Ever wonder where the tallest building in the world is??? It’s not the Empire State Building in New York City if that’s what you’re thinking. It’s the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
The Burj Khalifa stands at about half a mile high. This building is astonishing. However I’ve encountered many people from my home in California say it’s the tallest but not made to American code, meaning it will fall apart with ease… Lets debunk that shall we?
The Burj Khalifa sits in a desert known for sand storms and monsoons. A building this tall is made accurately and aerodynamically perfect to withstand high winds and storm blasts. You can view countless videos on this architectural delight, how it was built and the challenges they faced.
How to get to the Burj Khalifa
The Metro system in Dubai is actually easier than you think. I will leave a link here to the post I made about prices and zones. If you are in a central location, or hotel area you’re pretty much convenient to the metro. The Burj Khalifa has its own metro stop. From here exit the metro station and walk down the overpass that’s connected to the MASSIVE Dubai mall.
The overpass is actually about a mile long. It takes about 25 minutes to walk into the mall. From the mall follow the signs to the bottom floor… This is where it gets confusing because you have to get to the bottom floor and find the elevator that leads to the floor connected to the Burj… From here you will find a line of confused people just like you and me. You can pre-purchase your ticket which means you print it out and walk up to the desk and they will print another (official) ticket for you. You’ll save a few minutes. The line winds around and eventually you’ll make it to a security check point. Like an airport. Once you walk through that you will walk up the stairs and down the stairs and through long hallways confusing you even more.
You will eventually hit a holding pen. From here they will take you to another holding pen. However, now you will be in front of the elevators. Probably the worlds fastest elevator. It takes 60 seconds to reach the top.
The top of the world
It all seems like a gigantic tourist trap. However, once at the top it all changes. The long annoying lines? The windy hallways and the confusion? It’s all worth it. The views from here are SPECTACULAR! You can see from one side of Dubai to the other. You can see the incredible apartment complexes. The Dubai skyline is unlike any other.
The Ticket Prices
Just to confuse you a bit more, lets talk about the prices. I went during non-prime hours which means it’s a less popular time to go. This also means tickets are cheaper. If you dislike large crowds like me and like better deals, head during non-peak times.
Prices start at 130 AED for adults 12 years and over which is about 35.39 US Dollars for level 124 and 125 during non peak times. Prices for the highest floor are a little higher. For 370 AED (100 US Dollars) you get access to floor 124 and 125 and 148. For the best currency conversion website check out xe.com.
I took a snapshot of the prices from their website (http://www.burjkhalifa.ae/en/index.aspx). I will leave that here:
Let me break it down for you:
The Burj Khalifa is a little complicated to get to…
Starting at $35 USD
Is it worth it? I think so. It’s touristy but the views are worth it. I love these observatory-type tourist attractions.