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

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.98 (116 reviews) 99% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/26

Duration7h

GroupUp to 99

LanguagesEN · AR +2

PickupAt your hotel

Red Dunes adventure with camel ride, dinner & live shows in Dubai

You’ll start your day with hotel pickup in Dubai or Sharjah before heading out for dune bashing across Lehbab’s famous Red Dunes with an expert driver. Try sandboarding or camel riding at camp, sip Arabic coffee under open sky, and enjoy a barbecue buffet dinner while live music and dance fill the night air. It’s a full-sensory experience that lingers long after you’ve brushed off the last grains of sand.

Step-by-step itinerary

Desert safari with dune bashing and camp

Pickup from hotel in Dubai or Sharjah
Arrive at Lahbab desert and rest
Optional quad biking available
Deflate tires for desert driving
Experience 30-45 minutes dune bashing
Stop for photos on high dune
Proceed to traditional desert camp
Enjoy camel rides and photos
Relax at majlis seating area
Refresh with drinks and snacks
Try henna painting and falcon photo
Watch live Tanoora, belly dance, fire shows
Feast on BBQ buffet dinner
Return to hotel in Dubai or Sharjah

The Experience

I’d seen pictures of the Lehbab Desert before but standing there — sand in my shoes, sun dipping low — it felt like a different world. Our driver, Ahmed, picked us up right from our hotel in Dubai (he actually texted to say he was running five minutes late, which made me laugh because traffic is just as real here). The drive out was quiet, city fading into nothing but red dunes. I kept rolling down the window to catch that dry, slightly spicy scent you only get in the desert. There’s something about that first moment when the SUV stops and you step out — it’s quieter than I expected. Just wind and a couple other voices drifting over from another group.

The dune bashing part? Wild. Forty-five minutes of slipping and sliding over these huge red dunes — I honestly thought we might tip at one point but Ahmed just grinned and told us to trust him. He knew every bump by heart. We paused on top of this high dune for photos (my hair was everywhere), and the light was turning everything gold. I tried sandboarding too — not well, but at least I didn’t wipe out completely. There were camels waiting near the camp later; their eyelashes are even longer up close than you’d think. The camel ride itself was bumpier than I imagined and I probably looked ridiculous holding on so tight.

Back at camp it got lively fast: Arabic coffee poured into tiny cups, dates on a plate, smoke curling up from shisha pipes. A woman painted henna flowers on my hand while her friend laughed at my attempt to pronounce “shukran.” The buffet dinner smelled like grilled meat and cardamom — there were veggie options too (my partner loaded up on falafel). After dark, music started up: oud strings first, then swirling dancers in bright costumes, fire spinning so close you could feel the heat for a second. I didn’t expect to enjoy the shows as much as I did — maybe it’s because everyone around us seemed genuinely into it too.

We left with sand still stuck between our toes and that weirdly peaceful tiredness you get after a long day outside. On the drive back to Dubai, Ahmed played old Egyptian pop songs quietly and nobody talked much — just watching city lights come back into focus through dusty windows. Sometimes I still think about that view from the top of the dunes; it’s hard to explain why it sticks with me but yeah… if you’re even half curious about desert safaris in Dubai, this one covers all the good stuff without feeling rushed or fake.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup from your hotel or location in Dubai or Sharjah by air-conditioned 4WD Land Cruiser with an experienced safari guide behind the wheel. You’ll get 45 minutes of red dune bashing plus chances to try sandboarding and camel riding (as many times as you want), henna painting by local artists, shisha in dedicated areas, traditional Arabic tea and sweets on arrival at camp followed by an international buffet BBQ dinner (vegetarian options too), unlimited soft drinks throughout your stay at camp plus seven different live entertainment performances before being dropped back at your starting point in the evening.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availableNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Desert Knight Tourism