Dubai Evening Desert Safari: Dune Bash, Camel Ride & BBQ
The Desert Gets Loud at Sunset: Dubai's Dune Safari with Dinner
You get picked up from your Dubai hotel and driven into the desert for dune bashing in a 4x4, then spend the afternoon at a Bedouin camp trying camel rides, sandboarding, henna, and Arabic coffee. Dinner is a full barbecue buffet with belly dancing and fire shows, and the driver returns you to your hotel as the night settles in.
Options for this experience
3 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Desert safari with activities and dinner
- Depart Dubai city
- Drive to desert dunes
- Enjoy dune bashing with driver
- Stop for sunset photos
- Try sandboarding on dunes
- Arrive at Bedouin camp
- Drink Arabic coffee and eat sweets
- Choose activities: camel ride, henna, shisha, or photos
- Optional dune buggy or quad bike ride
- Enjoy barbecue buffet dinner
- Watch belly dance and fire shows
- Return to Dubai and end tour
What’s included
Hotel pickup and drop-off by 4x4 vehicle, dune bashing with a professional driver, sunset photo stop, sandboarding with supplied board, camel riding, henna tattoo (for females and kids), Arabic robes for photos, shisha in a designated smoking area, unlimited Arabic coffee, tea, soft drinks and water, full barbecue buffet dinner with vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, belly dance show (twice), fire show (twice), and tanoura (Whirling Dervish) performance.
Times
- Every day 14:00 14:30
Before you book
Operated by OceanView Tours
Prices and times updated 11 days ago
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The experience
"Hold on," the driver says, and the dunes tilt. The 4x4 drops down a slope so steep you feel your stomach rise, and then it's climbing again, engine growling, sand spraying sideways. That's the dune bash: the part where you stop thinking about your itinerary and just grip the seat. It lasts maybe forty minutes, and by the end your shoulders ache from bracing yourself, but you're also laughing. The driver knows exactly how far to push it. After that, there's a sunset stop where the light turns the dunes orange and everyone gets out to take photos, and then you're moving again toward the Bedouin camp.
The camp is set up like a village: low tents, cushioned seating, the smell of charcoal and coffee. This is where the evening desert safari splits into pieces. You can ride a camel if you want (short rides, nothing strenuous), or try sandboarding. They hand you a board and point you at a dune, and it's genuinely fun, though you'll eat sand. There's henna painting for anyone interested, and Arabic robes you can wear for photos. The shisha is there if you smoke. If you don't, there's unlimited Arabic coffee and tea, which tastes nothing like what you make at home. It's cardamom-heavy and sweet. Some people rent a dune buggy or quad bike for extra cost and zoom around on their own. Most just sit and watch the light change.
Dinner happens as it gets dark. The buffet spreads across long tables (grilled chicken, lamb, fish, salads, bread, rice), and vegetarian options are there too, not an afterthought. You eat on cushions or at low tables, and then the shows start. There's a belly dance performance, then a fire show (twice), and the tanoura: a Whirling Dervish in a spinning skirt that catches the light. It's theatrical, a bit touristy, but it works. The whole evening, from pickup to drop-off, takes about six hours. By the time the 4x4 pulls up to your hotel, you're tired and sandy and oddly satisfied.
Is this one for you?Book this if you want the main desert experience (dunes, camp, dinner, and shows) without arranging your own transport or timing multiple activities. The fixed schedule and included pickup handle all of that.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (18 to 29 years); Child (4 to 10 years); Infant (under 4): free.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What time does the evening desert safari start?
Pickup is typically in the late afternoon (exact time depends on your hotel location). The safari runs about six hours total, ending after dark.
Is the camel ride included?
Yes, short camel rides are included. You can also skip it and do sandboarding or other camp activities instead.
What's included in the barbecue dinner?
The buffet includes grilled meats, fish, salads, bread, rice, and vegetarian options. Soft drinks, tea, and coffee are unlimited. Alcohol is not served.
Can I do the dune buggy or quad bike?
Yes, but it costs extra. You can rent one at the camp if you want to ride on your own instead of doing the other activities.
What should I wear?
Wear comfortable clothes you don't mind getting sandy. Closed shoes are better than sandals. The camp provides Arabic robes for photos if you want them.
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
Yes. The vehicles and camp areas are wheelchair accessible, though the dune bashing itself is bumpy and may not be comfortable for everyone with mobility concerns.
Dubai Evening Desert Safari: Dune Bash, Camel Ride & BBQ
6h · EN · at your hotel
from AED 83 per person
≈ US$ 22 in your currency
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