Burj Khalifa A Bird’s Eye View of Dubai

Last Updated on February 12, 2024 by Travelationship

While in Dubai, our first stop was the Burj Khalifa. It is currently listed as the tallest building in the world at 829.8 m (2,722 ft). The Burj Khalifa lives in the heart of Downtown Dubai. The building is the perfect place to get a birds-eye view of Dubai, and if you visit on a clear day, you can see beyond Dubai’s city limits.

Designed by Adrian Smith, an American architect whose credits include the two tallest structures in the world, the other being the Jeddah Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Construction on Burj Khalifa began in 2004, and although completed in 2009, it did not officially open its doors until 2010. The entire campus houses nine hotels, 3 hectares of parks, 19 residential towers, the Dubai Mall, and Burj Khalifa Lake.

Burj Khalifa A Bird’s Eye View

No matter how you arrive in Dubai, it is near impossible to miss the enormous figure in the sky. As we arrived in Dubai via plane, it was the first thing we noticed in the sky, and we could still see it as we landed. Its enormous presence was one of the reasons we wanted to visit as soon as possible during our stay.

Visiting Burj Khalifa is easy, but it is not cheap. There are two options to choose from: “At the Top Sky” including floors 125 & 148 and “At the Top” including floor 124. Adult prices for “At the Top Sky” are 350AED ($95usd), and for “At the Top” are 125AED ($35usd). Additional fees may apply during sunrise/sunset hours. We opted for “At the Top” and couldn’t have been more pleased.

We booked our visiting time and tickets online, to be picked up at their will-call office. I highly recommend booking your viewing time in advance because it does get crowded, and the line gets long. Also, the website does offer some package deal discounts for food, drink, or entrance to other sites. The lobby and will call office are located on the bottom floor of the Dubai Mall near the food court area.

The easiest & coolest (temperature-wise) way to reach the Dubai Mall is by taking the Dubai Metro to the Dubai Mall stop and walking the Metro Link Bridge from the metro to the mall. Plan for about a 10-minute walk from the metro to the entrance. Another option would be to get off at the Burj Khalifa Station and take a feeder bus to the mall. The buses run frequently but remember, Dubai gets hot!

Our Tour of Burj Khalifa

The elevator walk includes lots of information and photos about the building and how it was built. The elevator ride takes no time and opens to the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa. The outside observation deck covers about half of the building and provides spectacular views of the entire city and beyond. Don’t forget to walk up to the 125th floor for additional viewing and the chance to see the outdoor deck from above.

We enjoyed our visit to At the Top Burj Khalifa because the views were incredible, but the experience gave us a bird’s eye perspective of the city. After seeing the city from that view, we had a pretty good grasp of the city layout and could better plan the rest of our visit. We could also scope out some good-standing spots for the nightly light show at the Dubai Fountain on Burj Khalifa Lake.

The price is steep, but if you find yourself in Dubai, we recommend visiting. We went early in the morning, and the haze was heavier than we expected, but the place was near empty.

Travelasics

Useful Links:

• Get your tickets and info at the Burj Khalifa Website
• Get your Dubai metro information here or here

Travelationship Rating:

3.5 out of 5 Travelationship High Fives. The view was great, but the price was high.
This is a worthwhile place for any traveler interested in adventure, romance, history, bucket list activities, or partier (for those going to Sky level).

Have you been to Burj Khalifa? Tell us about your experience!

See More Photos on Flickr, and Please look for us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!