The Green Planet at City Walk is open daily from 10 AM to 6 PM and takes 2-3 hours. It is a four-storey indoor rainforest under a dome, with sloths, birds, snakes and thousands of plants, and an adult ticket is roughly AED 150-175 at standard prices. It suits children from about 2 to 10 best, works in any month because it is air-conditioned, and pairs easily with a Downtown evening. This guide covers what is inside, tickets, parking, the best time to go and the honest case for skipping it.
By SB Excursions · Published 28 October 2026 · Updated 28 October 2026
Tour on this route: Burj Khalifa Observation Deck — From $55 per person, 1.5-2 hours.
How long does The Green Planet take?
Allow 2-3 hours for the dome, with a short break and time for the animals, which can be slow to appear. Toddlers can be done in about 90 minutes, and a guided animal encounter adds time. The dome opens at 10 AM and closes at 6 PM every day.
This guide also answers:
- How much is a ticket to The Green Planet?
- What are The Green Planet's opening hours?
- What age is The Green Planet best for?
Five ways to pair The Green Planet with the rest of the day
#1
City Walk, next door
The Green Planet sits in City Walk, an open-air district of cafes, restaurants and shops built around a central plaza. It is the natural place for lunch between a 10 AM visit and the afternoon, and most of it is walkable. In July and August the walk between venues is hot, so keep to the shaded sides.
#2
The Dubai Aquarium in The Dubai Mall
The water counterpart to the rainforest dome. The huge glass panel with sharks and rays can be seen from the mall at no charge, and the tunnel and underwater zoo need a ticket. It is a better fit than The Green Planet for visitors who are already at Burj Khalifa or the Fountain, and the two are easy to do on separate mornings.
#3
The Lost Chambers at Atlantis
A sunken-ruins aquarium on the Palm, with fish and rays behind large windows. It is a long way from City Walk, so treat it as an alternative for a different day rather than an add-on. Choose the rainforest for land animals and plants, and the aquarium if your children want to watch fish.
#4
Dubai Safari Park, the outdoor zoo
If the dome feels small, the Safari Park is the big outdoor zoo, with far more space and bigger animals but also far more heat and walking. It is the better choice in the cool months and a poor one in summer. Check its season and hours, and see our guide, because its timetable is not the dome's.
#5
Burj Khalifa at sunset
A morning in the rainforest leaves the evening free for the tower. Levels 124 and 125 are from $55 per person on a timed ticket, and a slot about an hour before sunset shows the city by day, at sunset and lit up, so you move from the dome to the skyline in one day without hurrying.
The Green Planet in one minute
The Green Planet is an indoor rainforest in City Walk, open every day from 10 AM to 6 PM. The dome is four storeys high, kept warm and humid, with a giant artificial tree in the middle, walkways through the canopy and an indoor waterfall. Inside are sloths, birds, snakes, monkeys, bats, anteaters and thousands of plants. Allow 2-3 hours and, at standard prices, roughly AED 150-175 for an adult.
It is a good rainy-day and hot-day attraction because nothing depends on the weather or the season. It is best for children from about 2 to 10, for plant lovers, and for anyone who wants an air-conditioned morning. It is a poorer fit for teenagers, for people who dislike humid air, and for anyone expecting a large zoo. Prices, age bands and hours change, and the official site has the figures for your date.
What is inside
The dome is a vertical walk. You start at the bottom among tropical plants and work your way up through the layers of the forest, from the forest floor towards the canopy, which is how real rainforests are organised. The tree and the walkways are the visual centre, and the animals are spread through the floors.
- Sloths and monkeys: the favourite of most children. Sloths move slowly, so give them time, because the reward comes from standing still.
- Reptiles and snakes: anacondas of around four metres and a Burmese python, behind glass.
- Birds and bats: macaws and other tropical birds, and flying foxes with a wingspan of about 1.8 metres, which are bigger than most people expect.
- Small mammals: an anteater with a very long tongue, tamarins and a lemur among the residents.
- Nocturnal exhibits: darker rooms for creatures that are active at night.
- The Nature Park: a shaded outdoor garden with a nature trail and treehouses, aimed at younger children and best in the cooler months.
The venue also lists guided animal encounters, with birds, sloths, armadillos, anteaters, porcupines, reptiles and sugar gliders. These are separate experiences with their own prices and limited places, so check availability before you plan the day around one. The plain ticket is enough for most visitors.
Tickets, hours and parking
Standard admission is sold online and at the entrance. The venue's figures are not always posted in one place, and the age bands differ between sellers, so use the official site as the final word. Resellers sometimes sell it for less.
| Item | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Every day, 10 AM to 6 PM |
| Standard adult ticket | Roughly AED 150-175; check the official site for your date |
| Children | Cheaper than adults, with age bands that differ between sellers; very young children are free or reduced |
| Time needed | 2-3 hours, plus extra for a guided encounter |
| Parking | City Walk's underground car park across the road; about 3 hours free if you validate the ticket before exiting |
| Food and drink | A cafe and shop inside; outside food and drink are not normally allowed in |
Third-party prices, age bands and hours change; confirm on the official Green Planet site. Tickets bought from resellers are often non-refundable.
Last entry is not published as a fixed time, so arrive at least two hours before closing. The best time is the first hour after 10 AM, when the dome is usually quietest.
How long to allow, and when to go
Allow 2-3 hours for the dome, with a break in the middle. Families with toddlers can be done in 90 minutes, and plant lovers or photographers can stay longer. Add time for a lunch in City Walk, because the dome has few seating areas.
