Dubai Desert Safari from Our Al Awir Desert Camp

Our camp is in the Al Awir desert, east of Dubai. It is the closest of the main safari areas to Deira, Bur Dubai and Downtown, which is why the transfer is short and why an evening safari still gets you back at a reasonable hour.

You are collected from your hotel, apartment or residence in a 4x4. On arrival at the dune area the driver stops to drop the tyre pressure, which is standard preparation before entering soft sand, and the dune bashing session begins. After the dunes there is a photography stop in open desert for sunset, then the vehicle continues to the camp.

Desert safari prices, per person and per car

Every safari can be booked per person on a shared tour, or as a private car for your group alone. The private car rate is a flat price for the whole vehicle, so it does not change whether one person travels or six.

When the private car is the cheaper booking

Because the car rate is flat, there is a group size at which booking privately costs the same as booking seats, and past that point it costs less. It is worth checking before you book:

• VIP Evening. Six guests booking seats pay AED 720. The private VIP car is AED 650. Six or more people should always book the car.
• Morning Safari. Five guests booking seats pay AED 500, exactly the car rate. At five or more, take the car and get the vehicle to yourselves at no extra cost.
• Evening Safari. Six guests booking seats pay AED 480 against AED 500 for the car. For twenty dirhams more you get your own vehicle, your own driver and adjustable dune intensity.

This is why we usually recommend the private desert safari to families and to any group of five or more. You are rarely paying much of a premium, and often paying less.

Which desert safari should you book?

All six safaris leave from the same Al Awir camp and share the same dune area. What separates them is timing, how much of the camp evening you get, and how much the tour is built around you rather than a shared group.

Booking your first Dubai desert safari? Take the evening desert safari. It is the tour most visitors picture when they imagine a desert safari: an afternoon pickup timed so you reach the dunes before sunset, the dune bashing session, then the full camp evening with the BBQ buffet and live shows. It is also the cheapest way to see all of it in one trip.

Short on time, or visiting in summer? The morning desert safari collects you between 7:00 and 8:00 AM and has you back by midday, before the heat peaks. You get the dune bashing, the camel ride and the sandboarding, but not the camp dinner or the evening shows, because the tour is over before they start. Between May and September this is the sensible booking, and it leaves the rest of your day free.

Want the evening without the queue? The VIP desert safari runs the same route and the same activities as the evening tour, with reserved seating in a dedicated section of the camp and a service flow that means less waiting for food and shows.

Here for the driving? The premium desert safari extends the dune session and takes in the larger dunes rather than the standard route. If the dune bashing is the reason you are booking, this is the one.

Travelling with children, older relatives or a nervous passenger? Book the private desert safari. You get your own 4x4 and your own driver, which means the dune intensity can be dialled down, you set the pace, and nobody in your group has to sit out the whole trip because one activity does not suit them.

Want the desert at night and at sunrise? The overnight desert safari runs from the afternoon straight through to around 8:00 AM. You get the evening camp programme, sleep at the camp, and see the sunrise over the dunes before the drive back. It is the only one of the six where you see the desert without other tours around you.

What is included

Inclusions vary between packages, and the exact list for each tour is shown on its own booking page. Across our safaris you can expect:

The morning safari is a shorter format. It includes the dune bashing, camel ride, sandboarding and photography stops with complimentary bottled water, but not the camp dinner or evening entertainment, which is why it finishes before midday.

Pickup and return times

Exact collection time depends on where you are staying and on traffic. We confirm it with you the day before.

Age limits and who can join

• Dune bashing is recommended from age 7 and above.
• Children under 7 are welcome on the safari but will usually sit out the dune driving.
• Children under 3 can join and must be seated with a guardian during transfers.
• All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian throughout.
• Adults and senior guests can take part provided they are medically fit.
• Pregnant guests are advised not to take part in dune bashing. The rest of the camp experience is fine, and a private tour with the dune session removed is the better choice.
• Anyone with back, neck or heart conditions should skip the dune driving and tell the driver in advance.

Best time of year

October to April is the comfortable season for a Dubai desert safari, and it is when the evening format is at its best. Sunset falls earlier, camp evenings are pleasant, and the dunes photograph well through the afternoon.

Between May and September the desert is hot through the middle of the day. Safaris still run, but the morning tour becomes the sensible booking because it is over before the peak heat.

Winter nights in the desert are cooler than most visitors expect. If you are booking an overnight safari between December and February, bring a jacket.

