Dubai Desert Safari: Dune bashing, camel ride & BBQ

Dune bashing in a 4x4 over rolling sand, then dinner cooked on site under the desert sky.

A private Dubai evening desert safari tour that starts in late afternoon and runs 6 to 7 hours, taking you on a thrilling 4x4 dune bash, camel ride, and sandboarding before settling at a traditional Bedouin-style campsite for a BBQ dinner with grilled meats, salads, soft drinks and water. The tour also includes henna painting, shisha smoking, and belly dancing, plus a live guide in your choice of English, Hindi, Urdu or Gujarati. Hotel pickup is included. Children from age 3 are welcome, and you can request specific meals when you book.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Dubai Gold Souk20m
2. Dubai Mall40m
3. Mall of the Emirates40m

Dubai desert safari and city tour

• Enjoy thrilling dune bashing ride
• Try sandboarding and camel riding
• Dine at Bedouin-style campsite
• Experience BBQ dinner under stars
• Participate in henna painting and shisha smoking
• Watch belly dancing performance
• Visit Dubai Creek Harbour
• Explore Dubai Gold Souq
• Shop and entertain at Dubai Mall
• Visit Mall of the Emirates

The experience

Your afternoon starts with hotel pickup and a drive into the desert, where you climb into a 4x4 for the dune bashing: a fast, rolling ride over the sand that feels like a rollercoaster. After that comes sandboarding down the dunes and a camel ride through the landscape. As the sun sets, you're taken to a Bedouin-style campsite in the middle of the desert, a place built to show how people lived here traditionally.

Dinner is cooked on site: grilled meats, salads, and other dishes served under the stars with unlimited soft drinks and water. While you eat, you can try henna painting on your hands, smoke shisha if you want to, and watch belly dancing. The whole experience runs 6 to 7 hours from pickup to drop-off, and your guide speaks English, Hindi, Urdu or Gujarati throughout.

The tour also includes stops at Dubai's major landmarks (the Gold Souq, Dubai Mall, Dubai Creek Harbour, and an abra boat ride on Dubai Creek), so you see both the desert and the city in one evening. If you have dietary needs, let the operator know at booking and they'll arrange it.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• dune bashing in a 4x4 vehicle.
• sandboarding and camel riding.
• BBQ dinner with grilled meats, salads and other dishes.
• unlimited soft drinks and water.
• henna painting, shisha smoking and belly dancing at the campsite.
• visits to Dubai Gold Souq, Dubai Mall, Dubai Creek Harbour and an abra boat ride.
• live guide in English, Hindi, Urdu or Gujarati.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00, 10:00, 14:30 and 15:30Last departure this season: 22 Dec

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (16 to 90 years) · Child (3 to 8 years) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Gujarati, Hindi and Urdu

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 8 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 16 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Tribal Trails Tours

Is this one for you?This is a private tour, so your group travels together in one 4x4 with your own guide for the full evening, which suits travelers who want the desert experience without sharing the vehicle or waiting for other groups. If you prefer a shared tour with other travelers or want to explore the city landmarks on foot with more time at each stop, a group tour or self-guided option would work better.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Hindi, Urdu and Gujarati.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 8 years). Under 3: they can't be included in the booking.

What is dune bashing like in a 4x4 vehicle?

Dune bashing is a fast, thrilling ride over the sand dunes in a 4x4 that feels like a rollercoaster, with the vehicle climbing and descending the rolling desert landscape. It's the main activity in the first part of the tour before you move on to sandboarding and camel riding.

Is this tour private or shared with other travelers?

This is a private tour, so you and your group travel together in your own 4x4 and have your own guide for the full 6 to 7 hours. Hotel pickup is included, and the guide speaks English, Hindi, Urdu or Gujarati depending on what you need.

What happens at the Bedouin campsite in the evening?

At the traditional Bedouin-style campsite, you eat a BBQ dinner with grilled meats, salads and other dishes cooked on site, served under the stars with unlimited soft drinks and water. You can also do henna painting, smoke shisha, and watch belly dancing performances.

What else is included besides the desert activities and dinner?

The tour also includes visits to Dubai's Gold Souq, Dubai Mall, Dubai Creek Harbour, and an abra boat ride on Dubai Creek, so you see major city landmarks alongside the desert experience. All transport between stops and your hotel is included.