Desert Safari from Deira, Dubai: Pickup, Times and Price

Can you get picked up in Deira for a desert safari?

Yes. Every desert safari we run includes free pickup and drop-off from Deira, and Deira is the area we cover best, because our office is in Al Murar and our camp is in the Al Awir desert immediately east of the city. That combination gives Deira guests the shortest transfer of any pickup area we serve.

The short version. Pickup from your Deira hotel or apartment is included at no extra cost. Evening safaris collect at around 2:00 PM and return around 9:30 PM. Morning safaris collect between 7:00 and 8:00 AM and have you back between 11:00 AM and midday. Prices start at AED 80 per person, or AED 500 for a private car holding up to six or seven guests.

Why Deira is the best-placed area in Dubai for a desert safari

Most Dubai safari operators run to Lahbab or Al Faqa, both of which sit well south and east of the city. From Deira that means a long transfer before the tour even starts, and a long one back after dinner.

Our camp is in Al Awir, which is the closest of the main safari areas to old Dubai. If you are staying anywhere around Deira, Al Rigga, Al Murar, Naif, Al Muraqqabat or Abu Hail, you are on the correct side of the city for it. That is the reason an evening safari from Deira still gets you back at a reasonable hour rather than close to midnight.

It also means less time in a vehicle for children and older guests, which is the single most common complaint we hear about safaris booked from this part of Dubai.

Pickup times from Deira

Exact collection time depends on your building and on traffic through Al Ittihad Road, so we confirm it with you the day before rather than giving a fixed slot at booking.

• Morning safari. Collected between 7:00 and 8:00 AM, back between 11:00 AM and 12:00 PM.
• Evening and VIP safari. Collected around 2:00 PM, back around 9:30 PM.
• Overnight safari. Collected around 2:00 PM, returned the following morning at around 8:00 AM.

We collect from hotels, serviced apartments and private residences. If you are staying somewhere the vehicle cannot easily stop, we will agree a nearby meeting point with you in advance, usually a hotel entrance or a landmark on a main road.

Which safari suits a Deira stay

Deira is a working part of the city rather than a beach resort area, and most of our guests here are either on a short trip or travelling with family. That shapes what we usually recommend.

If it is your first desert safari, take the evening desert safari at AED 80 per person. Afternoon pickup, dune bashing in the Al Awir red dunes, a sunset photography stop, then the full camp evening with BBQ buffet, camel ride and live shows.

If you are short on time or visiting in summer, the morning desert safari at AED 100 gets you back to Deira before midday with the rest of your day free for the souks, the Creek or Dubai Frame. It is a shorter format and does not include the camp dinner or evening entertainment.

If you are travelling as a family or with older relatives, book the private desert safari at AED 500 for the whole vehicle. The dune driving can be softened or skipped entirely, and because the price is per car rather than per person, a group of six pays roughly the same as booking six seats.

What a desert safari from Deira costs

All prices include return transfer from Deira. Nothing is added for the pickup.

• Evening desert safari — AED 80 per person, or AED 500 per private car (6 to 7 guests)
• Morning desert safari — AED 100 per person, or AED 500 per private car (up to 6 guests)
• VIP evening safari — AED 120 per person, or AED 650 per private VIP car
• Overnight desert safari — AED 500 per person

Because the private car rate is flat, it becomes the better booking as your group grows. Six guests on the VIP evening safari would pay AED 720 in seats against AED 650 for the private VIP car. On the morning safari, five guests pay AED 500 either way.

We are based in Deira ourselves

Arabian Destination Tourism operates from Office 103, Al Murar, Deira, Dubai. You are booking directly with the operator running the tour, not through a reseller adding a margin, and if you want to speak to somebody before booking you are welcome to call or message rather than filling in a form.

That also means same day bookings from Deira are often possible, subject to vehicle availability. Message us on WhatsApp and we will confirm straight away.

Common questions about safaris from Deira

Is the pickup really free? Yes, from Deira and across Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman. There is no transfer surcharge.

How long is the drive to the desert? Al Awir is the closest of the main safari areas to Deira, so it is the shortest transfer we offer. Exact time depends on traffic on the day.

Can children come? Yes. Dune bashing is recommended from age 7 upward, and younger children can stay at the dune stop with a parent during the driving session. Children under 3 must be seated with a guardian during transfers.

What if somebody does not want the dune bashing? Tell the driver. On a private safari the intensity is fully adjustable, and on any tour a guest can wait at the dune stop rather than ride.

Which months are best? October to April is the comfortable season. Between May and September the morning safari is the sensible booking because it finishes before the peak heat.

Book your safari from Deira

Send us your date, your group size and where in Deira you are staying, and we will confirm your pickup time and the total price before you pay anything.

Book on WhatsApp or call +971 55 719 9652. You can also compare every option on our Dubai desert safari page, read the Bur Dubai pickup guide, or learn more about the Al Awir desert camp itself.