Brajesh Thakur
New member
Most people book an afternoon desert safari thinking it's just a quick drive through some sand. Then the Land Cruiser shows up at your hotel around 3 PM, you're out past the city in under an hour, and there are suddenly six hours of activities packed into one evening. Here's what a typical package covers and what deserves your attention.
1. First up, and easily the part everyone remembers. Once you reach the Lahbab red dunes, the driver drops the tire pressure a bit. Then it starts. The car climbs, tilts, slides sideways and dips down slopes you'd never try walking. Expect around 20 to 30 minutes of this. Anyone who gets carsick should grab the front seat and keep lunch light that day.
2. Sandboarding and Camel Rides Somewhere mid-dunes, the car stops at a high point for photos. Sandboarding happens here too, and it's harder than it looks because the walk back up is the real workout. Camel rides come later at the camp. Short loops, maybe ten minutes. Kids love it, and so do most adults who pretend they don't.
3. Quad Biking (Usually Extra) Not always part of the basic price, which catches a lot of people off guard. A 30-minute quad session normally adds AED 150 to 250 depending on the operator and the bike size, and dune buggies cost more. Worth it if you'd rather drive yourself than just hold on to the grab handle.
4. Sunset Over the Dunes Timing is the whole reason the afternoon desert safari is the most booked option in Dubai. You're standing on the sand right when the sun goes down. The colors shift fast, so keep your phone ready.
5. After the dunes, you pull into a Bedouin-style camp. Think low cushions on carpets, lanterns hanging around the edges. Arabic coffee and dates are handed out as you walk in. Henna's there if you want it, shisha too. Dinner is a BBQ buffet, mostly grilled chicken and lamb with rice, salads and hummus on the side, and vegetarians won't go hungry either. Once plates are cleared, the Tanoura comes dancer out spinning in a lit-up skirt. A fire show follows, and most standard packages include belly dancing as well. During Ramadan the shows get toned down, so keep that in mind.
So what does it cost? For a shared afternoon desert safari with all of this included, you're usually looking at AED 120 to 180 a head. Going private bumps the price up quite a lot. The nice part is that hotel pickup and drop-off are normally part of the deal, so there's no taxi to sort out.
If you want the full experience without figuring out the add-ons yourself, book through CityTourinDubai.com and pick the package that suits your group.
1. First up, and easily the part everyone remembers. Once you reach the Lahbab red dunes, the driver drops the tire pressure a bit. Then it starts. The car climbs, tilts, slides sideways and dips down slopes you'd never try walking. Expect around 20 to 30 minutes of this. Anyone who gets carsick should grab the front seat and keep lunch light that day.
2. Sandboarding and Camel Rides Somewhere mid-dunes, the car stops at a high point for photos. Sandboarding happens here too, and it's harder than it looks because the walk back up is the real workout. Camel rides come later at the camp. Short loops, maybe ten minutes. Kids love it, and so do most adults who pretend they don't.
3. Quad Biking (Usually Extra) Not always part of the basic price, which catches a lot of people off guard. A 30-minute quad session normally adds AED 150 to 250 depending on the operator and the bike size, and dune buggies cost more. Worth it if you'd rather drive yourself than just hold on to the grab handle.
4. Sunset Over the Dunes Timing is the whole reason the afternoon desert safari is the most booked option in Dubai. You're standing on the sand right when the sun goes down. The colors shift fast, so keep your phone ready.
5. After the dunes, you pull into a Bedouin-style camp. Think low cushions on carpets, lanterns hanging around the edges. Arabic coffee and dates are handed out as you walk in. Henna's there if you want it, shisha too. Dinner is a BBQ buffet, mostly grilled chicken and lamb with rice, salads and hummus on the side, and vegetarians won't go hungry either. Once plates are cleared, the Tanoura comes dancer out spinning in a lit-up skirt. A fire show follows, and most standard packages include belly dancing as well. During Ramadan the shows get toned down, so keep that in mind.
So what does it cost? For a shared afternoon desert safari with all of this included, you're usually looking at AED 120 to 180 a head. Going private bumps the price up quite a lot. The nice part is that hotel pickup and drop-off are normally part of the deal, so there's no taxi to sort out.
If you want the full experience without figuring out the add-ons yourself, book through CityTourinDubai.com and pick the package that suits your group.