Dubai Desert Safari: Camel Ride, Sandboarding & Dune Bashing

4.99

(147 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed was the crunch of sand under my sneakers when we stepped out of the 4x4. It’s early but already warm, and the Lahbab Desert has this reddish glow that makes everything look softer. Our driver—Saeed—grinned at us and pointed out a line of camels waiting nearby. Their eyes are half-closed, like they’re judging us for being so excited. I tried to pet one (he snorted), then we climbed on and set off. The camel’s gait is… well, you feel every step, but after a minute I stopped worrying about falling off and just watched the dunes roll by. There’s something oddly peaceful about moving that slow out here.

I didn’t expect dune bashing to feel like a rollercoaster built by nature. Saeed cranked up some Arabic pop and suddenly we’re flying up and down these massive red hills—sand rattling against the windows, everyone laughing or shrieking (I’ll admit it). He kept checking if we were okay, but honestly it was more fun than scary. When we finally stopped, my heart was still racing. We tumbled out for photos—my hair full of sand—and tried to look cool with the desert stretching behind us. The light here is different; it makes even my awkward pose look dramatic.

Sandboarding was next—I wiped out immediately, which got a big laugh from Saeed and this kid from London who nailed his first try (show-off). The sand feels weirdly cool under your hands when you fall, almost silky. After that we just sat for a while on top of a dune, not really talking much, just listening to the wind and watching sunlight move across the landscape. It’s quieter than I thought it would be—even with all the tours around—and I kind of wanted to stay longer. On the drive back to Dubai I realized I’d been smiling for most of the morning without noticing.