The Dubai Desert: Sandboarding in the dunes

Fancy a thrilling adventure in the Dubai desert? Experience the risk and adrenaline rush of climbing the towering dunes of the Lahbab desert to glide down to the ground on a board at full speed. You've never experienced anything like it!

From €45 you can go sandboarding in the Dubai desert and complement this experience with other types of risky sports. There will also be time to relax in the beautiful scenery and recharge your batteries Bedouin style.

It's your choice how long you spend there, but be warned, once you've tried it, you'll want to stay as long as possible. It's one of the must-do things to do in the city, so let's take a closer look at what these sandboarding tours in the Dubai desert are all about!

If you've never sandboarded before, you'll have the chance to do it in Dubai on a desert tour- it's a blast!

As well as experiencing the adrenaline rush of sliding down the dunes, you can also experience other adventurous activities such as dune bashing in a 4x4 off-road vehicle or driving a quad bike at full speed. If you're attracted to risk and action, you definitely have to try it.

Later in these excursions, there will be time to relax and enjoy the authentic Bedouin lifestyle by attending a lunch or dinner in the desert with entertainment and various workshops related to Arab culture.

What do these excursions usually include?

• Sandboarding in the Dubai desert
• Dunebashing with professional driver
• Quad biking
• Short camel rides
• Stop in the desert to watch the sunset
• Lunch or dinner with show and workshops
• Transfer to and from hotel
• English speaking licensed safari guide

What is sandboarding?

Sandboarding is basically riding a board similar to snowboarding down the sand dunes doing similar moves to surfing or skateboarding, as your feet are supported in the same way and the pressure you need to exert to perform the tricks is very similar.

If you have some knowledge of these two sports, sandboarding in the Dubai desert will be very easy for you. However, if it's your first time, it won't be too difficult to get used to the dynamics once you get the hang of the technique. During this type of excursion, you'll be given a briefing by an instructor before you start, which will help you get the most out of the experience.

Although sandboarding is considered an extreme sport, it is less risky for beginners than other sports because the sand is quite soft and flexible, which will cushion your falls and you won't get hurt as much.

However, sliding down the dunes can be quite fast (especially the higher you get) and the sand being an uneven surface you can find 'pits' in your path that produce a similar effect to waves breaking.

This makes sandboarding an exciting and thrilling sport but to enjoy it safely you will need to wear protective gear including a helmet, knee and elbow pads.

Where does sandboarding take place in Dubai?

Sandboarding tours usually take place in the Lahbab Desert, a unique location in the area characterised by large red sand dunes where you'll experience a thrilling adventure and one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world.

From 45 ¤ you can go sandboarding in the desert of Dubai by booking your tickets in Hellotickets to join an excursion where you can not only have fun surfing the dunes but also spend a day outdoors doing other sporting activities such as quad biking, dune bashing in 4x4 or camel safaris, to name a few examples.

These excursions usually include brunches or dinners with a show in the desert to complete the experience, and the truth is that they are really cool! In the post Excursions with dinner and show in the desert of Dubai I tell you what they consist of.

Maybe you have considered living this adventure on your own but you should know that this option is not possible since the only way allowed is to hire the activity with a local operator due to the risk that some of the adventure sports that are practiced have. There are many excursions available for sandboarding in the Dubai desert.

If you want to know more about the cost of this activity, I recommend you read the post How much does it cost to visit the dubai desert: excursion prices. This will give you more information to book the one that best suits your budget and your pocket.

There are morning and afternoon times for sandboarding in the Dubai desert but which time you choose will really depend on your plans in the city and how much free time you have to spend sandboarding in the desert.

Afternoon for the full experience

In my opinion, the sandboarding experience in the dunes is much more complete if you choose an afternoon tour because in addition to this and other adventure sports you can also watch the sunset in an incomparable setting and then dine under the stars in a Bedouin camp. This is something that morning tours don't usually include and is truly an amazing experience not to be missed during your trip.

