Sunrise Dune Drive Dubai: Camel Trek & Sand Surfing
Catch the sunrise over the Red Dunes while the desert is still quiet
A 4- to 5-hour early-morning activity in Dubai's Red Dunes where you ride in a 4x4 vehicle, watch the sunrise, sand surf down the dunes, and trek by camel through the desert. Your guide picks you up from your hotel before dawn, drives you to the dunes, and returns you to the city afterward.
Step-by-step itinerary
Sunrise dune drive and camel trek
- Ride air-conditioned 4x4 to Red Dunes
- Watch sunrise above the dunes
- Take photos of desert sunrise
- Surf down dunes with sand board
- Ride camel in caravan trek
- Experience thrilling 4x4 dune drive
- Enjoy light refreshment with desert view
- Return to Dubai city location
What’s included
- Pickup and drop-off by 4x4 vehicle from any Dubai hotel or location within the city limits.
- light refreshments.
- sand board for dune surfing.
- 20-minute camel trek.
- 30-minute 4x4 dune drive through the Red Dunes.
- sunrise photo stop.
- picture with a falcon.
- English-speaking guide throughout.
Times
- Every day 04:00 04:30 05:00 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30
Before you book
Operated by Dubai Leisure Holidays
Prices and times updated 10 days ago
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The experience
The day starts before the city wakes. A 4x4 picks you up from your Dubai hotel in the dark and drives you toward the Red Dunes, the landscape shifting as you approach. You stop to watch the sun rise above the dunes and take photos while the desert is still quiet. This is the moment most people come for: the light, the silence, the scale of it all.
After the sunrise stop, you get a sand board and surf down the dune slopes for a run of it. Then comes the camel trek, a 20-minute caravan ride through the desert on foot and on the animal itself: what the Bedouins called the Ship of the Desert. Between activities, you have a light refreshment with the view spread out in front of you. The guide also arranges a photo with a falcon before the drive back.
The 4x4 dune bashing takes up 30 minutes of the morning and is the adrenaline part of the day: the vehicle pitches and rolls over the slopes in a way that feels both thrilling and controlled. By the time your guide drops you back at your hotel or requested location in Dubai, you've been out for roughly four to five hours and have the sunrise and the camel trek as the anchors of the memory.
Is this one for you?The early start is what lets you catch the sunrise and experience the desert before the heat and the crowds arrive. If you prefer a later departure or want to avoid the pre-dawn pickup, a different desert activity may suit you better.
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Top questions
What time does the pickup happen and when do I get back to my hotel?
Pickup happens before dawn so you reach the Red Dunes in time for sunrise. The full activity runs 4 to 5 hours, with drop-off back at your Dubai hotel or requested location in the city.
Is the camel trek suitable for someone who has never ridden a camel before?
The camel trek lasts 20 minutes and is part of the standard activity. No prior experience is needed, though the operator notes that travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness for the full day.
Do I need to bring anything, or is all the gear provided?
The sand board and camel are provided as part of the activity. You'll also get a light refreshment during the morning and a photo with a falcon, all included in the booking.
Can children go on this activity?
Children aged 3 and older can participate. Specialized infant seats are available for younger children if you arrange them at booking, though the 4x4 dune drive itself is not permitted for children under 3.
Sunrise Dune Drive Dubai: Camel Trek & Sand Surfing
4h–5h · EN · at your hotel
from AED 825 per group
≈ US$ 219 in your currency
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