Dubai Desert Safari: Dune Bashing, BBQ Dinner & Dance Shows

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.68 (2,043 reviews) 87% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellation

1/16

Duration6h

GroupUp to 999

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Desert adventure from Dubai with dune rides, camel moments, shisha and live music

You’ll get picked up in Dubai for an evening of dune bashing across golden sands, camel rides under open skies, and sunset photos you’ll want to keep forever. Try shisha or Arabic coffee at camp, watch live dances by firelight, and enjoy a full barbecue dinner before heading back to your hotel—still sandy and probably smiling.

Step-by-step itinerary

Evening desert safari with activities

Pick up from hotel
Drive to desert outskirts
Dune bashing ride in 4x4
Arrive at desert campsite
Enjoy camel riding (optional)
Try henna tattoo designing
Smoke flavored shisha
Drink traditional Arabic coffee
Watch Al Ayala welcome dance
Watch belly dance performance
Watch Tanoura dance show
Watch fireshow performance
Dress up in Arabic costume
Take sunset desert photographs
Enjoy BBQ buffet dinner

The Experience

I’ll be honest — I was nervous about the whole “dune bashing” thing. The driver picked us up right outside our hotel in Dubai (so easy), and before I knew it we were bouncing through these wild orange dunes. The 4x4 felt like a rollercoaster, sand spraying up against the windows every time we slid down a steep bit. Our guide, Ahmed, laughed when I grabbed the seat — apparently that’s normal. I could smell the hot sand through the AC vents, which is weirdly comforting if you’re not thinking about getting stuck.

After all that adrenaline, stepping out at the desert camp felt like landing on another planet. There was this quiet hum — people chatting softly in Arabic, camels shifting around with their big sleepy eyes. I tried riding one (awkward but worth it), then just sat for a while with a tiny cup of gahwa and some dates. The air smelled like sweet smoke from shisha pipes and grilled meat starting to cook for dinner. Sunset crept up fast — suddenly everything was gold and pink and everyone started taking photos at once. I still think about that sky.

The evening part surprised me most. We watched the Al Ayala welcome dance (lots of drums and those long canes), then a guy spun so fast in his Tanura skirt I got dizzy just watching him. There was belly dancing too — honestly, way harder than it looks. Ahmed teased me into trying on an Arabic robe for a photo; my friend got a henna tattoo that lasted for days after. The buffet dinner was massive: grilled chicken, lamb kebabs, salads — even veggie stuff for my partner who doesn’t eat meat. I never figured out how to smoke shisha properly but no one seemed to care.

It’s funny how quickly you forget about city noise out there under those stars, eating barbecue with strangers who feel oddly familiar by the end of it all.

What’s included

Your evening includes pickup from your Dubai hotel or home before heading out to the desert for 15-20 minutes of dune bashing in a 4x4 vehicle.
At camp you’ll find camel rides (on request), unlimited tea, coffee and soft drinks plus Arabic coffee with dates on arrival.
Enjoy live performances like belly dance and Tanura show (except during Ramadan/public holidays), try shisha or henna tattoos if you want, dress up in Arabic costumes for photos—and finish with a big buffet barbecue dinner before returning to town.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Rayna Tourism