Dubai desert safari: planning a safe trip into the dunes

Types of desert safari

Visit Dubai, the emirate's official tourism site, describes many ways to enjoy the desert, from VIP safaris and quad biking sessions to luxury overnight stays. In practice, most visitors choose between three formats. A morning safari is shorter and usually centres on dune driving and activities such as sandboarding. An evening safari is the classic option, timed around sunset and usually ending at a desert camp with dinner. An overnight safari adds a night at a camp and the chance to see the desert at sunrise.

According to Visit Dubai, it can take around 30 to 45 minutes to reach the desert depending on your pick-up point, a desert safari usually lasts about five to seven hours, and some experiences run overnight. It also notes that the experience often starts with dune driving and sandboarding on the way to the desert camp. Build your day around that: a safari is not something to squeeze in before a late flight or straight after a long day of sightseeing.

There are quieter ways into the desert as well. Dubai Municipality says Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve is open to the public all year round, and wildlife-focused excursions run in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, which is covered further down.

Choosing a licensed tour operator

Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) licenses and regulates tourism businesses in the emirate. On its licensing pages, DET says tour operators are vetted and must obtain certificates and licences to operate, and that it handles regulation and permits for adventure safaris, desert camps and tour operator desks and kiosks. Its systems cover safari certificates that record the guests taking each desert safari, the registration of safari drivers and vehicles, and qualifications such as first aid certificates.

Drivers are part of the same system. DET states that the Dubai College of Tourism provides the classroom and practical learning that is an essential part of the RTA licensing process for all safari drivers. When Dubai Tourism, now part of DET, introduced desert tour and camp regulations, Gulf News reported that drivers must hold tour guide certification and the correct RTA licences, and must give guests a mandatory safety briefing.

Practical advice: book through your hotel, an established booking platform or directly with a well-known company, and ask for the operator's full company name. Be cautious about very cheap offers sold on the street or through messaging apps without clear company details, and never accept an offer from a private driver to take you dune bashing in their own car. If nobody gives you a safety briefing before the vehicle goes onto the sand, ask for one.

Choosing the season and time of day

Dubai's desert is hot for much of the year, and open sand offers almost no shade. The cooler months are the most comfortable time for any desert outing. In the hotter months, choose an early morning slot or an evening tour that reaches the dunes in the late afternoon, and avoid anything that keeps you outdoors in the middle of the day. Sunset tours are popular partly because the temperature falls once the sun goes down; in winter the desert can feel noticeably cool after dark, so bring a light layer. Our guide to planning around Dubai's heat explains how to shape a day around the temperature.

Winter brings its own weather risks. During a winter safety campaign, Dubai Police urged the public to check weather forecasts from official sources before setting off and to follow the guidance of the competent authorities, especially during heavy rain, as reported by Arabian Business. Practical advice: if rain or strong wind is forecast, ask your operator before the day how it handles postponements and refunds.

Dune bashing safety: health, pregnancy and children

Dune bashing means driving a 4x4 up, over and along the sides of sand dunes. It is bumpy, with sudden climbs and drops, and the vehicle can tilt sharply. For most healthy adults it is simply exciting, but it is not suitable for everyone. We could not find an official Dubai rule that lists who should not take part, so treat the points below as practical advice and check each operator's own conditions before booking.

Operators also have a role. As reported by Gulf News, Dubai Police's Tourist Police Department ran an awareness campaign called Tour Dubai Safely for tour company drivers working in the Al Aweer, Lahbab and Margham areas, briefing them on preparing vehicles for rough conditions, monitoring tyre pressure, carrying off-road emergency supplies, using four-wheel drive and driving slowly.

• If you are pregnant, skip dune bashing; many operators state that it is not recommended during pregnancy. Ask whether you can travel to the camp separately or join only the calmer activities.
• If you have back, neck or spinal problems, a heart condition, recent surgery or strong motion sickness, speak to your doctor before booking and tell the operator in advance.
• Many operators do not allow infants in the vehicle during dune bashing and set their own minimum ages. Confirm the policy and whether suitable child seats are available.
• Wear your seatbelt for the whole drive, keep loose items stowed, and do not stand up or lean out of windows to take photos while the vehicle is moving.
• Eat lightly beforehand. If you feel unwell, tell the driver straight away and ask them to slow down or stop.

