Dubai Red Dunes: Desert Safari, ATV, Camel Ride & BBQ

4.94

(205 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect the sand to be so soft—almost like flour slipping through my fingers. We’d barely left Dubai behind when the city haze gave way to these wild red dunes out on Hatta Road. Our driver, Ahmed, had this easy laugh and kept pointing out little things I would’ve missed—the way the dunes change color as the sun moves, or how the wind carves patterns overnight. He handed me a headscarf at our first stop (I tried tying it myself but needed help—he just grinned and fixed it for me). The air smelled faintly sweet and dusty, and there was this low hum from other groups revving their ATVs nearby.

I’m not really an adrenaline person but dune bashing in the 4x4 was… well, I clutched the seat more than once. The kids in our group cheered every time we slid sideways down a dune. At one point we stopped right at the top—wind whipping around—and Ahmed just said “look.” The view stretched forever; I still think about that silence before everyone started taking pictures. After that came sandboarding (I fell twice), then we all tried riding camels. They’re taller than you think up close. My friend Li laughed when I tried to say thank you in Arabic—probably butchered it.

The desert camp felt almost unreal after all that sun and sand. Lanterns everywhere, soft carpets underfoot, music drifting between tents. There was henna painting (the artist’s hands moved so fast) and people lining up for photos in long robes. Dinner was this huge spread—BBQ chicken, rice, sweet dates—and someone handed me a tiny cup of spiced tea while dancers spun in circles under the lights. I didn’t expect to feel so relaxed sitting there with strangers who suddenly felt familiar somehow. Maybe it was just being out there together in that weirdly peaceful dark.