Dubai Desert Safari 4x4: Dune bashing, camel ride & BBQ

Control the dunes yourself, then ride them on a camel

You get picked up from your hotel in the afternoon, driven across the dunes in a 4x4 with a professional driver, ride a camel through the desert at sunset, try sandboarding and henna painting at the camp, and eat a full barbecue dinner with live music and dance before returning to your hotel. The whole thing takes seven hours and includes an English-speaking guide throughout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Desert tour with activities and dinner

• Depart Dubai in afternoon
• Drive across desert with photo stops
• Stop at camel farm
• Watch desert sunset
• Arrive at campsite
• Ride camel and sandboard
• Get henna tattoo
• Enjoy barbecue dinner and shisha

The experience

The sand stretches flat and gold in front of you, then the 4x4 hits the first dune and everything tilts. You're gripping the seat as the driver drops down the far side, engine roaring, and for a moment the whole landscape goes vertical. This is how the afternoon starts on the Dubai desert safari, not the postcard version, but the one that makes your stomach flip. The tour runs seven hours total, and it begins with that drive across the dunes, several photo stops built in, before you reach the camel farm where the real shift happens.

Once you're on the camel, the pace changes completely. The animal moves with a rhythm that feels older than the 4x4s parked behind you, and the guide (English-speaking, patient with the nervous ones) points out how the landscape looked fifty years ago, before the highways and the towers. You ride through the late afternoon, and then you stop to watch the sunset, which is the kind of moment that photographs don't quite capture but your eyes won't forget. After that comes the campsite: sandboarding down the smaller dunes if you want it, henna painting on your hands or feet while you wait, the kind of thing that feels touristy until the artist starts working and you realize how intricate it gets.

Dinner is a buffet spread (vegetarian and meat options both) set up under the open sky, and there's shisha (the Arabic water pipe) if you're into it, Arabic coffee and dates, unlimited water because you need it out here. The Tanoura dance show happens after, and a belly dance performance with a live artist, which lands somewhere between cultural demonstration and pure entertainment depending on your mood. By the time the 4x4 brings you back to your hotel lobby, you've been in the desert for the better part of a day, and the city lights feel strange and close.

What’s included

Hotel pickup from your lobby, a professional 4x4 driver and English-speaking guide, dune bashing across the desert with photo stops, camel riding through the dunes, sandboarding, henna painting, a full international buffet dinner with vegetarian and meat options, Arabic coffee and dates, tea, shisha (water pipe) access, live Tanoura dance and belly dance performances, welcome Arabic sweets, and sunset photography opportunities. The tour runs seven hours and ends with hotel drop-off.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 14:30

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (3 to 10 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 495

Live guideEnglish

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Al Khan Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want the full desert experience (dunes, camels, food, and entertainment) without arranging transport or timing it yourself. The fixed seven-hour schedule and hotel pickup mean you show up ready to go, and the guide handles the rest.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 10 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What time does the tour start and end?

The tour departs in the afternoon and runs for seven hours total, with hotel pickup and drop-off included. Exact times depend on your hotel location and the season.

Is the camel ride included or extra?

Camel riding is included in the tour price, along with sandboarding, henna painting, dinner, and all demonstrations.

What if I have a spinal injury or back problems?

The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries due to the 4x4 dune bashing and camel riding. Check with the operator before booking if you have concerns.

Is the belly dance show always part of the tour?

Yes, but demonstrations of falconry, traditional music and dance are not available during the Holy month of Ramadan.

Do I need to be fit for this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, though you should be comfortable sitting in a 4x4 and on a camel for extended periods.

What's included in the dinner?

An international buffet with vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, Arabic coffee, dates, tea, and access to shisha corners.

Can I wear my own clothes or do I have to wear the Arabic dress?

Photography in traditional Arabic dress is offered as part of the tour, but it's optional. You wear your own clothes otherwise.

Is water provided?

Yes, unlimited mineral water is included throughout the tour.