What to wear and bring

• Loose, comfortable clothing. Modest dress is appreciated at the camp.
• Flat shoes or trainers. Sand gets into open sandals immediately.
• Sunglasses and sunscreen for morning and afternoon tours.
• A light jacket for evening and overnight tours in winter.
• A camera or a charged phone. The sunset stop is the shot you came for.
• Avoid a heavy meal right before dune bashing if you are prone to motion sickness.

Desert safari pickup from every part of Dubai

Every desert safari we run includes return hotel or residence pickup, so you never need to arrange your own transport to the desert. Because our camp sits at Al Awir on the Dubai side of the dunes, your drive time depends on where you are staying in the city. We plan each pickup around that distance so you always reach the dunes in good time for dune bashing and the sunset stop.

Pickup from Deira and the older districts

Guests in Deira, Al Rigga, the Gold Souq area and around Dubai Creek are among the closest to the desert road. The drive from Deira to Al Awir takes roughly 40 to 50 minutes, so pickup times here are a little later than for the rest of the city. See the full detail on our desert safari from Deira guide.

Pickup from Bur Dubai and the city centre

From Bur Dubai, Al Fahidi, Karama and Oud Metha the journey to our camp is around 45 minutes. This central location makes the evening safari an easy half day out. Our desert safari from Bur Dubai page explains the timing and what to expect.

Pickup from Dubai Marina, JBR and the west side

Dubai Marina, JBR, Jumeirah Lakes Towers and the wider Marina area are on the far side of the city from the desert, so the drive runs closer to 55 to 70 minutes. For this reason we schedule an earlier pickup for guests staying here. Read more on our desert safari from Dubai Marina guide.

Pickup from Downtown Dubai and Business Bay

If you are staying near the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Business Bay or DIFC, your 4x4 collects you from the hotel lobby and heads straight for the desert road. Our desert safari from Downtown Dubai page covers pickup points and timing for this area.

Not sure how it works for your area? Our desert safari near me guide explains how our Dubai wide pickup covers hotels and residences across the whole city, and you can always confirm your exact address with our team when you book.

Why we run our safari from the Al Awir dunes

Al Awir sits just outside the city on the Dubai side, which gives it two clear advantages. The drive is shorter than the far Lahbab route for most Dubai hotels, and the dune belt here has a mix of gentle rolling sand and steeper red ridges, so our drivers can adjust the intensity of the ride to suit your group. Families with young children get a smoother session, while thrill seekers get the sharper drops on the taller dunes.

Our camp is a permanent, fully serviced site rather than a temporary setup, with proper seating, clean washrooms, a dedicated dining area and a stage for the live shows. Because it is our own camp, we control the quality of the food, the pace of the evening and the number of guests, which is how we keep the experience relaxed rather than rushed. You can read more about the setting on our Al Awir desert safari page.

Food and dinner at the desert camp

Dinner is a full BBQ buffet served at the camp, not a small snack plate. The spread includes grilled items, rice, salads, breads, dips and dessert, with both vegetarian and non vegetarian options laid out so every guest has plenty to choose from. Tea, coffee and water are available through the evening.

We can cater for most dietary needs when you tell us in advance. Vegetarian and vegan guests are looked after with dedicated dishes, and the meat served is halal. If anyone in your group has an allergy or a specific requirement, let us know at the time of booking and we will make sure there is suitable food ready at the camp. Children usually find familiar, mild options they are happy to eat.

The culture and history behind a Dubai desert safari

A desert safari is more than a dune ride. The camp evening is built around the heritage of the region, from the Bedouin traditions of hospitality to the crafts and performances that have long been part of desert life. The henna painting, the Arabic dress photo corner, the shisha lounge and the live shows all trace back to the culture of the Emirates before the modern city grew.

The falcon is the national bird of the UAE and a symbol of the country's desert past, when falconry was central to Bedouin hunting. The Tanoura dance, with its spinning skirts and colour, and the fire show that lights up the camp after dark, give the evening its rhythm. Sharing this side of the experience with guests is part of why we run the safari, and it is what turns a drive across the sand into a proper introduction to Arabian desert life.

Safety, drivers and our vehicles

Dune bashing is exciting, and it is also carefully managed. Our drivers are experienced with the Al Awir dune belt and read the sand constantly, easing off on the steeper sections when a group prefers a calmer ride. Seat belts are worn during the drive, and the vehicles are serviced 4x4 Land Cruisers suited to soft sand.

We ask guests with back or neck problems, heart conditions, or who are pregnant, to choose a safari without dune bashing or to tell the driver so the ride can be kept gentle. Young children and older guests are always welcome, and the pace can be adjusted for them. If you are prone to motion sickness, a light meal before the tour and a seat toward the front of the vehicle both help.

