Dubai Desert Safari: Dune Bashing, Camel Ride & BBQ Dinner

The red dunes are tallest at sunset, and that's when you stop to photograph them.

A seven-hour desert safari from Dubai with hotel pickup includes dune bashing across red dunes, a camel ride, sandboarding, and a buffet dinner with live entertainment at a premium camp. The tour runs as a shared vehicle with six to seven guests, and a professional guide leads the full evening. You choose between Standard or Premium Lounge seating at the camp.

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle. Once in the desert, the driver takes the vehicle across the golden red dunes: dune bashing is the core of the ride, with the vehicle climbing and descending the tallest slopes. The route stops at a photo point timed for sunset, which is when the light on the dunes shifts and the desert quiets down. After photos, you try sandboarding on the slopes, then take a short camel ride before heading to camp.

At the camp, you move into either the Standard or Premium Lounge depending on your booking. Both include a buffet dinner with barbecue, vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, and international options. The evening runs with live entertainment (belly dance, Arabian Tanura show, Turkish folk dance, and a fire show), while you eat under the stars. Women receive a henna tattoo as part of the experience. Unlimited refreshments are available throughout the evening, and the vehicle returns you to your hotel by the end of the night.

The shared vehicle holds six to seven guests, so the experience is not private, but the guide is a licensed professional who speaks English. The whole outing takes seven hours from pickup to drop-off, which means the timing is set and you don't arrange transport or plan the sequence yourself.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• dune bashing across red dunes with an expert driver.
• sunset photo stop at a scenic desert location.
• sandboarding down the dunes.
• short camel ride.
• buffet dinner with barbecue, vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, and international options.
• unlimited refreshments.
• live entertainment including belly dance, Arabian Tanura show, Turkish folk dance, and fire show.
• henna tattoo for women.
• choice of Standard or Premium Lounge seating at camp.

Options for this experience

2 options

Standard option with BBQ dinnerGuide in English · 13:45Standard option with BBQ dinner; pickup is included

Premium Lounge option with BBQ dinnerGuide in English · 13:45Enjoy our exclusive Premium Lounge, which offers comfortable seating and a wider selection of tasty dishes. Pickup is included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 13:45

AgesAdult (12 to 65 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 100

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availableNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by The Millennium Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want everything in one outing (dune driving, cultural show, and dinner) as a shared group experience rather than coordinating multiple bookings or timing your own schedule.

Traveler reviews

4.97★★★★★★★★★★

279 verified traveler reviews

5 ★274

4 ★3

3 ★1

2 ★0

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): 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 exactly is dune bashing in this Dubai desert safari?

Dune bashing is the drive across the red dunes of Dubai's desert in a vehicle piloted by an expert driver who navigates the slopes and descents for the thrill of the ride. The vehicle climbs and drops the tallest dunes, and this is the main activity between hotel pickup and the sunset photo stop.

Can I do sandboarding even if I've never tried it before?

Yes. Sandboarding is included in the tour and is open to all physical fitness levels. You slide down the dunes after the sunset photo point, and no prior experience is required.

What's included in the dinner at the desert camp?

Dinner is a buffet with barbecue, vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, and international options. Unlimited refreshments are included throughout the evening, and you eat while watching live entertainment: belly dance, Tanura show, folk dance, and fire show.

Is the camel ride a long experience, or just a short one?

The camel ride is short but authentic, fitting into the evening between sandboarding and the move to camp for dinner. It's a moment to step back in time rather than an extended ride.

How many people travel together on this tour?

The tour runs as a shared vehicle with six to seven guests traveling together. It is not a private tour, so you'll share the experience with other travelers.

What time does the tour end and return me to my hotel?

The full tour takes seven hours from pickup to drop-off, so the return time depends on your pickup time. The vehicle brings you back to your hotel at the end of the evening after dinner and entertainment.