Short answer
For a first safari, choose the shared evening safari with Red Sands camp. It is the classic safari with dunes, sunset, dinner and shows, with pickup from your Dubai hotel and a child fare for ages 2–11 years. A group of four to six people is better off with a private car. If you want adrenaline, book a quad bike or buggy as a separate hour.
Formats you can book
| Format | Who it suits | What is included | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared evening safari, Red Sands camp | first safari, couples, families | a seat in a 4x4 (up to 6 guests per car), dunes, photo stop and sandboarding, buffet dinner with live BBQ, three shows, transfer from your Dubai hotel | 145 AED |
| Evening safari, private car for up to 6 guests | families and groups | the same evening programme, but the car is yours only; price per car | 799 AED |
| Quad bike or buggy, 1 hour | people who want to drive themselves | quad bike for one or two, Polaris 1000cc buggy, transfer included | from 270 AED |
| Safari from Ras Al Khaimah and from Abu Dhabi | guests staying outside Dubai | their own desert, camp, dinner and shows; transfer from hotels in that emirate | 145 AED and 283 AED |
The shared and private options have the same camp programme; only the car differs. On the shared safari you ride with other guests; on the private one, only with your own group.
How the evening safari works
Pickup from your hotel is in the afternoon; the exact time comes in your booking confirmation. You drive to the desert, then the dunes: dune bashing in a 4x4, a photo stop and sandboarding on steep red dunes. Sunset in Dubai is around 17:30 in December and around 19:10 in June; the trip is planned so that you are on the dunes before sunset.
Then comes Red Sands camp: cushions and low tables around a stage, a buffet dinner with live BBQ and soft drinks, and a programme of three shows: tanoura, belly dance and a fire show. You can take photos in local dress and get a temporary henna design. You return to your hotel in the evening; the exact time is in your confirmation. A question we often get in chat is whether you can leave dinner early. With the group, no: the car takes everyone back together. Only guests on a private car can leave earlier.
What is included and what is not
Included in the price: return transfer from your Dubai hotel, a seat in a 4x4, the dunes, sandboarding, buffet dinner with BBQ, soft drinks and the shows. Not included and paid on the spot: quad bikes and buggies at the camp, alcohol and shisha, professional photos, souvenirs.
A common mix-up in our chats is "dinner at a restaurant". Dinner is an open-air buffet at the camp, with no waiters and no menu. If you want a table set just for you, there is the "private dinner" option in Abu Dhabi.
Children, pregnancy and health
On the shared evening safari the child fare applies to guests aged 2–11 years; older children pay the adult fare. Children under two are not accepted on the programme. The private car has no child fare: the price is per car.
Dune bashing means bumps and steep tilts. The supplier does not recommend it for pregnant women, people with back or heart problems and children under three. There is a way around it: ask the driver to take it gently, or book a private car where you set the pace.
Only adults with ID can drive quad bikes and buggies. For the Abu Dhabi safari the supplier states it plainly: quad bikes from 16, buggies from 18, children ride as passengers. For Dubai we confirm the driver's minimum age when you book.
When to go and what to wear
November to March are the ideal months: warm during the day, and in the evening the desert is noticeably cooler than the city. In March our guests told us it was around 21–24 °C. Bring a jumper or a light jacket, as the camp gets cold after sunset. Safaris run in summer too, but it is hot even in the evening: choose a later time and take water.
Clothing: closed shoes or sandals with straps, long light trousers, a scarf against the sand. For sandboarding, no heels and nothing white.
Which format suits whom
A couple on their first safari: the shared evening safari. A family with children in the child-fare age range: the shared evening safari with child fares. A group of four to six: a private car, priced per car rather than per person. For adrenaline: an hour on a buggy separately, and the regular safari in the evening.
Checklist
- Format chosen for your group: shared is per person, private car is per car for up to 6.
- Hotel and pickup area given when booking, time confirmed in your booking confirmation.
- Children: you know each child's age; under-twos do not travel.
- A jumper for winter evenings, water and a hat in summer.
- Cash for a quad bike, photos and souvenirs at the camp.
- Not on your arrival day and not the evening before an early flight.
Related activities
Evening Desert Safari in Dubai — Red Sands Camp
The Dubai classic: 6 hours in the desert
Buggy & Quad Bike Safari in Dubai
Polaris 1000cc buggies and quad bikes in the red dunes, transfer included — quads from 250 AED/hour.
Evening Desert Safari in Ras Al Khaimah
RAK dunes, camp, dinner and shows; pickup from RAK, UAQ and Fujairah hotels
Evening Desert Safari in Abu Dhabi
Dunes in a 4x4, sunset and a traditional camp in Al Khatim: camel ride, sandboarding, dinner and shows — from Abu Dhabi hotels.
Morning Dubai City Tour
Morning group tour: Al Seef, abra, souks and photo stops — Wed & Sat
Modern Dubai Shared Sightseeing Tour
Dubai's landmarks in one day with a Russian-speaking guide: a dhow cruise in the Marina, the Palm monorail, Burj Al Arab and the evening fountains at Dubai Mall.
FAQ
Which safari should I choose for my first time?
The shared evening safari with dinner and shows at Red Sands camp. It has everything people go to the desert for: dunes, sunset, the camp and dinner. The other formats are for when you already know what you want more of.
What time is pickup and when do we get back?
Pickup from your Dubai hotel is in the afternoon, and you return in the evening. The exact time comes in your booking confirmation.
What is included in the price, and what do I pay for on the spot?
The transfer, dunes, sandboarding, buffet dinner with BBQ, soft drinks and shows are included. Quad bikes and buggies, alcohol, professional photos and souvenirs are paid for on the spot.
Can I go on a safari with a small child?
From age two, yes, with the child fare for ages 2–11 years. Children under two are not accepted on the programme. Dune bashing is not recommended for children under three: ask the driver to take it gently or book a private car.
Do you pick up from Sharjah or Ajman?
The transfer is included from Dubai hotels. For Sharjah and Ajman we confirm whether pickup is possible and on what terms before payment, so give us your hotel name when booking. From Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah there is a separate safari in the RAK dunes.
How is the shared safari different from the private one?
The camp programme is the same. On the shared safari you pay for each guest and ride in one car with other people; on the private one you pay per car for up to six guests and ride with your own group.
Can I go if I am pregnant?
The supplier does not recommend dune bashing for pregnant women or people with back or heart problems. The camp, dinner and shows have no restrictions: ask for a gentle drive or book a private car where you set the pace.
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