Desert safari from Dubai

How often will you get the chance to take a desert tour and experience an adventure with camels, quad bikes, off-roaders and falconry shows?

There are so many companies offering desert tours and not all of them are what they seem, so I'm going to help you choose the best one to make sure you have an experience you'll remember forever.

I like this excursion to the desert of Dubai with camel riding because as well as including a basic activity in desert visits, which is camel riding (I'll tell you more about it later), it offers you the possibility of doing a series of extra experiences: you can choose between sandboarding (similar to snowboarding but on the desert sand), dune bashing, which consists of sliding over the dunes on board an off-road vehicle.

In addition, it also includes the possibility of enjoying some falconry or belly dancing shows, henna workshops, etc., all accompanied by a traditional dinner, and all accompanied by a traditional barbecue dinner.

What this excursion consists of

The tour starts with a pick-up from any of the major hotels in Dubai in a 4x4 Jeep, leaving the skyscrapers behind and heading into the heart of the desert where you can enjoy a variety of activities. This is the only way to enjoy this activity, as doing it on your own without an organised tour is forbidden. And rightly so: driving over the shifting dunes is quite dangerous for an inexperienced driver.

Upon arrival in the desert you will spend the afternoon doing a range of activities of your choice from all those available, while resting for tea or coffee and traditional snacks. Afterwards, you will enjoy a dinner of barbecued meats at a camp in the middle of the desert, followed by mint tea and traditional sweets while watching the fire and dance show.

Camel Trekking

Camel riding is one of the most typical activities you'll find in Dubai and you'll have a thousand opportunities to do it. In the case of desert experiences, it's still a fun activity but you may want to make the most of your time and take a camel trek along an oasis or alternative route.

As a word of warning, the camel ride tends to be one of the most popular activities and depending on the size of the group on your tour you will sometimes have to wait in a queue.

Alex's Traveller Tip

The camel ride is the most popular activity on the Dubai desert tour, so if you want to skip the queue, try to do the ride after dinner.

For me, the big attraction of doing a desert tour like Red Dunes is the experience of watching the sun set over the horizon from the top of a dune after having experienced the adrenaline rush of some unique experiences like Sandboarding or Dune bashing. It will add a beautiful contrast to your trip to Dubai as you can see what life is like in the opulent skyscrapers and shopping malls as well as in the simplicity of the desert.

I'll tell you a little more about the different types of Sandboarding and Dune Bashing you can do on this tour so you know what each one consists of and can decide if this is the plan for you when you're there.

Sandboarding

If you like snowboarding, you have to try sandboarding. Although there are some differences between the two sports, such as the lightness of the sandboard and the texture of the sand that will be softer when you fall off the board, both activities are very similar. In my opinion it's one of the most fun things you can do in the desert, even if you do get a couple of bruises!

If you're a bit scared but still want to try it, don't worry because you'll see a lot of people using the board as a sled and just gliding across the sand, which is also a very fun option.

Dune bashing

In this activity, the dunes of the Dubai desert become a rollercoaster. At first glance it may seem like much ado about nothing, but when you're in a 4x4 speeding down a dune, the vertigo is quite a challenge. If you get dizzy easily, this may not be the best activity for you, but it's certainly worth a try. To give you an idea, it usually takes around 45 minutes.

This tour combines the best of the previous tours - the barbecue dinner and the live show in the Dubai desert - to make your desert experience that much more complete. Plus, you don't have to forgo the more typical desert activities - once you're there, you'll be offered the chance to go sandboarding or take a camel ride while you make time for dinner.

This activity is only included on some Dubai desert quad biking tours and involves racing other travellers in your tour group on one of these off-road vehicles. Don't worry, because you'll be given a driving lesson and tips on how to handle yourself in the dunes as well as all the equipment. If quad biking is on your bucket list, what better way to do it than on the desert dunes!

Unless you choose a morning tour, Dubai desert tours usually leave the city in the early afternoon around 3pm to enjoy the afternoon in the desert, enjoy the sunset and dine in the open air as the duration of the tour is usually around 6 hours.

