Dubai Desert Safari: Private 4x4, Dune Bashing & BBQ Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.96 (178 reviews) 98% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/21

Duration7h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Private Dubai desert safari with dune bashing, camel ride, live shows and BBQ dinner

You’ll feel the rush of Dubai’s desert as you ride in a private 4x4 across red dunes with your own guide. Try sandboarding or a camel ride before unwinding at a lantern-lit camp with live shows and a big BBQ dinner under the stars. Expect laughter, great food, and moments that linger long after you return to your hotel.

Step-by-step itinerary

Private evening desert safari experience

Private 4x4 hotel pickup
Dune bashing with expert driver
Sandboarding on desert slopes
Optional quad bike and dune buggy ride
Camel ride in the desert
Arrive at Bedouin style camp
Enjoy Arabic coffee, tea, and falafel
Henna painting by local artists
Dinner with BBQ buffet and live shows
Return to hotel by private driver

The Experience

I’ll be honest — I was nervous about the whole “dune bashing” thing. Our driver, Ahmed, just grinned when I asked if people ever get carsick. The 4x4 felt like it was floating and tumbling at the same time as we tore across those red dunes outside Dubai. Sand everywhere — in my shoes, my hair — but I couldn’t stop laughing (or maybe screaming?). There was this weird silence every time we crested a dune, then whoosh. My heart still jumps thinking about it.

We stopped for photos right as the sun dipped low and everything went gold-orange-pink. It was quiet except for some wind and a couple of camels snorting nearby. Ahmed handed me Arabic coffee — tiny cup, strong and earthy — and told us how his grandfather used to cross these sands by camel for days. I tried riding one myself (the camel, not Ahmed’s grandfather) which was much wobblier than it looks on Instagram. Li laughed so hard she nearly dropped her phone trying to film me.

The camp itself felt almost too nice after all that sand — carpets everywhere, lanterns glowing, and someone handing out falafel that tasted way better than anything I’ve had at home. There were henna artists painting hands (I still have a faded flower on my wrist), and later we watched dancers spin and swirl around fire. The BBQ dinner was huge — lamb kebabs, salads, smoky eggplant — but honestly I remember more how good it felt just sitting there under the stars with everyone quietly eating or talking low over tea. We left late, tired in that good way you get from being outside all evening.

What’s included

Your evening includes private hotel pickup in a 4x4 vehicle from Dubai or Sharjah, exclusive dune bashing led by an expert guide across red dunes, an optional stop for quad biking or dune buggy rides (extra cost), a peaceful camel ride with photo opportunities at sunset, sandboarding sessions on soft slopes, traditional Arabic coffee and falafel on arrival at the Bedouin-style camp with VIP seating for your group. Enjoy unlimited soft drinks plus tea and coffee throughout the night while watching eight different live performances before relaxing over a generous BBQ buffet dinner with plenty of vegetarian options before your driver takes you back to your hotel.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availableNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by DPT Desert Safari