Dubai Red Dunes: ATV, Camel Ride, BBQ & Stargazing Camp

4.96

(23401 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We bounced out of Dubai just as the city faded into sand, our driver weaving us through traffic before the buildings gave way to this endless beige. I didn’t expect the air to feel so dry and clean out here — almost sharp in my nose. When we reached the Lehbab Desert, someone handed me a tiny cup of gahwa (that cardamom coffee), and I tried not to spill it while my hands were still shaky from excitement or maybe nerves. Our guide, Khalid, grinned as he explained how not to flip the ATV. “Just follow my tracks,” he said — easier said than done when you’re staring at those wild red dunes stretching forever.

The quad bike took off faster than I thought it would. Sand sprayed everywhere, gritty against my teeth when I laughed too hard. There was this weird silence between engine roars — just wind and that soft crunch of tires over sand. We stopped on a ridge for photos; honestly, I was more interested in catching my breath than posing. Sandboarding after that felt like trying to surf on sugar — I fell twice but nobody cared; Khalid just clapped and shouted something encouraging in Arabic I absolutely did not understand.

Later at Al Khayma camp, everything slowed down. The smell of grilled meat drifted over from the BBQ pit while a woman painted henna on my friend’s hand — she giggled because it tickled (and maybe because neither of us could sit still after all that adrenaline). The camel ride was short but oddly peaceful; the sky started turning gold behind us and there was this moment where everyone went quiet watching the sun drop behind the dunes. Back at camp, there were falcons (I’m still not sure how you’re supposed to pose with one without looking terrified), shisha pipes bubbling somewhere nearby, and live music that made it feel like some kind of desert festival.

I didn’t expect to care much about stargazing but lying back after dinner with sand cooling under me and nothing but sky overhead — that stuck with me longer than any photo. Even now when I see city lights at night, part of me misses how dark and wide it felt out there.