You will return to Dubai at night on a very quiet and peaceful route to relax after the desert tour.

Best day of the week to go to the desert

During your visit to Dubai, you will notice that Friday is usually the day of rest and many of the shops close on this day. Therefore, this may be the day of choice for tourists to escape from the city to the desert. Even so, the tours are organised well enough that you won't find crowds or huge groups. Overall, it's a fairly relaxing tour.

Best time of year to tour the desert

When preparing for a trip to Dubai, you've probably realised that when it comes to weather and temperatures the city is unchanging: it's always going to be hot. However, it's from June to September when the desert temperatures and aridity become truly unbearable, so it's no surprise that Dubai's peak season is between October and April.

So, my recommendation is that if you have a choice, visit Dubai and take a desert tour in the 'cooler' season, from November to February. Although you will find a larger number of tourists than at other times of the year, the weather will be more bearable and your trip will be more pleasant.

Eating on your Dubai desert excursion

After an afternoon of desert activities, the tour concludes at a camp where you'll be served a buffet of typical food such as potato salad, hummus, tabbouleh, baba ghanoush, and fruit salad, and all kinds of grilled meats such as chicken, lamb and fish. Whatever you do, if you have the option, try the khuboos, the bread they give you to dip the hummus in. It's a whole other ball!

For dessert, they'll give you a taste of traditional Arabic sweets (eat as many luqaimat as you can!) and you'll have an open bar of coffee, tea and drinks. Alcohol is not included, but you can pay extra if you fancy a cold beer in the desert after an afternoon of climbing up and down dunes.

After dinner, you'll also be given a traditional water pipe or shisha, which usually comes with only one flavour. If you want to try other flavours, you have to pay extra.

What to take with you on the Dubai desert tour

You will spend a full day in the desert on this experience: take your own water bottle, comfortable and cool clothes, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat or cap. I also advise you to bring sandals in your backpack, as it is very uncomfortable to get sand in your shoes all the time, especially when sandboarding!

I recommend you bring a camera as you are sure to come back from your trip with several anecdotes and some postcard photos of the sunset in the dunes, but remember to bring a bag for electronic devices to keep your camera and mobile phone in and protect them from the sand.

If you get dizzy easily, sandboarding and dune bashing activities can be a tough experience for you, so I recommend taking some medication for motion sickness before doing this experience. For the same reason, avoid attempting to take photos of the desert during the dune bashing experience.

Book in advance

Once you are clear about your travel dates to Dubai, book this experience as soon as possible, especially if you are going in the high season (December and January). It tends to be quite popular and you run the risk of having to find another similar activity with a tour operator that doesn't live up to expectations.

About photography

Be aware that there is hardly any signal or coverage for this activity, as you will be in the middle of the desert. And since the fine desert sand is not the best for electronic devices, you might want to leave your mobile phone at the hotel, although my advice is to take it with you to take some photos when you get back to Dubai.

If you have an Instagram account or are an Instagram user, there is a hashtag that most locals use in Dubai: #mydubai. The beauty of using this hashtag is that if you've taken an awesome photo, you might be reposted on the official My Dubai Instagram and it will appear on some of the screens at the Burj Khalifa.

Things to keep in mind

Finally, remember that a trip to the Dubai desert is not without some risks, especially if you don't drink enough water, but you don't have to worry about anything as the guides are very professional and will remind you of the most common recommendations if it's too hot or if you're taking part in any quad biking or sandboarding activities.

If you're exploring the option of another excursion, visiting Abu Dhabi is easy and can be done in the same day and back. I've written a handy guide to Abu Dhabi Day Trips from Dubai so you can read all the details if you want to organise your visit.

Last but not least, you can't leave Dubai without climbing the Burj Khalifa. Whether you like heights or not, the view from up here is breathtaking, the sensation of going up in the lift is unique and to be honest, it's not vertigo-inducing at all, as the observation deck is quite protected. Here are the details so that you can prepare your ascent: Burj Khalifa Tickets: how to buy, prices and schedules.