Why driving off-road yourself is a different matter

Renting a 4x4 or quad bike and heading into the dunes on your own is very different from a guided tour. As reported by Gulf News, a senior officer in Dubai Police's search and rescue department warned that people can get lost far into the desert because there are no landmarks and phone signal may be weak or absent. His advice was not to go camping or deep into the desert alone, to always take at least one other person, to avoid reckless driving on dunes because a vehicle can easily flip or get stuck, to use only 4x4 vehicles, and to stay on routes that show existing tyre tracks.

In its winter safety campaign, Dubai Police also warned against dangerous stunts on sand dunes, advised reducing tyre pressure before driving in the desert, and reminded people to carry enough food and water along with torches, batteries and phone chargers, according to Arabian Business.

Practical advice: unless you have real off-road experience, recovery equipment and a second vehicle travelling with you, leave dune driving to a licensed operator. Rental agreements and travel insurance policies may exclude off-road driving, so read them before you go.

What to wear and what to bring

Dress for heat, sand and a cultural setting at the same time. Loose, breathable clothing that covers your shoulders and knees is comfortable on the dunes and appropriate at a camp. Sand gets into everything, so leave valuable jewellery at your hotel and protect your phone and camera. Use the list below alongside our first-time Dubai checklist, which covers documents, money and phone setup for the wider trip.

• Drinking water, even if the tour says it provides some.
• A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
• Comfortable shoes you can easily empty of sand.
• A light layer for the evening and a scarf to keep sand off your face.
• A fully charged phone and a power bank.
• Any personal medicines, including motion sickness tablets if you use them.
• Your identification and more than one way to pay.
• A small bag to carry your rubbish back.

Protected areas, wildlife and leaving no trace

Dubai's desert is a living habitat. Dubai Municipality looks after eight protected areas across coastal, marine, desert and mountain environments, including Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve and the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, and says they support wildlife including mammals, reptiles, birds, plants and insects. It notes that Al Marmoom and Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary are open to the public all year, and suggests bringing binoculars for birdwatching.

The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve works differently. In a case study published on the PANORAMA conservation solutions platform, the reserve explains that visitors come in with partner tour operators, that driving is limited to designated routes, and that entrance fees paid through those operators fund the reserve's management and research. If you want a wildlife-focused trip, ask whether your operator is approved to run tours inside the reserve and whether the fee is included in the price.

Wherever you go, practical etiquette is simple. Keep to the tracks your guide uses, never chase, feed or crowd animals, leave plants where they are, and take every piece of rubbish back with you. At camps, ask before photographing staff or other guests and follow the camp's guidance on dress and behaviour. Our guide to local customs and etiquette in Dubai covers dress, public behaviour and visiting during Ramadan.

Camel rides and desert camps

Short camel rides are a common part of evening safaris. Practical advice: get on and off only when the handler tells you, hold on firmly while the camel stands up and kneels down because it lurches forward and back, and do not walk close behind an animal you do not know.

Desert camps are regulated as well. DET says companies running desert camps must have a safari permit, a minimum number of drivers and vehicles, and approval from Civil Defence and Dubai Municipality. Practical advice: check that the camp has shade, drinking water, toilets and lighting, and if anyone in your group has a food allergy, mention it when you book and again when you arrive.

Booking checklist

Before you pay, confirm the points below, ideally in writing. Reputable operators answer these questions easily. If your pick-up point is away from your hotel, our guide to getting around Dubai without a car explains taxis and public transport.

• The operator's full company name and that it is licensed to run desert tours in Dubai.
• Pick-up area and time, total duration and expected return time.
• Which activities are included and which cost extra, such as quad bikes or sandboarding.
• A seatbelt for every passenger and, if needed, child seats.
• Health, pregnancy and age restrictions for dune bashing.
• The cancellation and refund policy, including for bad weather.
• Whether the tour enters a conservation reserve and whether any entry fee is included.
• A phone number you can reach on the day.

If something goes wrong

In an emergency, call 999. Dubai Police has repeatedly advised people heading into the desert and outdoors to call 999 or use the SOS feature in the Dubai Police app, as reported by Gulf News and Arabian Business. Before you leave, charge your phone, save the operator's number and share your tour details with someone who is not on the trip.

For heat exhaustion, minor injuries or finding a pharmacy after a long day, see our guide to health, pharmacies and emergencies in Dubai. If you would rather swap dunes for mountains, our Hatta day trip guide covers hiking, kayaking and heritage in the Hajar Mountains.