Desert Safari Dubai Itinerary

Most people think a Dubai desert safari is just a 6-hour trip to the desert, where we go, do the safari, enjoy dinner, and that's it. But the reality is a bit different from this. The desert safari tour takes you from the air-conditioned, luxurious hotel to the endless sand, where you experience the real desert and Bedouin life. In this guide, I will tell you exactly what happens when a white 4x4 car picks you up from your hotel. By my experience, I will tell you the full desert safari Dubai itinerary that helps you plan your desert safari tour perfectly.

Choosing the Right Desert Safari Dubai Timings

There are different types of desert safaris in Dubai, so the timing of every desert safari is different. The morning desert safari is a short tour. Pickup starts at 7 AM, and the driver drops you back at your hotel at 12 PM. While the evening desert safari is a 6-7 hour desert trip, in which pickup starts at 3 PM and drop off time is 10 PM. An overnight desert safari is the 16 hour long safri trip. The timing for every desert safari is different, so its itinerary should also be different. If you are a first-time visitor, I recommend booking the most famous evening desert safari with a BBQ dinner. In this guide, I will explain the exact evening desert safari itinerary.

Desert Safari Itinerary: Step-by-Step Guide

Here is my complete desert safari itinerary guide of what I experienced during my safari trip.

2 PM: The Pickup from the Hotel

I had booked an evening desert safari. Around 1 PM, the driver texted me via WhatsApp and asked me to be ready for the desert safari at 2 PM. At the exact time, the driver was in the lobby of my hotel, and he took me from there. Then our journey towards the desert started. By the journey of around 60 min there was our first stop.

It was the time of tyre deflation, the driver released the air pressure from the tyres, so that the car could easily slide over the dunes. Here, I felt that we had entered into the real desert adventure.

4:30 PM: Dune Bashing

After tyre deflation, the real adventure starts when the driver asks the passengers to check their seatbelts. It's not a normal off-roading; it is a highly adventurous skill that only licensed and experienced safari drivers have. During dune bashing, our 4x4 car suddenly climbs over a high dune, and at the next moment it slides at 60 degree. It was a very enjoyable moment, but on every crust, every passenger slightly shouted. Outside the window, there was flying sand. I recommend holding your seat tightly. When the car tilts, avoid standing and don't panic.

4:45 PM Camel Ride

After the dune bashing, we experienced the camel ride. It was a really amazing experience, and I found it more enjoyable than the dune bashing. It takes me about the camel ride, which I read about in my childhood. The camel is indeed the ship of the desert; when you ride on it, you can see the desert clearly. It was a short camel ride, but really worth it.

5:15 PM Sandboarding

For this activity, the driver takes us to the high desert dune. Where we found the board, the driver guided us on how to sit and hold the board tightly. From behind, he pushed me, and the next moment I was tilting over the sand and reaching the bottom of the dune.

6 PM Sunset Photography

After the desert activities, the driver takes us to the high dune of the desert. It was totally calm, and the sun was near sunset. It was a memorable scene I will never forget it where we took dozens of pictures to save our memories.

6:30 PM Arrive at the Desert Camp

We enjoyed all the desert activities, and I was a bit tired now. At the same time, the driver took us to the desert camp, which was in the middle of the desert. Upon arrival, we were served with fresh juice, and there were a lot of things to experience. But firstly, I relaxed for 5 minutes. Then I visited around the camp, where there was a henna tattoo setup where women were enjoying the different designs, and there was a falcon that took our photos.

7:30 PM BBQ Dinner

The dinner was ready, and we enjoyed it under the stars. There were multiple options for dinner, both veg and non-veg. I experienced the salad, biryani, samosa, tikka boti, etc. At the end, the dessert was very delicious.

8:30 PM Entertainment & Live Shows

After the dinner, we experienced the live shows including belly dance, fire shows, and tanoura dance. The pure, authentic culture we experienced at the desert camp. I will never forget it in my life.

10 PM Drop Off at Hotel

The live shows end, our driver takes us and drops us back to our hotel safely. It was my whole desert experience I shared with you. And I also recommend choosing this option.