Burj Khalifa

Burj Khalifa (Khalifa Tower) is the tallest skyscraper in the world. It was built in Dubai (UAE). The height of the building is more than 800 meters, of which 180 meters are on the pointed spire. The construction of the high-rise has been underway since 2004 and has been going on for several years.

The tentative name of the structure is Burj Dubai. During the opening of the building, Sheikh Mohammed of the Emirate renamed the skyscraper, dedicating its construction to Sheikh Khalifa Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates. Unlike Manhattan skyscrapers, the foundation of the Dubai skyscraper is built on hanging piles. The building is shaped like an ice stalagmite. A man-made lake with an area of more than 12 hectares has been created at the foot of the Burj Khalifa. The Dubai Musical Fountain has been built in the center of the lake, operating in the evening hours. Pumping stations take 80 tons of water into the air every second, and the highest jets rise to one and a half hundred meters.

How to get into a skyscraper

Tickets for the skyscraper tour must be purchased in advance. If a trip to Dubai is planned during the autumn-spring season, then you can freely purchase tickets for the required date and time a month before the intended trip. Tickets are sold on the Burj Khalifa website, as well as on travel web services that sell centralized excursions. On the spot, at the box office of skyscrapers, tickets will cost much more. The most difficult time to get on an excursion is in the evening — shooting the setting sun from panoramic points or from the windows of the Atmosphere restaurant is very popular with tourists. To film the sunset, it is necessary to check the visiting hours with the solar calendar before booking. You can enter the skyscraper at the time indicated on the ticket, while the exit hours are left to the discretion of visitors. You can stay on the tour until 22.00.

What is inside

The Burj Khalifa has 163 floors, not counting fifty technical ones located inside the spire, and two underground ones. The Giorgio Armani Hotel and apartments are located on the lower levels of the building. The hotel and the brand’s design offices occupy levels up to the 40th floor. On the middle tiers (up to the hundredth floor) there are more than a thousand residential apartments, gyms, swimming pools. The floor at number 100 belongs to a foreign tycoon. There are three apartments with a total area of about 1,500 sq. m. meters. Offices, a restaurant, an observatory, and observation decks are located above. The topmost levels are occupied by communications and telecommunications structures. The skyscraper has separate entrances for hotels, apartments and business structures. The building has about a dozen escalators and more than fifty high-speed elevators, one of which directly serves visitors to the observation decks.

Observation deck “At The Top Burj Khalifa”

At the time of the skyscraper’s opening, there was one observation deck “At the top” in the building — on the 124th floor, at an altitude of over 450 meters. A few years later, a second observation deck was opened, which was located 24 floors above. For a long time it was considered the highest in the world — 555 meters. Both platforms can be reached by high-speed elevators in just a minute. The viewing areas are equipped with eyepieces, digital telescopes, interactive panels, as well as everything necessary for people with disabilities. On the upper landing, each visitor is accompanied by a building employee.

When is the best time to visit Burj Khalifa

Impressions of any city and even the most grandiose attraction always strongly depend on other circumstances — especially on the weather, time of day and the number of other tourists. To visit a top place and even so that everything works out in the best way is a rare piece of luck, but some moments can still be planned in advance.

Usually, when planning a visit to Burj Khalifa, tourists first of all take into account the seasonality of their holidays in Dubai and go to a more comfortable period (it is also high season in this case) — from November to April. In late spring and summer, Dubai is too hot (often around +40 °C) during the day, which makes any outdoor activity a challenge, but does not prevent visiting the skyscraper and its observation decks with excellent climate control. In other words: in a less hot period, traveling to Dubai with a visit to the Burj Khalifa is generally more comfortable, but in the hot season there are fewer tourists on the observation deck.

One of the main obstacles to visiting the observation deck is sandstorms, often mistaken for smog. Because of this phenomenon, visibility from a skyscraper deteriorates greatly, and taking into account the cost of a ticket, climbing on a bad day to the highest observation deck in the world will be at least insulting. Please note: sandstorms are most common in February and March.

Burj Khalifa at sunset

We warn you right away: sunset hours are the most popular time to visit the observation decks, especially if we are talking about the Burj Khalifa. You need to buy tickets for this time as much as possible in advance and prepare for the fact that there will be a lot of people.

When is it better to come: half an hour before sunset, especially if you are trying to shoot a timelapse or want to have time to take photos in different lighting conditions.

It is inconvenient to use a tripod on the observation deck, but there are several “windows” through which you can take pictures at high shutter speed.

Why it’s worth looking at the Burj Khalifa from a yacht

Traveling around the city, especially such a bright and grandiose one as Dubai, leaves an unforgettable impression. A visit to the Burj Khalifa, one of the seven wonders of the modern world, is a must-see item on any tourist’s list. But what if you diversify your impressions and look at this landmark from a completely new angle – from a yacht?

The advantages of such a trip are obvious. Firstly, you will be able to enjoy the city and its sights to the fullest, because the water offers a wonderful view of all its beauties. Secondly, it is a great way to avoid the crowds of tourists and enjoy the peace and quiet. Thirdly, a yacht trip allows you to choose the optimal time to visit the Burj Khalifa – usually in the morning or evening, when the heat subsides and you can enjoy the coolness without compromising your health.

When planning such a trip, it is worth considering some factors. Firstly, it is worth choosing the period from November to April, when Dubai has the most comfortable conditions for visiting attractions. Secondly, it is worth paying attention to the weather – in the summer months it can be very hot in Dubai, but at the Burj Khalifa observation deck, climate control allows you to avoid unpleasant sensations.

Thus, a visit to the Burj Khalifa on a yacht will be a great addition to your trip to Dubai. This will allow you to enjoy the city from a new perspective, avoid the crowds and get an unforgettable experience from visiting one of the most striking sights in the world.