Abu Dhabi Desert Safari: Dune Bashing, BBQ Dinner & Live Shows

4.74

(126 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I remember is the crunch of sand under my shoes as we stepped out of the 4x4 — the kind of fine, warm sand that gets everywhere but somehow feels good. Our driver, Khalid, grinned at us before letting some air out of the tires. “Ready?” he asked. I nodded, not really sure what to expect from this Abu Dhabi desert safari. The dunes looked soft in the late afternoon light, almost pinkish gold. Then suddenly we were flying over them — honestly, I squealed once or twice (okay, maybe three times). The car tilted so far I thought we’d tip over but Khalid just laughed and kept going. I could smell hot brakes and something sweet from someone’s spilled tea in the backseat.

After dune bashing (my heart was still thumping), we stopped for tea and these little date sweets that stuck to my fingers. There was this quiet moment where everyone just watched the sun drop behind the dunes — it got cooler fast and you could hear nothing but a bit of wind and someone’s phone camera clicking. I tried riding a camel named Rasha; she seemed unimpressed with my balance skills. Li laughed when I tried to say “shukran” to our guide — probably butchered it but he smiled anyway.

Later on there was henna painting (I let them do one tiny flower on my wrist), sandboarding (harder than it looks!), and then we all sprawled on carpets under string lights for dinner. The barbecue smoke mixed with spices in the air — lamb skewers, grilled veggies, flatbread still warm. There were dancers too: swirling skirts and a fire show that made everyone gasp at least once. It felt like time stretched out here; I didn’t check my phone for hours. Even now I can picture those lanterns flickering against the dark sky.