4 Best Day Trips to Dubai Desert

How many times will you have the opportunity to go on a desert excursion and experience an adventure with camels, quad bikes, ATVs and falconry shows?

I like this excursion to the desert of Dubai with camel riding because besides including a basic activity in desert visits, which is camel riding (I'll tell you more about it later), it offers you the possibility of doing a series of extra experiences: you can choose between sandboarding (similar to snowboarding but on the desert sand), dune bashing, which consists of sliding over the dunes aboard an off-road vehicle.

In addition, it also includes the possibility of enjoying some falconry or belly dancing shows, henna workshops, etc., all accompanied by a traditional dinner, and all accompanied by a traditional barbecue dinner.

What this excursion consists of

The tour starts with a pick-up from any of the major hotels in Dubai in a 4x4 Jeep, leaving the skyscrapers behind and heading into the heart of the desert where you can enjoy a variety of activities. This is the only way to enjoy this activity, as doing it on your own without an organised tour is forbidden. And rightly so: driving over the shifting dunes is quite dangerous for an inexperienced driver.

Upon arrival in the desert you will spend the afternoon doing a range of activities of your choice from all those available, while resting for tea or coffee and traditional snacks. Afterwards, you will enjoy a dinner of barbecued meats at a camp in the middle of the desert, followed by mint tea and traditional sweets while watching the fire and dance show.

Camel riding is one of the most typical activities you will find in Dubai and you will have a thousand opportunities to do it. In the case of desert experiences, it's still a fun activity but you may want to make the most of your time and take a camel trek through an oasis or an alternative route.

As a word of warning, camel trekking tends to be one of the most popular activities and depending on the size of the group on your tour you may have to wait in a queue.

For me, the big attraction of doing a desert tour like Red Dunes is the experience of watching the sun set over the horizon from the top of a dune after having experienced the adrenaline rush of some unique experiences like Sandboarding or Dune bashing. It will add a beautiful contrast to your trip to Dubai as you get to see what life is like both amidst the opulent skyscrapers and shopping malls and in the simplicity of the desert.

What is this tour all about?

I'll tell you a bit more about the Sandboarding and Dune Bashing options you can take on this tour so you know what each one consists of and can decide if this is the plan for you when you're there.

If you like snowboarding, you have to try sandboarding. Although there are some differences between the two sports, such as the lightness of the sandboard and the texture of the sand that will be softer when you fall off the board, both activities are very similar. In my opinion it's one of the most fun things you can do in the desert, even if you do get a couple of bruises!

If you're a bit scared but still want to try it, don't worry because you'll see a lot of people using the board as a sled and just gliding across the sand, which is also a fun option.

In this activity the dunes of the Dubai desert become a rollercoaster. At first glance it may seem like much ado about nothing, but when you're in a 4x4 speeding down a dune, the vertigo is quite a challenge. If you get dizzy easily, this may not be the best activity for you, but it's certainly worth a try. To give you an idea, it usually takes around 45 minutes.

This tour combines the best of the previous tours: the barbecue dinner and the live show in the Dubai desert, making your desert experience that much more complete. Plus, you don't have to give up the more typical desert activities - once you're there, you'll be offered the chance to go sandboarding or take a camel ride while you make time for dinner.

What this tour consists of

This desert excursion with camels, falcons and dinner is a seven-hour day trip that starts with a pick-up from your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle. Your driver will take you to Al Khayma Camp in the Lahbab Desert for a 45-minute ride through the red dunes, followed by a fun sandboarding session.

After the action, you'll relax at the camp with unlimited refreshments, dress in traditional dress (abaya or kandura), and enjoy the authentic cultural atmosphere. You will also have the opportunity to get a henna tattoo, ride a camel and interact with trained falcons. The finale will be a Bedouin-style dinner accompanied by a tanoura show, creating an unforgettable experience in the heart of the desert.

This activity is only included in some Dubai desert quad biking tours and involves racing with other travellers in your tour group in one of these off-road vehicles. Don't worry, because you'll be given a driving lesson and tips on how to handle yourself in the dunes as well as all the equipment. If quad biking is on your bucket list, what better way to do it than on the desert dunes!

What this tour consists of

This experience starts with a pick-up from your hotel in Dubai and a transfer to the desert, where a team of professional instructors will be waiting for you. After a short training session, you will learn how to drive a quad bike through the dunes, following all the necessary safety measures.

