Can I join the Middle Eastern tour if I am vegetarian?

The 2 main courses on our Middle Eastern tour are both non-vegetarian: fish and beef. That said, we have had vegetarian guests join in the past and they have often walked away from the tour quite full and sated. While there are no vegetarian substitutes for the meat dishes, the falafels, dips and desserts are all vegetarian-friendly.

Do we only walk around and sample food?

Absolutely not! Our walking food tours (Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage, Little India on a Plate and Dubai Souks and Creekside Food Walk) are immersive experiences that combine food tastings with history, culture and personal stories of the city. We often get exclusive ‘behind-the-scenes’ access that would typically not be offered to regular guests at the restaurants/shops.

Our Old Dubai Souks and Stories experience is not a food-focused tour, even though it does feature one of our favourite classic meals in the city at the end of the experience. This tour is a cultural and souk sightseeing experience that weaves together the guide’s passion with her knowledge of history and cultural stories.

Our Emirati Cooking Session and Lunch involves cooking and sampling through the session, as well as lunch – so you will definitely be well-fed! The Chef also brings his extensive knowledge of Emirati spices and culinary techniques to the experience.

The Unseen Trails experiences with our community partners – Dubai Desert Conservation Drive, Naif by Night, Old Dubai Iftar Walk and Indian Festival of Lights – are not food-focused tours and are more centered on urban/desert exploration depending on the tour you sign up for. However, all of them do feature a few delicious treats which are always carefully selected and well-explained on the tour.

What if I have dietary restrictions or allergies?

Please be sure to let us know if you (or anyone in your group) have a dietary restriction (e.g. vegetarian, diabetic, allergy, etc.) when you purchase your tickets. In most cases, nuts, lactose and gluten may be in the foods featured on our experiences. If you have a serious allergy, we recommend contacting us at ‘munch@fryingpanadventures.com’ prior to purchasing tickets to enable us to advise you if our tours are suitable for you.

What should I bring with me?

For the Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage, Little India on a Plate and Dubai Souks and Creekside Food Walk tours: please carry earphones for our tour guide audio system (else we will provide a free size one); don’t carry anything too heavy as we will provide a tote. If you plan to purchase edible souvenirs during the tour, please make sure to carry both cash/your credit card (most, but not all, locations accept credit card).

What are the change policies on my booking?

Kindly note that our change policies have been amended on March 10, 2018. 

• For all bookings made on or after March 2018, all tickets are non-refundable/transferable to another date unless the Ticket Guardian insurance is purchased at the time of checkout. Ticket Guardian insurance offers a 100% refund for a number of situations ranging from illness to work conflicts to family emergencies, as long as you notify Ticket Guardian of a cancellation any time before the tour begins.
• For all bookings made on or before March 9, 2018, we apply the following policy for any tour booking, including one booked with a gift voucher / e-certificate:
  • Cancellation policy
    • 75% refund if 30 days or more before Trail
    • 50% refund if 14 to 29 days before Trail
    • 25% refund if 4 to 13 days before Trail
    • 0% refund if 1 to 3 days before Trail
  • Rescheduling policy
    • Rescheduling permitted within the same tour type only if request is received 14 days or more before the trail and if there is availability on the new date requested. Only one rescheduling request permitted per booking.
    • No rescheduling permitted if request is received less than 14 days before the trail or if there is no availability on the new date requested.