Group, corporate and celebration safaris

The desert camp works well for larger groups, company outings and special occasions. For families and friends travelling together we can arrange multiple vehicles leaving from the same area, and for bigger parties we hold seating together at the camp so nobody is split up. The private desert safari is the easiest option for a single family or small group who want their own car and flexible timing.

For birthdays, anniversaries and corporate evenings we can plan the details in advance, from reserved seating to timing that suits your schedule. If you are organising a company trip or a celebration, contact our team early so we can match the right package and vehicles to your group size. You can compare every option on our desert safari packages page or see full pricing on the desert safari price guide.

Your evening desert safari, hour by hour

Knowing how the evening unfolds helps you plan the rest of your day. Here is how a standard evening desert safari usually runs, though exact times shift a little with the season and your pickup point.

• Early to mid afternoon: your 4x4 collects you from your hotel or residence and heads for the Al Awir desert road.
• On arrival: the dune bashing session begins across the red dunes, with the driver adjusting the intensity to your group.
• Golden hour: a stop on a high dune ridge for sunset photos, the best light of the day.
• At the camp: camel rides, sandboarding, henna, the Arabic dress corner and the shisha lounge are all open.
• After dark: the BBQ buffet is served, followed by the Tanoura dance and fire show under the stars.
• Late evening: the drive back, with drop off to the same address we collected you from.

The whole experience runs around six hours door to door for most guests. If you prefer a cooler, quieter start, the morning desert safari follows a shorter version of the same route and has you back in the city by midday.

Photography on your desert safari

The desert is one of the most photogenic places in Dubai, and you do not need professional gear to come home with strong shots. The light in the hour before sunset turns the dunes deep gold and orange, which is why we build the sunset stop into the tour. Shoot with the sun low and behind your subject for glowing rim light, or in front of them for rich colour in the sand.

Wide shots of the empty ridges work well before the group arrives, while the camp comes alive after dark for the fire show and the Tanoura performance. Keep your lens clean, as fine sand travels, and carry a spare battery since cooler evenings drain them faster. For a full set of ideas, our desert safari photography tips guide walks through the best angles and timings.

Combining your safari with other Dubai experiences

A desert safari pairs naturally with the rest of Dubai. If you want more than one highlight in a single booking, our combo packages bundle the safari with other experiences at a better price than booking each on its own.

• Desert Safari and Dhow Cruise Combo: the dunes by day and a dinner cruise on the water.
• Desert Safari and Abu Dhabi City Tour Combo: pair the safari with a day in the capital.
• Dune Buggy and Quad Bike Combo: add self drive machines to your desert day.

Guests who want extra adventure in the sand often add a quad bike ride or a dune buggy session to their safari. Tell our team what you would like and we will help you build the right combination.

How to book your desert safari

Booking is simple and can be done in a few minutes. Choose your tour on our desert safari pages or the packages page, then confirm your date, group size and hotel or residence address. You can book online or message our team directly on WhatsApp if you have questions first, and our how to book a desert safari guide walks through every step.

Once your booking is confirmed we send you the pickup time and details the day before your tour. Because hotel pickup and drop off are already included, there is nothing extra to arrange on the day. If your plans change, contact our team as early as possible and we will do our best to help. For any question that is not covered here, our frequently asked questions page and our team are always available.

More questions guests ask before booking

Do I need to book a desert safari in advance?

Booking a day or two ahead is best, especially in the winter season from October to March when the desert is busiest. Advance booking secures your pickup slot and gives us time to confirm your hotel and any dietary needs. Same day bookings are sometimes possible, but seats are not guaranteed at short notice.

Is the desert safari suitable for first time visitors to Dubai?

Yes. The safari is one of the most popular first experiences in Dubai because everything is arranged for you, from pickup to dinner. You do not need to know the roads, drive in the sand or organise anything on the day. It is an easy, complete introduction to the desert side of the Emirates.

What happens if the weather is bad?

Dubai has clear skies for most of the year, so cancellations are rare. On the occasional day with a sandstorm or heavy rain, we contact you to adjust the timing or move your booking to another day for safety. Your experience is never run in conditions that would spoil it.

Can I be picked up from outside Dubai?

Our standard pickup covers hotels and residences across Dubai. If you are staying in Sharjah, Ajman or another emirate, contact our team before booking and we will let you know whether pickup can be arranged and any difference in timing.

How much does a desert safari in Dubai cost?

Prices start from AED 80 per person for the evening safari and rise with the level of comfort and privacy you choose, up to a private car for your group. The full breakdown is on our desert safari price guide.

Frequently asked questions

Book your desert safari

Message us with the tour you want, your date and how many people are travelling, and we will confirm your pickup time and the total price. You are booking directly with the operator, not through an agent.

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