Dubai Desert Safari
Picture this: a mesmerizing sunset, replete with stunning shades of yellows and reds and a hint of pink streaking through. The sun’s rays fall softly on an endless expanse of golden sands and you’re left in awe at the natural beauty of the desert in front of you. Contrary to popular opinion that a desert pales in front of the mountains or the sea, visiting one is a unique experience in itself.
Dubai, rightfully known as the City of Gold, strives to give you just this. While most travelers head straight for popular experiences like visiting the Burj Khalifa or Palm Jumeirah, make sure you don’t miss out on what will surely be the highlight of your trip: a Dubai desert safari.
Thrill and adventure await you on a desert safari in Dubai; go dune bashing and sandboarding, smoke some delicious sheesha, go for a camel ride and enjoy a lovely traditional dance with your family and friends. Plenty of excitement and memories await on a desert safari in Dubai.
All Your Dubai Desert Safari Options
Morning
Experience the serenity of the desert during a morning desert safari in Dubai. With relatively low crowds and pleasant weather, this is an excellent option to try on your trip to Dubai. A morning desert safari includes pick-up and drop-off at your hotel, a delicious breakfast and a fun-filled dune-bashing experience. Customize your trip with additional activity options like sandboarding, camel riding or quad biking.
Read More
Evening
There’s no better way to enjoy the golden dunes of Arabia than by opting for an evening desert safari in Dubai. Promising endless fun, your experience would include pick-up and drop-off at your hotel, a delectable evening buffet and a plethora of activities including but not limited to dune-bashing, sandboarding, a camel ride, a Tanoura dance performance, quad biking and a sunset photo opportunity.
Read More
Adventure
Thrill-seekers are in for a treat. Experience hair-raising, spine-tingling, heart-racing excitement on an adventure desert safari in Dubai. Race across the golden sand dunes in a 4x4 Land Cruiser or Fortuner, ride on the dunes on a heavy-duty quad bike, or surf up and down the desert landscape on a sandboard. You can also try riding a camel or horse to complete your desert adventure.
Read More
Combo Tours
There’s plenty to see and explore in a city as vibrant and diverse as the City of Gold. If you’re looking for things to do in Dubai to get a complete tourist experience, along with opting for a Dubai desert safari, you can choose to go for a combo tour that allows you to visit popular attractions like the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Fountain, Dubai Aquarium and Palm Jumeirah amongst several others.
Read MoreChoosing the Right Dubai Desert Safari
1. Time of Day
Based on your plan of experiences to try in Dubai, you can opt for a desert safari tour that best suits your itinerary. You can choose from a morning desert safari or an evening desert safari, allowing you enough time to complete visiting other attractions in Dubai that have fixed timings.
2. Activities
There’s a variety of activities that you can try while on a Dubai desert safari; sandboarding, dune-bashing, quad biking, camel riding, etc. You have the freedom to choose activities based on your interests on a Dubai safari tour; whether you’re looking for a relaxing evening, or an adventure-filled day.
3. Budget
Each Dubai desert safari tour includes different activities to choose from. Based on your budget, you can choose to opt for the default inclusions or add-on any additional activities you find interesting. Some tours include free meals and dune-bashing activity, while others additional activities like belly dancing and sandboarding.
4. Combo Offers
If you would like to cover all the major attractions and experiences in Dubai, opting for a combo tour is your best bet. Not only does this include a Dubai desert safari experience, but it also lets you visit prime attractions at the top of things to do in Dubai list, like Palm Jumeirah and Burj Khalifa, or go for a Dhow cruise.
The Best Dubai Desert Safari Activities
Dune-bashing
A spine-tingling adventure awaits you when you opt for dune-bashing in Dubai! Step into a 4x4 vehicle, usually a Land Cruiser or Fortuner, and set off into the desert. Hold on tight as your driver races along the sand dunes at varying speeds, while you slide, bounce and skid off your seat giving you a complete adrenaline rush. Your driver is a trained professional who will maneuver the 4x4 vehicle expertly up and down the golden sand dunes.
Read More
Sandboarding
Sandboarding in Dubai is not for the fainthearted. Strap on your gear and step onto the golden dunes of Dubai’s deserts. For sandboarding, a specially-designed board will be fastened to your feet with which you can smoothly slide and glide across the slopes of the Arabian desert. This activity is completely safe and can be experienced through the year. The cherry on top? It is a solo sport and requires no tandem assistance.