Weekdays are quieter than weekends and public holidays, and school-holiday mornings fill early. In winter the dome is a pleasant choice for a rainy day, though you can do without it on a perfect one. In summer it is the main reason to go: outside it is 40°C, and inside it is a long, easy morning at a steady temperature in the high 20s. Wear light clothes and flat shoes, because the air is humid and the floors can be damp.
Is it worth it? Ages and who should skip
For young children it is one of the better paid attractions in Dubai. Animals are close, the walk is easy, nothing is rushed and the air is comfortable. For adults without children it is more modest: lovely planting, a handful of interesting animals and a pleasant hour, but at AED 150 or more it is not the best value in the city.
The venue lists an IBCCES certification, an autism-friendly standard, so it can suit families who need a calmer environment; ask the venue about quiet times before you go. Ticket sellers describe it as wheelchair accessible. The sloths are not always visible, because they sleep in the canopy for much of the day, so go in the morning and look up.
- Go: children aged 2 to 10, plant fans, hot-day and rainy-day plans, a short visit to Dubai with a young family.
- Skip: if you want large animals (see Dubai Safari Park), if you dislike humidity, or if you are a couple on a short stay with only one day in the city.
Getting to City Walk
City Walk is in the Al Wasl area, between Downtown and the Jumeirah coast. There is no Metro station at the door. The simplest route is a taxi or Careem: about 10-15 minutes from Downtown or Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall, a bit longer from Business Bay, and 25-35 minutes from Dubai Marina, depending on traffic. Our taxi guide explains fares and ride-hailing, and the Metro guide shows the nearest stations if you want to combine rail and a short taxi.
By car, the venue points visitors to the C2 car park of City Walk's underground parking, across the road. The district itself, with its cafes, shops and plaza, has its own guide in our City Walk guide.
A City Walk morning and a Downtown evening
The easiest family plan is a morning in the dome and an evening in Downtown, which keeps the hot hours indoors. Here is how it runs in the cooler months.
| Time | What | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00 AM | The Green Planet opens | Go straight in, while the dome is quiet |
| 12:30 PM | Lunch at City Walk | Many cafes and restaurants within a short walk |
| 2:00 PM | Rest at the hotel | Nap time for small children |
| 3:45 PM | Taxi to Downtown | About 10-15 minutes |
| About 4:30 PM | Burj Khalifa slot (winter) | An hour before sunset in November to January |
| From about 6 PM | The Dubai Fountain | Plays every 30 minutes from about 6 PM |
Sunset and Burj Khalifa slot times depend on the month; see our guide to the best time to visit Burj Khalifa.
The best time to visit Burj Khalifa has the slot to ask for in every month. For wider plans see Dubai with kids and the best things to do with kids.
Fitting it around our tours
A Burj Khalifa ticket is a timed entry, from $55 per person for Levels 124 and 125, sent as an e-ticket on WhatsApp. You make your own way to The Dubai Mall, and the ticket needs full prepayment and cannot be refunded or changed once issued, so check the date and time first. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
For a day with older children, the full-day desert safari is 7 hours from $45 per person, with hotel pickup and no prepayment; it is not recommended for infants under 3. The shared yacht tour in Dubai Marina is from $32 per person for one hour, and children are welcome under adult supervision. See our desert safari with kids guide before you choose.
FAQ
How long does The Green Planet take?
Allow 2-3 hours for the dome, with a short break and time for the animals, which can be slow to appear. Toddlers can be done in about 90 minutes, and a guided animal encounter adds time. The dome opens at 10 AM and closes at 6 PM every day.
How much is a ticket to The Green Planet?
At standard prices an adult ticket is roughly AED 150-175, with children paying less and age bands that differ between sellers. Resellers sometimes sell it for less. The official site is the final word, and tickets are often non-refundable.
What are The Green Planet's opening hours?
Every day from 10 AM to 6 PM. Last entry is not published as a fixed time, so arrive at least two hours before closing. The first hour after opening is the quietest.
What age is The Green Planet best for?
Children from about 2 to 10 enjoy it most, because the animals are close and the walk is easy. Teenagers may find it small, and adults without children may find it expensive for what it is. Very young children are free or reduced, depending on the seller.
Is there free parking at The Green Planet?
The venue points visitors to City Walk's underground car park across the road, and gives about 3 hours of free parking if you validate the ticket before leaving. A visit of 2-3 hours fits inside that, but add time for lunch and check the current rules.
Is The Green Planet worth it?
For children aged 2 to 10, yes: it is cool, easy and close to a Downtown evening. For adults travelling alone or teenagers, it is a pleasant but modest visit at AED 150 or more. If you prefer large animals, choose Dubai Safari Park in the cooler months.
Can I combine it with Burj Khalifa in one day?
Yes. Visit the dome at 10 AM, have lunch at City Walk, rest, and take a 10-15 minute taxi to The Dubai Mall for a slot about an hour before sunset. Levels 124 and 125 are from $55 per person, and the Dubai Fountain plays from about 6 PM.
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Photos: Inside The Green Planet biodome: the giant central artificial tree with its canopy walkways, hanging tropical plants and the indoor waterfall — WikiSilky, CC BY-SA 4.0, City Walk, next door — Lyn972, CC BY-SA 4.0, The Dubai Aquarium in The Dubai Mall — Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0, The Lost Chambers at Atlantis — Rokaszil, CC BY-SA 3.0, Dubai Safari Park, the outdoor zoo — Ahmad3027, CC BY-SA 4.0, Burj Khalifa at sunset — Fabio Achilli from Milano, Italy, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons).