Burj Khalifa deserves it’s own post. I heard mixed reviews: “omg it was amazing, the best thing I did in Dubai” to “I mean, it’s fine, you can’t NOT do it”….

As someone who tends to not love tours and touristy things — I did it anyways! AND… I paid the extra to go to the tippy top! (It’s half the price to go to the 125th floor than to 148. I promise you, it’s worth the extra 🙂 )

I also did a fast pass upgrade, I’m bougie – whatever! But it gets you away from as much of the crowds and you go up in the elevator first.

FIRST of all – It takes 60 seconds to go from the ground floor to the 125th floor. Next time your on an elevator – count how many seconds it takes you to go a few floors to realize how insane that is. It doesn’t feel like you’re moving that fast, but my ears definitely did pop. It moves so fast, that you can watch the sunset on the ground, go to the top, and watch it set again!!!

Fun Facts about Burj Khalifa:

• As of Jan 2024, it holds SIX World Records: it is still the tallest building in the world, tallest free-standing structure in the world, highest number of stories in the world, highest occupied floor in the world, Highest outdoor observation deck in the world, Elevator with the longest travel distance in the world, and tallest service elevator in the world —— WHAT DID I TELL YOU!
• 2,716” (828m) tall, 160 stories
• 12,000 workers worked on the building every day
• 110,000 tons of concrete, 55,000 tons of steel rebar, 22 million man hours to complete
• The exterior is made of 26,000 glass panels all cut individually by hand
• Solar panals are installed on the exterior
• Not to bury the lead here but Tom Cruise CLIMBED the actual Burj in Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol. He was only allowed if they had their opening premiere in Dubai (they did) and nobody has been allowed to do it since!
• The temperature at the top is nearly 15C (59F) cooler than at the bottom

It is an architectural marvel!

When you get to the 125th floor, there is a souvenir shop and a coffee shop, along with an outdoor observation deck. The deck here has glass that reflects the lights from inside making photos not as good.

For those of us with the ticket to the top top – we got on a second elevator to the 148th floor. The door opens to the inside, and you almost feel like… wait… where am I? And then you go to the open air observation deck.

Few notes about the outdoor observation deck — it’s not cold or windy, which is what I was expecting. The glass feels like it must be some sort of special glass because there is very little to no shine or reflection making for some amazing photographs.

When you go back inside they serve you complementary tea, coffee, juice, and snacks. But like — the good kind. My latte came served to me in a comfy seat at the window in a real cup and plate! It was incredibly enjoyable. It was hazy the day I went, but the view was still incredible. It’s where you realize how vast Dubai really is.

When you get back to the bottom after sunset you can watch the fountain show and the show on the tower!