Dubai or Abu Dhabi desert safari: which should you book?
If you are staying in Dubai, book the Dubai safari. The dunes are comparable, the activities are the same, and the deciding factor is transfer time. A safari from Abu Dhabi means a long drive in both directions unless you are already based there.
The short version. Similar experience, different logistics. Dubai safaris from AED 80 with free hotel pickup. Abu Dhabi’s desert is further from the city, and combining both in one trip usually works better as an Abu Dhabi city tour plus a Dubai safari.
What is genuinely different
Distance from the city. This is the main one. Our camp at Al Awir sits immediately east of Dubai, which is why an evening safari collects at around 2:00 PM and has you home by around 9:30 PM. Abu Dhabi’s main desert areas sit considerably further from its centre.
Dune character. Abu Dhabi’s inland desert towards the Liwa area includes some of the largest dunes in the region. They are genuinely impressive, and they are also a long way from the city. The dunes accessible on a standard Abu Dhabi safari are broadly similar to what you get in Dubai.
Volume. Dubai runs far more safaris, so there is more competition, more choice and generally lower pricing. Abu Dhabi tours can feel quieter.
What is included. Broadly the same on both: dune bashing, camel ride, sandboarding, a camp with dinner and live entertainment.
If you are staying in Dubai
Book in Dubai. There is no meaningful advantage to travelling to Abu Dhabi for a desert safari, and you would spend several hours in a vehicle for a comparable experience.
Our evening safari is AED 80 per person with free pickup from Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman. Full pricing in our price guide.
If you want to see Abu Dhabi as well, do it as a separate day. We run an Abu Dhabi city tour covering the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and a combination package that pairs it with a desert safari on a different day. That gets you both without spending a day driving between them.
If you are staying in Abu Dhabi
Book locally. Travelling to Dubai for a safari makes no more sense than the reverse.
If you are visiting Dubai during your trip anyway, book the safari for that day. We collect from across Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman.
If you are doing both cities
The pattern that works best for most guests is straightforward.
Abu Dhabi for the city. The Grand Mosque, the Corniche, Qasr Al Watan, Yas Island. That is what Abu Dhabi does better than Dubai and it fills a day comfortably.
Dubai for the desert. Shorter transfer, more operators, better pricing, and you are back in the evening rather than late at night.
Our safari and Abu Dhabi city tour combination runs the two on separate days for exactly this reason. Trying to compress both into one day means seeing neither properly.
Which has better dunes?
Honestly, for a standard tour, there is not much in it. Both run on red sand, both offer comparable dune driving, and both look the way people expect the desert to look in photographs.
The genuinely enormous dunes are in the Liwa area, deep in the Empty Quarter, several hours from Abu Dhabi city. That is a dedicated expedition rather than an afternoon tour, and it is not what either city’s standard safaris cover.
For a first desert experience, the difference in dunes matters far less than the difference in how much of your day the drive consumes.
Cost comparison
Our Dubai rates:
- Evening safari — AED 80 per person, AED 500 per private car
- Morning safari — AED 100 per person
- VIP evening — AED 120 per person, AED 650 per private VIP car
- Overnight — AED 500 per person
Abu Dhabi pricing varies by operator. The structural point is that Dubai’s volume keeps prices competitive, and free hotel pickup is standard here.
Common questions
Can you collect from Abu Dhabi? Our included pickup covers Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman. Message us if you are elsewhere and we will tell you what is possible.
Is the Dubai desert less impressive? Not for a standard safari. The largest dunes in the UAE are in Liwa, which neither city’s standard tours reach.
Can I do a safari and Abu Dhabi in one day? We do not recommend it. Our combination package runs them on separate days.
Which is better for families? Whichever is closer to where you are staying. Less time in a vehicle matters more than anything else with children.
Book a Dubai safari
Tell us your date, group size and where you are staying and we will confirm your pickup time and total.
Book on WhatsApp or call +971 55 719 9652. See every option on the Dubai desert safari page.
Related Blogs
Have questions? Chat with us
We typically reply within a few minutes