21 BEST Dubai Desert Safari Tours To Book in 2023

Looking for the best Dubai desert safari trips? With the desert being one of the main attractions in Dubai, there are tons of options to choose from. Check them out! 

The massive Arabian desert, which covers over 2 million square kilometers (!) also extends to most of the UAE and is merely 32 miles (52 km) from Dubai.

Desert safaris are one of the most popular things to do in Dubai, and for good reason. The rolling dunes of the desert provide a breathtaking backdrop for a truly unique experience.

Whether you’re an adventure seeker looking for a thrill or simply someone who wants to escape the city for a day, a desert safari is the perfect way to explore the desert landscape of Dubai.

You must join a desert safari to venture into the vast area of seemingly endless sand dunes, but with so many options to choose from it can be quite difficult to pick the right one.

In this post, however, you’ll find a very comprehensive list of the best Dubai desert safari tours, so you can make your choice based on your interests, time, and budget. We’ll cover everything from traditional camel safaris to high-adrenaline dune-bashing tours, and give you all the information you need to make an informed decision.

I generally use Viator and Get Your Guide for booking tours when I travel, and I especially recommend them because of their cancellation policy, which allows you to cancel most tours and activities up to 24 hours in advance and still get a full refund.

👉 Interested in other types of tours? I’ve written a whole post about the best tours in Dubai. Check it out!

The 3 VERY Best Dubai Desert Safari

➤ The Premium Red Dunes Safari is a 7-hour tour, ideal to immerse yourself in the desert by sandboarding down the sand dunes, visit an exclusive desert camp where you can get henna tattoos, try shisha, or witness falconry, go dune bashing, ride camels, and finish your day feasting on a BBQ buffet dinner in the desert of Dubai. 

I personally went on this tour and it was the perfect introduction to the desert.

This tour also includes: Hotel pick up and drop-off, coffee, snacks, and unlimited water. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

➤ The Heritage Dinner Desert Safari offers a tour around the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve in a 50’s Land Rover to discover the wildlife, as well as a visit to a camp, where you’ll partake in activities such as camel riding, henna painting, and shisha. You’ll also learn about bread making and enjoy a 4-course meal under the stars. 

This tour also includes: Roundtrip transportation, falcon demonstration, water, coffee, and tea, and a headdress. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

➤ The Dubai Heritage Desert Safari also takes you to meet the gazelles and oryx at the Conservation Reserve in an open-roof Land Rover, before heading to a Bedouin-style camp where you’ll enjoy a falconry display and traditional dancing, watch the live making of coffee and bread (which you’ll then taste!) and ride a camel, before enjoying a proper dinner of Emirati cuisine. 

This tour also includes: Hotel roundtrip transportation, multi-course meal, all activities. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Best Dubai Safari Tours On a Budget

➤ The Half-Day Desert Safari allows you to experience dune bashing and sandboarding in the desert at an affordable price. You’ll also visit a traditional desert camp where you’ll enjoy some sweets, dates, and Arabic coffee, and head to a camel farm to learn about these animals and ride one. 

This tour also includes: Hotel pick up and drop-off, mineral water, and soft drinks. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

➤ The Red Dune Safari offers a 4 or a 7-hour tour into the desert to enjoy sandboarding, dune bashing, and camel riding. You can choose between a morning or afternoon Dubai safari, and if you opt for the longer tour you’ll also visit a Bedouin camp to experience traditional dances, shisha smoking, and henna painting, and finish the day with a BBQ dinner.  

This Dubai Safari tour also includes: Hotel pick up and drop-off, bottled water, and sunset photo stop. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Have Fun On a Quad Desert Safari

➤ This Quad Desert Safari tour lasts 4 hours and take you straight to the impressive red dunes, where you’ll go dune bashing, try your sandboarding skills, and even go quad biking in Dubai’s desert. You’ll have the chance to ride a camel after the thrilling activities. 

This tour also includes: Hotel roundtrip transportation, water, and a photo stop. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

➤ The Evening Dune Buggy Adventure is ideal for thrill-seekers, as you’ll get behind the wheel and drive a sand buggy in Dubai desert. You’ll also enjoy sandboarding, and then visit a desert camp to indulge in the Arabic coffee and dates, and practice the camp’s activities, from henna painting and shisha smoking to feasting on a BBQ buffet dinner. 

This tour also includes: Hotel pick up and drop-off, and safety gear. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Sunrise Desert Safari in Dubai

➤ With the Sunrise Desert Jeep Safari Dubai you’ll enjoy a picnic breakfast as you witness the beginning of the day, look for the local wildlife that includes gazelles and Arabian oryx, and visit the impressive Al Quadra Lakes. You’ll also get to practice on a sandboard in Dubai desert and get your snaps during a sunrise photo stop.  

This tour also includes: Hotel pick up and drop-off, and light refreshments. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

➤ The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve Tour begins with a drive through the desert in a Range Rover toward the reserve, where you’ll look for the Arabian oryx, the gazelles, the birdlife and, if you’re lucky, get to see Gordon’s wildcat. You’ll also visit a lake and a bird sanctuary within the reserve, and cap off the tour with breakfast.  

This tour also includes: Hotel pick up and drop-off, use of binoculars, and a headscarf. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Go On a Balloon Flight Over the Desert

➤ The desert can also be explored from above, and there’s no better way to do it than with a Sunrise Balloon Flight. You’ll soar over the vast desert and spot the wandering camels and other wildlife as the sun rises, marveling at the changing shadows and green oases scattered in the landscape. Upon your return, you’ll enjoy a hearty breakfast and get a photo with a Peregrine falcon.  

