Evening Desert Safari Dubai: Dune Bashing & Camel Ride

Dune bashing and sunset from a camel, without the camp dinner

An evening desert safari in Dubai starting in late afternoon with a 45-minute dune drive in a 4x4 vehicle, followed by a short camel ride at sunset and sand boarding in the red desert. The experience includes pickup and drop-off, bottled water and a sunset photo stop on a dune, but skips the camp experience and dinner that longer safaris add. A live guide speaks English, Hindi, Arabic, Tamil and other languages.

Step-by-step itinerary

Desert safari and camel ride adventure

• Drive dune bashing in 4x4 vehicle
• Ride camel at sunset
• Sand board desert waves

The experience

The 4x4 leaves with pickup from your hotel and heads straight into the red desert for a 45-minute dune bash: the vehicle climbs and drops the sand waves while you hold on. This is the core of the trip: the furious drive that most people come for, not a slow tour through the landscape. Afterward you stop at a high dune for sunset photos, the light hitting the sand as it drops toward the horizon.

From there you move to the camel ride, which is short but repeatable if you want another go. Sand boarding comes next. You take a board down the dunes the way you would a snowy slope, which is the part most people either love or skip on their second safari. Bottled water is with you throughout. The whole outing runs 3 to 4 hours from pickup to drop-off, which leaves your evening free: no camp meal, no sitting around a fire, just the drive and the ride and back to the city.

A live guide travels with the group and speaks English, Hindi, Arabic, Tamil and additional languages. If you want to add a quad bike or buggy at the meeting point, that costs extra and is arranged on arrival. Public transport options exist near the pickup point if you prefer to meet the vehicle there instead of being collected.

What’s included

• 45-minute dune drive in a red desert 4x4.
• short camel ride (repeatable).
• sand boarding.
• sunset photo stop on a dune.
• bottled water.
• pickup and drop-off from your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• live guide in multiple languages.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 14:30 and 15:30

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Arabic, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Urdu

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 3 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Raptor Tourism

Is this one for you?Three to four hours is short enough to fit around a longer day in Dubai, but the dune bashing and camel ride are the full experience. If you want a camp meal, a henna artist or an evening sitting around a fire, book a longer safari instead. The quad bike and buggy are add-ons at the meeting point, so you can decide on arrival whether you want to swap the camel for a motorized ride.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Hindi, Arabic, Tamil, Urdu and Malayalam.

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 happens during the dune bashing part of the evening desert safari?

The dune bashing is a 45-minute drive in a 4x4 vehicle that climbs and descends the sand dunes at speed. It is the main event of the safari, not a scenic drive. The vehicle does the work. You experience the motion and the landscape from inside.

Can I do the camel ride more than once on this safari?

The camel ride is short and repeatable, so you can ride again if you want a second go during the experience.

Does this evening safari include a camp experience or dinner?

No, this version skips the camp and dinner that longer safaris include. You get the dune drive, the camel ride, sand boarding and sunset photos, then return to your hotel. The whole outing is 3 to 4 hours.

What should I wear for an evening desert safari in Dubai?

Smart casual dress is the code. Bring sunscreen and sunglasses for the late afternoon, and wear closed shoes or sandals you can secure: sand gets everywhere during dune bashing and boarding.

Is a quad bike or buggy available if I want one instead of the camel ride?

Quad bikes and buggies are available at the meeting point for an extra charge. You can arrange this when you arrive, so you do not have to decide before you book.