Dubai Red Dunes Safari: 4x4, Camel Ride & BBQ Dinner Camp

4.98

(147 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect the sand to be so soft under my feet. The Dubai desert really is this wild red color — not orange, not brown, just… red. Our driver, Kareem, laughed when we all clung to the seats during dune bashing. I swear my heart dropped a few times on those slopes. He played old Arabic pop on the radio and told us how his grandfather used to cross these dunes by camel, which made me feel like such a city kid for holding onto the seatbelt so tight.

The sun started dropping fast — that weird golden hour where everything looks kind of magical but you’re also squinting because it’s still hot. We stopped for photos and I tried sandboarding. Fell immediately (twice), but honestly, sliding down felt like being a kid again. Then came the camel ride; I thought it’d be awkward but it was oddly calming, even with the camel making grumpy noises every few steps. The guide handed out dates and gahwa — that cardamom coffee smell stuck to my hands for ages.

Al Royal Camp was already glowing with lanterns by the time we arrived. There were dancers warming up near the stage and someone painting henna in a corner. The BBQ buffet smelled like grilled lamb and spices — I probably ate too much but didn’t care. The fire show got everyone cheering, and there was this moment during the belly dance where all you could hear was music and laughter echoing off into the dark desert. I remember looking up at the sky and thinking how quiet everything felt compared to Dubai city.