This tour also includes: Hotel pick up and drop-off. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

➤ This Hot Air Balloon Ride is a morning desert safari in Dubai that takes you on a sunrise flight over the desert plains and the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, where you’ll spot plenty of wildlife, and you’ll also witness a falcon display before enjoying a gourmet breakfast. 

This tour also includes: Hotel pick up and drop-off, and beverages. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Sleep in the Desert With an Overnight Safari in Dubai

➤You can also experience camping in the desert in Dubai. The Red Dunes and Camel Safari is a 17-hour overnight desert safari in Dubai that will not only take you dune bashing, sandboarding, and camel riding but also to a Bedouin-style camp where you’ll feast on a BBQ dinner and stay overnight. 

You’ll witness sunrise during a camel trek the next morning, and enjoy an Arabian breakfast before departing.  

This tour also includes: Roundtrip transportation, accommodation, unlimited water, and soft drinks, and all the activities. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

➤ The Overnight Desert Safari in Dubai will drive you in a vintage Land Rover around the Conservation Reserve to spot the wildlife and enjoy a falcon display. You’ll then head to a Bedouin camp to spend the evening watching live bread and coffee-making, get henna tattoos, smoke shisha and camel ride. 

You’ll spend the night in an Arabic stone dwelling after a substantial dinner, and enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime experience of waking up in the desert to a fantastic breakfast.  

This tour also includes: Hotel pick up and drop-off, accommodation, and meals. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

The Ideal Private Tours from Dubai

➤ The Private Night Desert Safari takes your group in a vintage Land Rover to explore the desert after dusk, spotting the wildlife through night-vision binoculars as you drive around the Conservation Reserve, and stargazing at a desert retreat. 

There you’ll scan the sky with an astronomer-guide, feast on a 2-course dinner, and smoke shisha. 

This desert trip from Dubai also includes: Private roundtrip transportation from your hotel. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

➤ You’ll also hop aboard a vintage Land Rover on the Private Heritage Desert Safari, a 7-hour tour which takes you around the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve with a private guide who will explain all about the local flora and fauna as you pass by the wildlife. 

You’ll then head to a desert camp to enjoy a falconry display, dance performances, camel rides, henna painting and a BBQ buffet dinner.  

This tour also includes: Private roundtrip transportation, donation to the Conservation Reserve. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

The Most Luxurious Desert Safari in Dubai

➤ To visit the desert with glamour, get the 7-hour Platinum Desert Safari so you can have canapés and sparkling date juice at an exclusive dining venue by a lake and bird sanctuary, as well as watch a falconry demonstration, smoke shisha, and enjoy a sunset camel ride and the magical live entertainment.

This Platinum Heritage Dubai Safari also includes: Hotel pick up and drop-off. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

➤ The Platinum Luxury Desert Safari in Dubai offers a drive through the Conservation Reserve to meet the wildlife, a falconry demonstration, camel riding, and a gourmet 6-course dinner in a private cabana situated in an oasis, which you’ll enjoy under the stars. You’ll also witness a fantastic show and get henna tattoos. 

This VIP desert safari also includes: Hotel pick up and drop-off. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Photoshoot in Dubai Desert

To make sure you have spectacular snaps of your time in the desert, book this Dubai Flying Dress Private Photoshoot, which offers a very unique experience. You’ll visit the sand dunes with an experienced photographer, and get to try splendid dresses of different styles for your exclusive photoshoot.

The photographer will ensure the glamorous dress’ train is flying in the air as he snaps your pictures, which you’ll get to take home with you (and post on all your social media!)

This tour also includes: Private transfers, a flying dress, and 10 edited pictures + the original ones. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Combos and Passes to Visit the Dubai Desert

➤ The Dubai Safari with Burj Khalifa combines a trip into the desert with an entrance ticket to the world’s tallest building. After your visit to the Burj Khalifa, you’ll be taken to a camel farm in the desert and a Bedouin-style camp, where you’ll be greeted with Arabic coffee and dates, and get to watch the live performances, smoke shisha, and get henna tattoos, besides enjoying a BBQ dinner. 

This tour also includes: Hotel pick up and drop-off, camel rides, and photo opportunities with traditional costumes. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

➤ The Dubai Explorer Pass grants you access to several attractions and activities (from 3 to 7, depending on the option you choose) from a list of over 45 possibilities, in which you have several desert adventures in Dubai, as well as regular excursions. 

You’ll also get to enjoy other experiences for much less than if you were to buy the individual tickets. 

This tour also includes: A digital guide to all the attractions. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

➤ The City Tour and Desert Safari Combo is the best desert safari in Dubai to see its main attractions: the skyscrapers and the sand dunes. You’ll begin the day exploring Palm Jumeirah, visiting the Blue Mosque, and taking an abra across Dubai Creek to visit the famous souks, all the while catching sight of the city’s most prominent landmarks. 

On the second day you’ll head for an evening desert safari in which you’ll go dune bashing in Dubai’s massive sand dunes, ride and feed a camel, and visit a camp to try shisha, get henna tattoos, and feast on a buffet BBQ dinner. 

This desert experience + Dubai tour includes: Hotel pick up and drop-off, water, snacks, and soft drinks, and a sunset photo stop in the desert. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Dubai Desert Safari Tours FAQ