A desert safari in Dubai is a truly unmissable experience, one of the most interesting and exciting things to do in the city. It is sold by practically all the tourist agencies in the area: if you don’t know how to do it or where to find them, just ask at the reception of your hotel, they will be happy to help you or even organise it for you themselves.
It is one of the excursions that, more than any other, will add that dash of adventure to a holiday in Dubai.
There are various types of desert safaris in Dubai, but they all have something in common: first of all, you will be picked up directly from your hotel and dropped off there. Regardless of the number of participants, you will travel in comfortable, air-conditioned white jeeps and often water will be provided. It is often easy to see caravans of 4-5 white jeeps around Dubai, now you know why.
The best way to go on a desert excursion is certainly with a guided tour. It is probably the activity that Western tourists enjoy the most, which is why the prices of individual tours are quite low and you will be spoilt for choice. Whichever you choose, we recommend that you book it in advance online, given the demand from tourists from all over the world.
Of the many tours and safaris in the Dubai desert, we recommend the following one: it is the most popular with tourists and the most comprehensive.
For a complete experience, combine your desert excursion with dinner at a camp. The following are the tours that offer a traditional barbecue and a show under the desert stars.
If you don’t know what to choose, there are other tours below. Each one offers unique activities and entertainment, so choose the one that suits you best.
We are certainly not used to deserts! If you have any doubts, read on: almost all tours offer similar experiences, from 4WD to camel rides, from dinner to sandboarding lessons.
You will travel for a few tens of minutes into the interior of the territory of the United Arab Emirates, leaving the glittering Dubai behind, and arrive in the middle of the desert. At a certain point the driver will leave the asphalt road and approach the sand: here there will be a short technical stop, necessary to deflate the off-road tyres.
Yes, because for the uninitiated, the desert safari in Dubai consists of running at breakneck speed with the car in the middle of the dunes, up and down. It’s a fun and crazy experience as the off-roaders defy gravity as they climb up and down the dunes, which reach unimaginable slopes.
Needless to say, it is not recommended for those who suffer from motion sickness, but it really is a day that will give strong emotions to everyone. Have no fear, the drivers are highly experienced and perform these stuntman manoeuvres with great skill and safety.
At the end of the off-road tour, which everyone in town knows by its English name dune bashing, the desert safari in Dubai is certainly not over: a romantic stop after the thrills just passed awaits all tour participants.
It is sunset in the desert, you will be taken to the highest dune in the area and watch the sun colour the sand orange in beautiful shades of colour, another beautiful experience on top of everything else.
But perhaps the best is yet to come. After sunset, you will be taken to a real Bedouin camp, of course reconstructed purely for the use of tourists, but certainly something different and unusual, where dinner will be served with typical Arab dishes, you will be able to watch belly-dancing and classical music shows, and you will be able to experiment with the art of henna tattooing or take some photos disguised as Arabs or Bedouins.
In the tented camp, there is plenty of time to relax on the comfortable mats while sipping tea or admiring the stars, which are really bright in the middle of the desert.
At the end of dinner you will be taken back to your hotel, and the return to civilisation will take place admiring the lights of Dubai in the distance, which will gradually get closer and closer until you return to your hotel.
Variations on the classic Dubai desert safari include the day safari, which means no sunset and no tented camp – a cheaper option or one for those who don’t have a lot of time. Sandboarding, which involves putting a snowboard on your feet and descending into the dunes, and even sleeping in the tented camp, make for an Arabian nights experience you’ll never forget.
And again, would you like to enrich your desert experience around Dubai with a wonderful hot-air balloon ride? Admire the UAE from above! An exclusive and unique experience.
City Card allow you to save on public transport and / or on the entrances to the main tourist attractions.