What to Wear on a Dubai Desert Safari

What should you wear on a Dubai desert safari?

Loose, comfortable clothing and flat closed shoes. That covers ninety per cent of it. The two mistakes we see most often are open sandals, which fill with sand within seconds of leaving the vehicle, and no jacket in winter, when the desert cools sharply after dark.

The short version. Loose trousers or a long skirt, a light long-sleeved top, trainers or flat closed shoes, sunglasses and sunscreen for daytime, and a jacket between December and February. Modest dress is appreciated at the camp.

What to wear on an evening safari

The evening safari collects at around 2:00 PM and returns around 9:30 PM, so you are dressing for two very different temperatures in one trip.

Start with something light and breathable for the afternoon dune session, then add a layer for the camp. Cotton or linen works better than synthetics because the vehicle is air conditioned and the camp is not.

Between December and February, bring a proper jacket. Daytime temperature tells you nothing about desert night temperature, and guests who packed only for a warm afternoon regularly spend the camp evening uncomfortable. A hoodie or light fleece is enough.

What to wear on a morning safari

The morning safari collects between 7:00 and 8:00 AM and returns between 11:00 AM and midday, so you are dressing for rising heat rather than a temperature drop.

Light colours, breathable fabric, sunglasses and sunscreen. A hat or cap is more useful here than on the evening tour because you are out during the climb in temperature rather than the fall. In winter the early morning is genuinely cool, so a light layer you can remove works well.

Shoes: the thing people get wrong

Wear trainers or flat closed shoes. Sand at the dune stop is fine and deep, and it gets into open sandals immediately. It is also hot underfoot by mid morning in summer.

Avoid heels entirely. The camp floor is sand with rugs over it, and a heel sinks. Flip-flops are workable at the camp itself but not at the dune stop or for sandboarding.

Many guests bring trainers for the tour and a pair of flip-flops to change into at camp. That works well if you have space.

Modest dress at the camp

The camp is a shared space and modest dress is appreciated. In practice that means shoulders and knees covered, which is comfortable in the desert anyway because it protects you from sun and sand.

There is no formal dress code and nobody will be turned away. It is a courtesy point rather than a rule, and most guests find loose clothing more comfortable regardless.

If you plan to use the Arabic dress photography at the camp, that is provided over what you are wearing, so nothing special is needed.

What to wear for the activities

Dune bashing. Anything you are comfortable being jostled in. Avoid anything that needs holding in place. Tie long hair back.

Camel ride. Trousers are considerably more comfortable than shorts or a short skirt on a camel saddle.

Sandboarding. Trousers again, and shoes you do not mind filling with sand.

Quad biking, if you add it at the camp, requires closed shoes and full-length trousers. Shorts are not suitable.

What to bring, beyond clothing

• Sunglasses. More about blowing sand than sun.
• Sunscreen. Apply before pickup rather than at the dunes.
• A charged phone or camera. The sunset photography stop is the shot most people came for.
• A light scarf. Useful over the face if the wind picks up at the dunes.
• A small bag only. Space in the vehicle is limited and you will be carrying it across sand.

You do not need insect repellent. Open desert is not a mosquito environment.

Children and older guests

Same advice, with one addition: bring a spare set of clothes for young children. Sandboarding puts sand everywhere, and a change makes the drive home easier.

For elderly guests, flat stable shoes matter more than anything else on this list. The camp is on sand and the surface is uneven.

If you are booking a private safari you have more space in the vehicle for a bag with spare layers, which is one small advantage families notice.

Common questions

Can I wear shorts? Yes, though trousers are more comfortable for the camel ride and sandboarding, and warmer at the camp in winter.

Do I need to cover my head? No. A hat or scarf helps with sun and blowing sand, but nothing is required.

Is there anywhere to change at the camp? The camp has facilities, but it is easier to arrive dressed for the tour.

What about jewellery? Leave anything valuable at your hotel. Sand and dune bashing are not kind to loose items.

Will my clothes get dirty? Sandy rather than dirty, and it brushes off. Nothing you wear will be ruined.

Book your safari

Tell us your date, group size and where you are staying and we will confirm your pickup time and total before you pay.

Book on WhatsApp or call +971 55 719 9652. Compare every option on our Dubai desert safari page.