Dubai Desert Safari: Red Dunes 4x4, Camel Ride & BBQ Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.94 (160 reviews) 96% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/48

Duration7h

GroupUp to 349

LanguagesEN · AR

PickupAt your hotel

Red dunes adventure with camel rides BBQ dinner and live shows from Dubai

You’ll ride over Dubai’s red dunes in a 4x4 with an expert guide before watching sunset from the sand. Try sandboarding or camel riding at Al Awir camp, then enjoy henna art and traditional dress photos before settling in for a buffet BBQ dinner with live belly dance and fire shows under desert stars.

Step-by-step itinerary

Desert safari with activities and dinner

Pick up from hotel or home
Drive to Red Lahbab Desert
Enjoy red sand dune bashing
Take sunset photography
Optional ATV quad biking or dune buggy
Drive to Al Awir Desert Camp
Experience camel ride and sand surfing
Dinner with live entertainment shows
Drop off at hotel or home

The Experience

Ever wondered what it feels like to stand on top of a dune with nothing but sand and sky? That’s how our Dubai desert safari started — well, after our driver Khalid picked us up right from the hotel lobby (he had this quiet smile that made me feel like I was in good hands). The city faded fast behind us, replaced by endless red sand. I didn’t expect the air to smell so clean out here — kind of sharp and dry, almost metallic. Then came the dune bashing. Honestly, I grabbed the seat more than once; Khalid laughed and said, “This is just warm-up!” My stomach wasn’t convinced.

Sunset hit while we were still out on the Lehbab dunes. It’s not easy to describe — the light turned everything soft orange and you could hear nothing but wind and our own laughs echoing down the slopes. There were folks trying sandboarding (I tried, fell twice, gave up), and a couple of kids zooming around on quad bikes. After that we drove to Al Awir camp where things slowed down. Camels waited near the entrance — their fur rougher than I thought — and a woman offered me sweet tea as soon as I stepped inside. The smell of charcoal from the barbecue drifted everywhere.

I tried henna for the first time (the artist giggled at my wobbly hand) and got talked into wearing a kandura for photos — pretty sure I looked ridiculous but nobody seemed to care. Dinner was buffet style: grilled chicken, salads, something spicy I still can’t name. There was this moment during the fire show when everything went quiet except for the crackle of flames — I caught myself just staring at the sky for a bit. The whole place felt sort of suspended between worlds.

By 9pm we were back in Khalid’s car heading for Dubai lights again. My shoes were full of sand and my head felt heavy in a good way. If you’re thinking about a desert safari from Dubai with camel rides and dinner shows, just go for it. Some things you can’t really plan for — like how much you’ll laugh or how weirdly peaceful it gets out there.

What’s included

Your day includes shared hotel pickup across Dubai (and Sharjah or Ajman), all dune bashing in Lehbab’s red sands with licensed guides, sandboarding gear if you want it, plus entry to Al Awir camp where you’ll get welcome refreshments on arrival. There’s a camel ride experience waiting along with henna tattoos for ladies and traditional Arabic dress-up for photos before settling down to an open buffet BBQ dinner (veg & non-veg options) with multiple sweets and salads—plus unlimited soft drinks and tea or coffee as you watch belly dance shows, tanoura spinning dancers and fire performances under open sky before drop-off back at your door.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Desert Safari Dubai