Abu Dhabi: Morning Desert Safari & Dune Bashing with Camel Ride

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.93 (347 reviews) 95% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellation

1/11

Duration4h

GroupUp to 50

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Desert at dawn beats the heat—and the crowds

You get picked up from your hotel or cruise terminal at 8am, driven an hour into the desert, and spend three hours dune bashing, riding camels, sand boarding, and photographing a falcon. Drinks and water are included. You're back by noon, with the afternoon still yours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Morning desert safari and activities

Pickup from Abu Dhabi location
Drive 60 minutes to desert
Dune bashing with photo stops
Visit camel farm
Camel riding and sand boarding
Photos with falcon
Enjoy soft drinks and water
Return to pickup location by noon

The Experience

The 4x4 pulls up ten minutes early, which throws off the whole morning rhythm until you realize that's actually the point. You're heading into the Abu Dhabi desert on a morning safari, and the driver wants to beat the heat and the tour groups that pile in later. After a 60-minute drive from your hotel or cruise terminal, the dunes start to roll, and the dune bashing begins—the vehicle tilts and drops across the sand in a way that feels chaotic until you understand the driver knows exactly what they're doing. There's a photo stop at the camel farm first, where the animals are calm and the light is still soft.

Once you're in the camp, the pace loosens. You can ride a camel if you want, or skip it and try sand boarding instead—basically sledding down a dune, which is harder than it looks and funnier when you fall. The falcon is there for photos, and that part moves fast; people line up, hold the bird, get the shot. Soft drinks and water come around throughout, which matters because even in the morning the desert pulls moisture out of you. The whole thing is built to fit into a morning—you're back at your hotel or cruise terminal by noon, which leaves the afternoon free for whatever else Abu Dhabi has on your list.

The group stays small, which changes how the experience feels. You're not herded; you move at your own pace between activities. If you want to linger with the camels or take extra time on the dunes, nobody's rushing you. The driver handles the route and the timing, so you don't have to think about navigation or logistics—you just show up and get picked up.

What’s included

Your morning includes hotel, cruise terminal, or home pickup by 4x4, a 60-minute drive to the Al Khazna desert, a dune bashing session with photo stops, a visit to the camel farm, camel riding, sand boarding, falcon photos, and soft drinks and water throughout the 4-hour experience. Drop-off is back at your original pickup location around noon.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfant seats availableInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Desert Rose Tourism

Is this one for you?Right for travelers staying in Abu Dhabi without a car who want the desert experience finished by lunchtime. The morning timing and fixed pickup mean you don't arrange transport or timing yourself—you just show up at your hotel.