For approximately 45 minutes, you will drive freely through the sandy expanses, feeling the adrenaline rush of the desert. Afterwards, you will try sandboarding, sliding down the dunes as if you were in the snow, and to finish, you will enjoy a quiet camel ride before returning to your accommodation.

Unless you choose a morning tour, Dubai desert tours usually leave the city in the early afternoon around 3pm to enjoy the afternoon in the desert, enjoy the sunset and dine in the open air as the duration of the tour is usually around 6 hours.

You will return to Dubai at night on a very quiet and peaceful route to relax after the desert tour.

Best day of the week to go to the desert

During your visit to Dubai, you will notice that Friday is usually the day of rest and many of the shops close on this day. Therefore, this may be the day of choice for tourists to escape from the city to the desert. Even so, the tours are organised well enough that you won't find crowds or huge groups. Overall, it's a fairly relaxing tour.

Best time of year to tour the desert

When preparing for a trip to Dubai, you've probably realised that when it comes to weather and temperatures the city is unchanging: it's always going to be hot. However, it's from June to September when the desert temperatures and aridity become truly unbearable, so it's no surprise that Dubai's peak season is between October and April.

So, my recommendation is that if you have a choice, visit Dubai and take a desert tour in the 'cooler' season, from November to February. Although you will find more tourists than at other times of the year, the weather will be more bearable and therefore your trip will be more pleasant.

Eating on your Dubai desert excursion

After an afternoon of desert activities, the tour concludes at a camp where you'll be served a buffet of typical food such as potato salad, hummus, tabbouleh, baba ghanoush, and fruit salad, and all kinds of grilled meats such as chicken, lamb and fish. Whatever you do, if you have the option, try the khuboos, the bread they give you to dip the hummus in. It's a whole other ball!

For dessert, they'll give you a taste of traditional Arabic sweets (eat as many luqaimat as you can!) and you'll have an open bar of coffee, tea and drinks. Alcohol is not included, but you can pay extra if you fancy a cold beer in the desert after an afternoon of climbing up and down dunes.

After dinner, you'll also be given a traditional water pipe or shisha, which usually comes with only one flavour. If you want to try other flavours, you have to pay extra.

What to take with you on the Dubai desert tour

You will spend a full day in the desert on this experience: take your own water bottle, comfortable and cool clothes, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat or cap. I also advise you to bring sandals in your backpack, as it is very uncomfortable to get sand in your shoes all the time, especially when sandboarding!

I recommend you bring a camera, as you are sure to come back from your trip with several anecdotes and some postcard photos of the sunset in the dunes, but remember to bring a bag for electronic devices to keep your camera and mobile phone in and protect them from the sand.

If you get dizzy easily, sandboarding and dune bashing activities can be a tough experience for you, so I recommend taking some motion sickness medication before doing this experience. For the same reason, avoid attempting to take photos of the desert during the dune bashing experience.

Book early

Once you are clear about your travel dates to Dubai, book this experience as soon as possible, especially if you are going in the high season (December and January). It tends to be quite popular and you run the risk of having to find another similar activity with a tour operator that doesn't live up to expectations.

About photography

Be aware that there is hardly any signal or coverage for this activity, as you will be in the middle of the desert. And since the fine desert sand is not the best for electronic devices, you may want to leave your mobile phone at the hotel, although my advice is to take it with you to take some photos when you get back to Dubai.

If you have an Instagram account or are an Instagram user, there is a hashtag that most locals use in Dubai: #mydubai. The beauty of using this hashtag is that if you've taken an awesome photo, you might be reposted on the official My Dubai Instagram and it will appear on some of the screens at the Burj Khalifa.

Things to keep in mind

Finally, remember that a trip to the Dubai desert is not without some risks, especially if you don't drink enough water, but you don't have to worry about anything, as the guides are very professional and will always remind you of the most common recommendations if it's too hot or if you're taking part in any quad biking or sandboarding activities.

If you're exploring the option of another excursion, visiting Abu Dhabi is easy and can be done in the same day and back. I've written a handy guide to 5 Best Day Trips to Abu Dhabi from Dubai so you can read all the details if you want to organise your visit.

Last but not least, you can't leave Dubai without climbing the Burj Khalifa. Whether you like heights or not, the view from up here is breathtaking, the sensation of going up in the lift is unique and to be honest, it's not vertigo-inducing at all, as the observation deck is quite protected. Here are the details so that you can prepare your ascent: Dubai Burj Khalifa Tickets and Visits.