Abu Dhabi Desert Safari: BBQ, Camel Ride & Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.84 (149 reviews) 91% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/11

Duration6h

GroupUp to 20

LanguagesEN · AR

PickupAt your hotel

Evening desert adventure from Abu Dhabi with BBQ dinner

You’ll ride over rolling dunes outside Abu Dhabi with a local guide, try sandboarding or camel riding (or both if you’re brave), taste spiced Arabic coffee and fresh-grilled BBQ under desert stars, and watch live dance performances at a Bedouin-style camp. It’s an evening full of small surprises you’ll remember long after your shoes fill with sand.

Step-by-step itinerary

Abu Dhabi Desert Safari Adventure

Drive to Al Khaznah Desert
Desert driving and dune bashing
Visit camel farm
Sandboarding near camp
Camel ride
Watch desert sunset and take pictures
Enjoy Arabic hospitality with coffee, tea, and dates
Unlimited soft drinks, tea, coffee, and water
Dress in local attire for photos
Take pictures with falcons
Henna tattoo or painting
Relax in Bedouin tent with carpet and pillows
BBQ dinner with vegetarian and non-vegetarian options
Dance floor and music system
Live belly dancing and Tanoura dance
Smoke fragrant sheesha after dinner

The Experience

I’ll be honest — I almost missed the pickup because I couldn’t find my other shoe (sand gets everywhere here). Our driver, Khalid, just grinned when I finally made it to the Land Cruiser. “No rush,” he said, but I could tell he’d done this a thousand times. The city faded behind us fast — glass towers swapped for flat gold nothingness. It’s weird how quiet it gets out there. Even the air felt different, kind of dry and sweet, like you’re breathing in sun-baked stone.

The dune bashing part was wild — way more intense than I expected. My friend screamed (not me, I swear), and Khalid laughed so hard he had to wipe his eyes at one point. The sand is softer than it looks; it squeaks under your shoes when you step out for photos. There were camels waiting near a low fence — they chew in slow motion and look at you like they know something you don’t. Riding one was…awkward? But also sort of peaceful once you stop worrying about falling off.

At the camp, we got Arabic coffee and dates — the coffee’s spiced and a little bitter, which surprised me. Henna artists sat cross-legged on carpets; mine drew a flower on my wrist while her daughter watched cartoons on a phone nearby. Dinner was smoky from the grill — lamb kebabs and salads that tasted fresh even after hours in the heat. Later there was music and belly dancing; some people joined in but I mostly watched, too full to move much. Tried shisha for the first time (minty!), coughed a bit, everyone laughed.

The sun set behind the dunes in this slow orange fade that made everything look softer. I still think about that light sometimes — how it made even my dusty sneakers seem kind of magical for a minute.

What’s included

Your evening includes hotel pickup and drop-off by 4x4 Land Cruiser with a local guide driving into Al Khaznah desert for dune bashing and sunset photos.
You’ll visit a camel farm for rides and try sandboarding near camp before relaxing in a Bedouin tent with Arabic coffee or tea and dates.
Enjoy unlimited soft drinks plus a BBQ dinner (vegetarian options available), henna painting, shisha after dinner, live belly dancing and Tanoura shows before heading back to Abu Dhabi at night.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availableNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Extreme Tours - Desert Safari in Abu Dhabi