubai

Now that travel restrictions have been relaxed the Academic Families trips are up and running!  October half term saw the return of our annual trip to Dubai – this year with 29 students from boarding schools throughout the UK.  After 29 negative PCR tests we were finally ready to board the flight to Dubai International Airport.

Arriving in Dubai

We arrived early morning so had a lazy start to the day beachside and all met for a group lunch to discuss the week ahead.  That evening we headed off to Dubai Mall for dinner before taking in the views from the world’s tallest building Burj Khalifa and enjoying the dancing fountains.

Next day all were all ready towels in hand and excited to spend a day at Aquaventure Water Park where we spent the day sliding down record-breaking slides and through raging rapids. As we left the water park we visited the Middle-East’s largest aquarium – The Lost Chambers Aquarium. We saw their amazing variety of aquatic creatures.  We were all very hungry after this busy day and enjoyed a delicious meal at a local Lebanese restaurant.

On Wednesday we had a welcome lie in. After a leisurely breakfast we went to IMG Worlds of Adventure – an indoor entertainment park where the students spent a fun time on rides and rollercoasters. In the evening we had a nice dinner at the hotel.

We had many golf enthusiasts on tour so on Thursday 12 golfers played an enjoyable round of golf at Jebel Ali.  Their skill and golf etiquette were commendable. Our other students  enjoyed their time beach side and in the sea on paddle boards and kayaking. Then, in the evening we got the metro to the Dubai Expo which was a unique and memorable experience.

On our penultimate day we spent some time shopping and a few of our students were also keen to visit one of Dubai's mosques. In the evening we went to Top Golf – a driving range on three levels.  All the students were fantastic and we had a great evening.

On our last day we spent some more time soaking up the last of the sun at the beach. Our students couldn’t believe how quickly our half-term trip had gone, and neither could we! In the afternoon everyone had lunch together, heading on our next activity - the desert safari.

Our desert trip was lead by the only eco-tourism desert safari company in Dubai who are committed to protecting the natural landscape and cultural heritage of Dubai's desert. In the desert we also spent time learning about Emerati culture and food. The desert safari was an amazing experience for everyone – although there was sand everywhere for the rest of the day!

Saying goodbye

After an exciting and busy week it was time to make our way to the airport to catch our flight. When we arrived in the UK our team were ready to meet us and transport the students back to school. Thank you to all of our students for making our half-term trip to Dubai so memorable and enjoyable!

Testimonials

We love hearing feedback from parents and students - especially when it's all positive!

"Everything was perfectly planned, the kids had a blast and the activities were very diverse. The most important thing was that we were always informed every step of the way." - Parent of Mexican student.

"The Dubai trip was incredible. I really enjoyed making new friends while getting to know a new country and its culture. From the visit to the Burj Khalifa to a couple of adventure parks and a mosque, everything was awesome. But what I enjoyed the most was having supper at the desert and stargazing after a marvellous sunset. I would definitely recommend this experience to other students who want to enjoy a break from school. It was fun, relaxing, and memorable." - Vale, Student on the 2021 trip.

Find out more about the exciting trips we offer to our students throughout the year.