Afternoon excursions to the Dubai desert usually start around 2:30 PM or 3 PM so you can take advantage of the afternoon in the desert and do other adventure activities such as dune bashing in 4x4 vehicles, quad biking or camel riding. After sunset it's time for dinner and a show.

They usually last around 6-7 hours and are the longest. Afternoon tours are a good option if you plan to stay in Dubai for at least 4 or 5 days.

Morning schedule, if you are short on time

If the afternoon schedule doesn't suit you because you have other plans, another possibility is to go sandboarding in the dunes in the morning.

These types of activities usually start between 7 and 10am, depending on the time you choose. They are a good option if you can't tolerate the heat and prefer to get up early to take advantage of the milder temperatures in the early hours of the day.

In general, morning sandboarding tours in the Dubai desert usually last around 4 hours, which is a good option if you don't have a lot of time to spare but don't want to miss out on the experience.

However, some of them can last a little longer if they include a small brunch with Arabic tea and gahwa (coffee), gaymat (sweets), dates, fruits and soft drinks.

If you plan to spend a short time in Dubai, for example 2 days in Dubai or 3 days in Dubai is the best option as it will leave you the afternoon free to do other things.

So what day of the week should I choose for sandboarding in Dubai?

In Islamic culture, Friday is the weekly day of rest so many shops are closed on this day and there is not much to do in Dubai.

So this is a good time to get out of the city and take a trip to the desert to enjoy outdoor adventure sports such as sandboarding.

The climate in Dubai is a subtropical desert climate, so it's always going to be pretty hot in the city whatever time of year you choose to go sandboarding.

However, depending on the time of year you travel, the thermometers can be scorching hot, or warm and bearable. Those few degrees of difference make for a much more enjoyable dune sandboarding experience.

So when planning a trip to the Dubai desert, my recommendation is to choose autumn or winter (when the heat is a little milder) and avoid summer (when the thermometers soar and the atmosphere is sultry).

However, if you would like to know more in detail about the climate of this city, don't miss the post Best time to travel to Dubai, it will help you make up your mind!

• Sandboarding is an adventure sport that involves certain risks. When sandboarding in the Dubai desert, it is advisable to take out insurance in case of an unfortunate incident. These excursions are usually covered by insurance, but just in case, take out your own. Health care in Dubai is very expensive.
• Carry some medicine for motion sickness in your backpack. As well as sandboarding, you'll also be dune bashing in 4WDs or quad biking, activities that could make you feel nauseous along the way. Also include something for the headaches that can be caused by the intense heat.
• Don't forget to hydrate regularly either. Bring water and an isotonic drink to replenish your energy during the activity - you'll be working hard!
• The sun in the Dubai desert shines brightly and it's easy to get sunburnt. To avoid this, pack a bottle of sunscreen with SPF 50 in your backpack, as well as a hat and sunglasses.
• As for clothing, I recommend wearing loose-fitting clothes made of cool fabrics such as cotton or linen that cover the whole body. It's very hot in the Dubai desert and this type of clothing will help protect you.
• As for footwear, don't wear sandals or open-toed shoes for sandboarding. Sand will get into your feet and is not suitable for sandboarding. Instead, wear closed shoes that are comfortable for walking in the desert.
• Take your camera and phone fully charged to take photos and videos during the hike - you don't want to run out half way through! There is no reception in the desert so you will have to wait until you get back to the hotel to upload them to social media.

In addition to sandboarding, in Dubai you can also experience an adrenaline rush by going on a buggy or quad excursion that will give you the feeling of flying over the desert.

You will have time to drive these vehicles and see beautiful natural areas you can't imagine on the route. Dunes, palm groves and camels everywhere!

If you want to know in detail what these excursions consist of, I recommend you read the posts The Dubai Desert: Quad Adventure or The Dubai Desert: Buggy Excursions.

In the post Tips for visiting the Dubai desert you can read more recommendations that will help you make the most of your experience in the dunes.