A Miracle Garden trip, for the whole group.

A group trip to Miracle Garden and the Butterfly Garden

Dubai Miracle Garden is a flower park in Al Barsha South where beds, arches and sculpted displays are planted with very large numbers of flowers. The Butterfly Garden is a short walk away, a set of climate-controlled domes where butterflies fly freely. Most groups visit both in one afternoon.

It is a good outing for families, school and nursery groups, retirees and tour parties, because the walking is easy and the setting is photogenic. It is also a seasonal one, and the dates matter more than for almost any other attraction in Dubai, so start there.

We provide the vehicle and driver. We do not sell tickets, and prices and hours are set by the gardens, so check both before you commit.

When the gardens are open

Miracle Garden is a cool-season attraction. It has usually opened around November and closed in late spring, around May or June, once the heat makes the flowers and the visit uncomfortable. The exact dates change from year to year, and the garden announces each season’s opening and closing itself.

The Butterfly Garden may follow a different calendar from the flower park, and some displays change within the season. Check the official pages for both before you pick a date, and again a few days before you travel.

For a group, treat the opening dates as the first constraint. Peak flower months and school holidays mean larger crowds. If your date has some flexibility, midweek mornings are usually calmer than weekends, which is useful with a group of children or older guests.

The drive from Dubai

The gardens are inland from the coast, in Al Barsha South. Times below are rough, outside the rush hours.

Weekend afternoons bring the heaviest traffic towards the garden. If your group is visiting on a Saturday, plan to arrive early. The driver builds a margin into the pick-up time.

Choosing the vehicle

Each visitor needs a seat, and nobody carries luggage. The decision is about how many people and how easily the vehicle reaches the drop-off point.

• Up to 13 people: a 13-seater van.
• Up to 16: a Mercedes Sprinter with individual seats.
• 17 to 30: the mini coach, which is our usual choice for a tour group or a retirement club.
• 31 to 50: the 50-seater coach.

A group that includes older guests is better off in the mini coach than in two cars, even when the numbers are small. One driver, one arrival time and a single door to get everyone to.

Drop-off, waiting and the walk

Coaches use the garden’s own drop-off and parking arrangement, which can change with the season. Ask the garden where groups arrive, and tell us. We confirm the same point with the garden and tell your group leader where the vehicle will be, both on arrival and at the end.

On a day booking the driver waits at the site. Most visits to the gardens last two to three hours, so a half-day booking is common. Inside the gardens the paths are mostly flat, but the whole circuit is long. For guests who tire easily, ask the garden about wheelchairs or buggies, and warn the group that the way back to the coach is as far as the way in.

For groups with mobility needs, tell us at booking. Folding wheelchairs go in the luggage space, and the driver helps at the door.

Heat, light and timing

Season dates exist because of heat. Even inside the season, October and April afternoons can be hot, and the flower beds have little shade. Go in the morning or the late afternoon, bring water and hats, and plan a rest in the cool vehicle between the two gardens if the group needs it.

For photographers, the soft light at the end of the day is the best, and you can add a stop on the way back. Your driver can stop at a viewpoint in Jumeirah, so long as it is on the quote. Mention the idea when you book.

Combining it with something else

The gardens are a half-day visit, so most groups add one more stop. A lunch in Al Barsha or Dubai Hills before you go. The Expo City area for an evening. A drive along the coast at sunset. Groups with children sometimes add a swim or a park.

If you add stops, say so when you book. The hours we quote depend on the plan, and we can point out anything that looks tight. A short day within Dubai is priced by the hour from four hours, and a full day covers up to ten.

Example: a tour group of 36 in December

This is an example, not a template. A tour operator brings 36 guests from two hotels in Dubai Marina.

• 9.30am: first pick-up. No luggage, so about ten minutes to board.
• 9.50am: second hotel, a few minutes away.
• 10.20am: arrival at the garden. Two hours at Miracle Garden, then the Butterfly Garden.
• 1.30pm: lunch nearby.
• 3.30pm: coffee stop and a photo stop in Jumeirah.
• 5.15pm: back at both hotels.

One 50-seater covers it, from AED 1,450 per day. For 26 guests, one mini coach from AED 1,100 per day does the same job.

Other examples

Example 1: a nursery trip of 24 children and eight adults. One mini coach from AED 1,100 per day, with the youngest near the front and a head count at every stop.

Example 2: a retirement club of 12. A 13-seater van from AED 900 per day, collected from one residential building and returned after an early lunch.

These use our starting day prices. Your own quote depends on the date, the hours and the route.

Booking the trip

1. Check the garden’s opening dates for your day.
2. Send the date, the head count, the pick-up address and the time you want to arrive through the booking page.
3. Tell us about wheelchairs, strollers and any extra stops.
4. We send a written quote, listing the vehicle, tolls and waiting. Changes and cancellations follow the terms on your written quote.

More on pricing is in our bus rental price guide. If you are planning a school outing, see school bus rental, and for a longer day out of the city, the Grand Mosque day trip.

Related: School trip bus rental · Coach rental Dubai · Minibus rental Dubai · Bus rental prices · Get a quote

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