Dubai Desert Safari: Dune Bashing, Camel Ride & Camp

Dune bashing and camel rides where the highest dunes in Dubai meet the sunset

A desert safari in Dubai's Red Dunes at Al Badayer combines dune bashing in a 4x4 Land Cruiser, a camel ride, and a Bedouin camp experience with live entertainment and BBQ dinner. The tour runs 4 to 7 hours depending on the option you choose. A professional guide leads the dune driving and introduces the camp activities, and you can book private or shared departures with or without the evening camp included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Desert adventure and cultural experience

• Meet and greet with desert guide
• Freshen up before departure
• Drive 4x4 land cruiser to dunes
• Enjoy 30 minutes dune bashing
• Stop 10 minutes at highest dune
• Take photos and drink water
• Drive to desert camp
• Experience camel ride
• Watch live entertainment shows
• Enjoy continental BBQ dinner

The experience

The tour starts with a meet-and-greet at the Red Dunes, the highest dunes in the Dubai desert. A professional desert guide takes you into a 4x4 Land Cruiser and drives straight into dune bashing: over 30 minutes of off-roading across the sand, testing the vehicle's balance on the steepest drifts. The guide stops at the highest dune for 10 minutes so you can photograph the flat bed of desert stretching out, drink water, and catch the sunset before the light goes. That's when most people pull out a camera. The view holds long enough to matter.

After dune bashing, the guide drives you to a Bedouin camp where the pace shifts entirely. You ride a camel, watch live entertainment shows, and sit down to a Continental Arabic BBQ dinner with a vegetarian option. Tea, coffee, and soft drinks flow throughout. If you book one of the options that includes the camp, you also get 15 minutes of sandboarding in the middle of the desert: a short, simple slide down the dunes on a board. Henna tattoos are available if you want one. The whole experience is built around living like a local for the evening, not rushing through a checklist.

Tours run either 4 hours (dune bashing and desert only, no camp) or 7 hours (with the full camp experience). You can book a private vehicle with just your group or join a shared tour. On shared departures, pickup happens within 45 minutes of your selected time. Guides speak English, Hindi, and Urdu. Children from age 3 are welcome, though the tour is not suitable for pregnant travelers or anyone with spinal injuries or cardiovascular concerns: dune bashing is rough on the body. All drivers are licensed and the Land Cruisers are fully insured.

What’s included

• Professional desert guide.
• 4x4 Land Cruiser dune bashing for over 30 minutes.
• 10-minute stop at the highest dune.
• 15-minute sandboarding in the desert.
• short camel ride at the camp.
• Continental Arabic BBQ dinner with vegetarian option (7-hour options only).
• live entertainment and henna tattoo at the camp.
• unlimited soft drinks, tea and coffee.
• hotel pickup (included in all options).

Options for this experience

5 options

Shared 4-hour safari without campGuide in English, Hindi or Urdu · 8 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 15:30Main program: a 1-hour 4x4 jeep safari with a 15-minute sandboarding experience, camel riding experience, and shared transfer. No camp dinner. Duration: 4 hours. Water: unlimited. Vehicle: shared, picking up up to 6 passengers in one vehicle. Pickup is included.

Private 4-hour desert safari onlyGuide in English or Hindi · 9 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 15:30Main program: a 1-hour 4x4 jeep safari with a 15-minute sandboarding experience, camel riding, and private transfer. No camp dinner. Duration: 4 hours. Water: unlimited. Private vehicle: pickup and drop-off only in a private vehicle; all desert safari activities are done in groups. Pickup is included.

Shared desert camp safari, 7 hoursGuide in English, Hindi or Urdu · 14:00, 15:00 and 15:30Main program: a 1-hour 4x4 jeep safari with a 15-minute sandboarding experience, a camel riding experience, and desert camp entertainment and dinner. Duration: 7 hours. Water and dinner included: regular buffet BBQ dinner with table sharing. Vehicle: shared, picking up up to 6 passengers in one vehicle. Pickup is included.

See 2 more options

7-hour private safari with campGuide in English, Hindi or Urdu · 14:00, 15:00 and 15:30Main program: a 1-hour 4x4 jeep safari with a 15-minute sandboarding experience, camel riding, private transfer, and desert camp and dinner. Duration: 7 hours. Water and dinner included: regular buffet BBQ dinner with table. Private vehicle: pickup and drop-off only in a private vehicle; all desert safari activities are done in groups. Pickup is included.

7-hour private safari with VIP dinnerGuide in English or Hindi · 14:00, 15:00 and 15:30VIP main program: a 1-hour 4x4 jeep safari with a 15-minute sandboarding experience, camel riding, desert camp live show and VIP dinner, plus private transfer. Duration: 7 hours. Water and dinner included: VIP buffet BBQ dinner with table. Private vehicle: pickup and drop-off only in a private vehicle; all desert safari activities are done in groups. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day9 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 15:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (10 to 55 years) · Child (3 to 9 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupUp to 100

Live guideEnglish, Hindi and Urdu

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 yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Excursion Point Tourism

Is this one for you?Book the 7-hour option with camp if you want the full Bedouin experience: dune bashing, camel ride, dinner, and live shows all in one evening. Choose the 4-hour dune-only option if you're short on time or want the thrill without the camp setup. Private tours suit groups who want their own vehicle and timing. Shared tours cost less and run on a fixed schedule.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

In English and Hindi, with 9 departure times. In Urdu, with 8 departure times.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 9 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What is dune bashing like in a 4x4 at the Red Dunes?

Dune bashing is 30 minutes of off-road driving across the highest dunes in Dubai, where the guide maneuvers the Land Cruiser up steep sand slopes and down sharp drops, testing the vehicle's balance and your grip on the seat. It's the physical core of the tour, not a sightseeing ride, but an active thrill that ends at the highest dune with a 10-minute stop to photograph the desert and catch the sunset.

Is the camel ride included, and how long does it last?

Yes, a short camel ride is included in every option. The ride happens at the Bedouin camp after dune bashing, and it's part of the camp experience rather than a separate activity. You mount, ride briefly, and dismount as part of the evening's flow through the camp.

What's the difference between the 4-hour and 7-hour options?

The 4-hour option is dune bashing and desert only: no camp, no dinner, no camel ride. The 7-hour option includes the full Bedouin camp with BBQ dinner, live entertainment, camel ride, and 15 minutes of sandboarding. Both include dune bashing and a professional guide. The camp adds the evening and the cultural immersion.

Does the tour include dinner, and are there vegetarian choices?

Dinner is included in the 7-hour options with camp. The meal is a Continental Arabic BBQ with a vegetarian option available. You choose at checkout. Soft drinks, tea, and coffee are unlimited throughout the tour.

How does pickup work on a shared tour?

On shared tours, the driver picks you up from your hotel within 45 minutes of your selected time, not at the exact minute, but within that window. Private tours depart at your chosen time. All pickups are included in the tour price.

Is this tour physically demanding?

Dune bashing is rough: the 4x4 bounces and tilts as it climbs and descends steep sand slopes, so you need at least moderate physical fitness. The tour is not recommended for pregnant travelers, anyone with spinal injuries, or poor cardiovascular health. Children from age 3 are welcome, but children under 5 are not permitted by Dubai law.