Read More
Quad Biking
Zoom across the desert’s uneven terrain by quad biking in Dubai. This 4-vehicle vehicle is meant for rough terrains like deserts or mountain areas. Strap on your safety gear and set off on an adventure in the desert. The low-pressure tires and special-grip handlebars allow you to control and maneuver the vehicle easily while you zip across the sand dunes. This experience requires minimal assistance and is an absolute must to try out.
Read More
Camel Riding
Since ancient Arabia, camels have been known as the Ship of the Desert. They were the primary source of transport from one place to another for local tribes, as well as carriers of goods. On your desert safari, feel like you’ve stepped back in time by opting for a lovely camel ride in Dubai. A guide will inform you about the various steps to take before and during a camel ride so as to set the animal at ease. Hop on and enjoy the view!
Read MorePlan Your Dubai Desert Safari Experience
Dubai Desert Safari Locations
The most popular Dubai desert safari locations include Al Aweer Desert, Hatta Mountains and the Dubai Desert Convention Reserve amongst others. Most desert safari tours offer pick-up and drop-off at your hotel, so you need not worry about planning your commute. Each location provides a different experience to you: at some you might get to experience traditional Bedouin culture, while at others you might get to witness interesting flora and fauna common to desert landscapes.
Explore The Locations Of Dubai Desert Safari
Return transfers
Since most desert safari locations are usually on the outskirts of Dubai, your tickets allow you to opt for return transfers. You will be picked up from your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle at a certain time, and once the entire desert safari experience has been completed, you will be dropped right back to your hotel. This helps you avoid having to plan the commute between your hotel and the desert safari location in Dubai.
Plan Your Desert Safari
While planning your experience, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Wear loose, athletic clothing so that you’re at your most comfortable. It is also recommended that you wear open-toe shoes to avoid sand getting into your feet.
- Children under the age of 2, pregnant women and those above the age 70 are not permitted on a desert safari tour
- Have a light meal before desert safari activities like dune bashing or quad biking
There’s plenty more to know before you go for a desert safari!
Plan Your Dubai Desert Safari ExperienceExplore Dubai
Burj Khalifa
There’s no attraction that perhaps defines Dubai the best except for the Burj Khalifa. Standing tall at 830 meters, this architectural masterpiece towers over the rest of the city. Named after UAE President Sheikh Khalifa, visitors flock from all over the world to head to the top of this man-made wonder and soak in the glorious view of Dubai’s stunning skyline.
Dubai Aquarium
This fascinating underwater zoo is home to over 140 aquatic species. The Dubai Aquarium hosts captivating creatures, from stingrays and piranhas to sharks. Not only do you get an up-close and personal view of these beautiful creatures, you can befriend them by participating in exciting activities like snorkelling, scuba-diving and even a dive into the midst of sharks!
Dhow Cruises
Dubai is surrounded three sides by the beautiful ocean; sail across the blue-green sea by opting for a lovely Dhow cruise experience. These traditional wooden boats, earlier used by fishing communities, now are a prime tourist experience in Dubai. On a Dhow cruise, you can explore the length of the Marina and soak in wonderful sights of the Palm, Burj Al Arab and Dubai Creek.
Dubai Theme Parks
Your childhood dreams are set to come true! Dubai is home to a variety of theme parks, set to inspire a sense of nostalgia, thrill and adventure from its visitors. IMG World of Adventure, Motiongate Dubai and Aquaventure are some of the biggest theme parks in the city. Shake hands with Shrek, set off on a wild roller coaster and more!
All Your Questions About Dubai Desert Safari Answered
A. You can opt for a morning desert safari, evening desert safari, or adventure desert safari in Dubai. You can also opt for a combo tour, that allows you to visit popular attractions like the Burj Khalifa and Palm Jumeirah.
A. Inclusions in each Dubai desert safari might be different. Based on your ticket, you could get pick-up and drop-off at your hotel, dune-bashing, sandboarding, quad biking, camel rides, belly dancing, buffet lunch or dinner, and more.
A. You need not plan the commute between your hotel and the desert safari location. Your Dubai desert safari tour by default includes return transfers.
A. Your combo includes a desert safari experience, along with the option of trying out experiences like a visit to the Burj Khalifa or Dubai Aquarium, entry into theme parks or a Dhow cruise.
A. The cancelation policy differs for each Dubai desert safari ticket. Most allow you to cancel your ticket up to 24 hours or 48 hours in advance. Please check the cancelation policy before you book your ticket.
A. You can wear loose, comfortable clothing with open-toe shoes on a desert safari in Dubai.