Dubai Red Dunes: ATV, Camel Ride, BBQ & Stargazing Camp

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.96 (24,925 reviews) 97% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/29

Duration6h

GroupUp to 15

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Red dunes quad biking camel rides fire shows & desert dinner

You’ll race across Dubai’s red dunes on an ATV, try sandboarding (don’t worry if you fall), then slow down with Arabic coffee and a sunset camel ride at Al Khayma camp. Enjoy a 5-star BBQ dinner with live shows before ending your night stargazing in deep desert quiet — it’s more memorable than you might expect.

Step-by-step itinerary

Desert adventure with quad biking and BBQ

Pick up from Dubai hotel
Travel to Red dunes desert
Relax in tent with tea and dates
Attend quad biking safety briefing
Ride quad bike across dunes
Try sandboarding on dunes
Move to Al Khayma camp
Enjoy Arabic coffee, sweets, and dates
Take camel ride to sunset viewpoint
Return to camp for henna and shisha
Dress in Arab attire and pose with falcon
Eat BBQ dinner with live entertainment
Watch fire show, Yola dance, and falconry
Stargaze in desert sky
Drive back to Dubai hotel

The Experience

We bounced out of Dubai just as the city faded into sand, our driver weaving us through traffic before the buildings gave way to this endless beige. I didn’t expect the air to feel so dry and clean out here — almost sharp in my nose. When we reached the Lehbab Desert, someone handed me a tiny cup of gahwa (that cardamom coffee), and I tried not to spill it while my hands were still shaky from excitement or maybe nerves. Our guide, Khalid, grinned as he explained how not to flip the ATV. “Just follow my tracks,” he said — easier said than done when you’re staring at those wild red dunes stretching forever.

The quad bike took off faster than I thought it would. Sand sprayed everywhere, gritty against my teeth when I laughed too hard. There was this weird silence between engine roars — just wind and that soft crunch of tires over sand. We stopped on a ridge for photos; honestly, I was more interested in catching my breath than posing. Sandboarding after that felt like trying to surf on sugar — I fell twice but nobody cared; Khalid just clapped and shouted something encouraging in Arabic I absolutely did not understand.

Later at Al Khayma camp, everything slowed down. The smell of grilled meat drifted over from the BBQ pit while a woman painted henna on my friend’s hand — she giggled because it tickled (and maybe because neither of us could sit still after all that adrenaline). The camel ride was short but oddly peaceful; the sky started turning gold behind us and there was this moment where everyone went quiet watching the sun drop behind the dunes. Back at camp, there were falcons (I’m still not sure how you’re supposed to pose with one without looking terrified), shisha pipes bubbling somewhere nearby, and live music that made it feel like some kind of desert festival.

I didn’t expect to care much about stargazing but lying back after dinner with sand cooling under me and nothing but sky overhead — that stuck with me longer than any photo. Even now when I see city lights at night, part of me misses how dark and wide it felt out there.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup and drop-off from your Dubai hotel by air-conditioned vehicle, a guided 60-minute quad bike ride through the red dunes (with helmet), sandboarding under expert supervision, Arabic coffee with dates and sweets on arrival plus unlimited water and soft drinks throughout. At Al Khayma camp you’ll get a short camel ride (repeatable), henna painting for ladies, shisha pipe access in the lounge area, traditional Yola dance and fire show performances (evenings only), falcon photo ops, Arabian horse show, camel feeding selfies, a full buffet meal (lunch or dinner depending on timing) with vegetarian options available — all led by experienced local guides before returning you safely to your hotel.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by OceanAir Travels