Desert Safari Dubai: Dune Bashing, Camel Rides & BBQ Dinner

Drive the dunes at sunset, then eat and watch fire dancers under the stars.

A desert safari in Dubai combines a 4X4 dune drive with camel rides, sandboarding, henna tattoos and a full BBQ dinner at a Bedouin-style campsite, finishing with live fire, belly dance and Tanura dervish performances. A qualified guide leads the afternoon outing in English, Hindi or Arabic. Pickup from your hotel is included. Children from age 5 are welcome, though the tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy or cardiovascular concerns.

Step-by-step itinerary

Desert safari with activities and dinner

• Drive over rolling sand dunes
• Stop for desert sunset photography
• Continue dune bashing to campsite
• Enjoy camel ride and sandboarding
• Get henna tattoo on hands or feet
• Wear traditional Emirati clothing for photos
• Have BBQ dinner with vegetarian options
• Watch fire show, belly dance, and Tanura performance

The experience

The tour runs six to eight hours starting in the afternoon. Your guide picks you up and drives you into the rolling dunes in a 4X4, stopping for photographs as the light drops toward the horizon. The dune bashing itself (the vehicle climbing and descending the sand at speed) is the centerpiece of the drive, and you arrive at the campsite in time to watch the sunset. Once there, the pace is yours: camel rides, sandboarding and henna designs on your hands or feet are all available, and you can rest in the Bedouin-style tent between activities.

The BBQ dinner includes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options and arrives after you've worked up an appetite. Around the campfire by starlight, you watch a fire show, belly dance and Tanura dervish performance: the Tanura dancer spinning in a tall skirt is the visual anchor of the evening. You can also dress in traditional Emirati garb for photographs. Shisha is available to smoke in the tent if you want it.

Quad biking is available on request if you want to add it to the day. The tour is physically demanding (the dune bashing and the heat of the afternoon desert mean you need at least moderate fitness), but the campsite gives you downtime between activities, and the guide controls the pace of the drive itself.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup.
• a qualified guide in English, Hindi or Arabic.
• the 4X4 dune drive with multiple photography stops.
• camel riding.
• sandboarding.
• henna tattoos on your hands or feet.
• traditional Emirati clothing for photos.
• a full BBQ dinner with vegetarian and non-vegetarian options.
• shisha in the tent.
• fire show, belly dance and Tanura dervish performances by the campfire.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 14:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (18 to 80 years) · Child (5 to 17 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 50

Live guideEnglish, Arabic and Hindi

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Classic Adventures Travel & Tourism, LLC - Dubai

Is this one for you?Book this if your group wants a full afternoon and evening together with built-in rest stops: the campsite break between the 4X4 dune drive and evening activities lets mixed fitness levels pace themselves.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Hindi and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 17 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What exactly happens during the dune bashing part of the tour?

Dune bashing is the 4X4 drive across the rolling sand dunes, where the vehicle climbs and descends at speed. Your guide drives, and you experience the thrill of the ride as you move deeper into the desert toward the sunset viewpoint and then the campsite.

Can I choose which activities to do at the campsite, or are they all required?

The camel rides, sandboarding and henna designs are all available at the campsite, but you choose which ones you want to do. You can rest in the tent between activities, so the pace is yours once you arrive at the camp.

Is the BBQ dinner vegetarian-friendly?

Yes, the BBQ dinner includes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, so there are choices for all diets.

What time does the tour start and when does it finish?

The tour starts in the afternoon and runs for six to eight hours total, so you'll return to your hotel in the evening after the performances and dinner.

What is the Tanura dervish performance?

The Tanura is a traditional performance where a dancer spins in a tall, colorful skirt around the campfire. It's one of the live shows you watch after dinner, along with the belly dance and fire show.