Abu Dhabi Desert Safari: Dune Bashing, BBQ Dinner & Shows

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/8

Duration6h

GroupUp to 200

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Evening desert safari in Abu Dhabi with camel rides, shisha, live dance and BBQ dinner under the stars

You’ll race across Abu Dhabi’s glowing dunes in a 4x4, try camel riding at sunset, relax in a Bedouin camp with shisha and henna painting, then share a barbecue dinner as dancers light up the night. If you want an evening where laughter mixes with desert silence—and someone else handles pickup—it’s hard to forget this one.

Step-by-step itinerary

Evening desert safari with activities

Pickup from your location
Dune bashing in 4x4 Land Cruiser
Camel riding
Sand boarding and shisha smoking
Henna painting
Enjoy live belly dance and fire show
BBQ buffet dinner

The Experience

The first thing that hit me was how the sand in Abu Dhabi actually glows when the sun starts to drop. Our driver, Khalid, picked us up right from the hotel—he had this easy laugh and played old-school Arabic pop on the way out of town. I didn’t expect the city to vanish so quickly behind us. Suddenly it was just red dunes rolling everywhere, nothing else. The dune bashing part? Honestly, I gripped the seat so hard my hands hurt—but I was grinning like an idiot. It’s loud in a weirdly muffled way, all engine and sand against metal.

After that wild ride, we stopped for photos at the top of a dune. The wind whipped my scarf around and everything smelled faintly of spice and dust. Camels were waiting near camp—gentle-eyed and taller than I thought. I tried to chat with one of the handlers (his name was Amir), but mostly we just laughed at my attempts to pronounce things in Arabic. The camel ride itself is slow, kind of lurching, but peaceful once you stop worrying about falling off.

The Bedouin-style camp felt like something out of an old movie—lanterns everywhere, carpets underfoot, people lounging with tiny glasses of tea or puffing on shisha pipes. Henna artists painted delicate designs on our hands (mine smudged because I got impatient). Dinner was a smoky barbecue buffet—grilled lamb, flatbreads still warm from the fire—and there was this moment where everyone went quiet as the belly dancer started her set. Later came a fire show that made half the kids gasp out loud. It’s funny what sticks: I still think about that starry sky overhead while sipping sweet mint tea.

What’s included

Your evening includes pickup and drop-off from your hotel or residence in Abu Dhabi, thrilling dune bashing in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with an experienced driver, camel rides at sunset, sand boarding if you’re feeling brave (I tried…once), plus time at a Bedouin-style camp with shisha pipes ready and henna tattoos for anyone who wants them. There’s unlimited tea, coffee and soft drinks throughout—and it all wraps up with a barbecue buffet dinner under lanterns while watching live belly dancing and fire shows before heading back to town.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Adventure Destination Tourism L.L.C