Sleep under the starry desert sky on an action-packed Dubai desert experience, led by a private guide! After venturing into the desert by 4x4 vehicle, enjoy a camel ride and race down the desert dunes on a sandboard. If adventurous activities are your thing, upgrade to include a 30- or 60-minute quad biking session before continuing to an Arabic campsite nestled deep in the desert. Feast on a BBQ dinner, watch a folk- and belly-dancing show, get a henna tattoo, and then sleep overnight in a tent. Breakfast and transport back to Dubai the next day is included.
Day 1: Dubai – Dubai Desert (D) After a pickup from your centrally located Dubai hotel, relax in your private air-conditioned 4X4 vehicle as you head to the desert that surrounds the city. Admire views of the barren yet enchanting landscape on the way, and listen to your private guide’s tales about the region and its fascinating geology.
First stop on your desert rendezvous is a traditional camel farm to see herds of the magnificent humpbacked herbivores. Show off your balance skills on a camel ride around the enclosures, and learn about the different types of camels that are commonly seen in the desert around Dubai.
Continue by 4x4 across the desert plains and try your hand at a popular local pastime: sandboarding! Learn to master the art of 'surfing on sand' and race your friends and fellow travelers down the sand dunes during in an adrenaline-rushing experience. If you have upgraded to include a 30- or 60-minute quad-biking experience, enjoy this after sandboarding. Listen to a safety briefing, and then take to the dunes as you follow a local guide around the desert canyons and valleys.
Then, travel with your guide to a campsite, nestled deep in the desert where you will join other guests sharing the same experience. Take a seat outside to watch your show as the sun sets over the craggy canyons and sun-baked plains, and settle in for the evening’s entertainment. Get a henna tattoo design on your hands or feet, watch a traditional tanoura folk dance, and feast on a delicious barbecue dinner. See the Itinerary for a sample menu.
After dinner, smoke a shisha (Arabic water pipe), if you wish, and watch a live belly-dance performance around the campfire. Relax under a canopy of twinkling stars and enjoy an experience that could be straight out of One Thousand and One Nights!
When you are ready to leave the partying, make your way to your tent — complete with comfortable mattress, pillows and sleeping bag — within the camp. Settle in and enjoy sleeping overnight in the heart of the desert!
Overnight: Arabic camp in the desert
Day 2: Dubai Desert – Dubai (B) Relax over breakfast, meet your private driver and then travel back to Dubai. Your overnight experience finishes with a drop-off at your hotel.
We did not expect to join hundreds of other vehicles on our trip! The visit to the camel farm was interesting and dune bashing OK._br/_
The "Bedouin camp" was disappointing as was the food - very ordinary. _br/_
There were a lot of people there and only four camels for a short ride._br/_
Entertainment just OK_br/_
The worst part was the accommodation - just 2 man tents in the middle of the arena, very uncomfortable thin mattresses and old sleeping bags with a cushion from the lounge for a pillow! We hardly slept all night and were pleased to get back to our hotel after a VERY ordinary breakfast!
Review by: natasha p, February 2013
Great experience!! Def worth doing :)
Review by: Guylain D, March 2012
Nice but too commercial
Review by: Julie V, January 2012
Was well worth paying extra for private vehicle. Broke my wrist quad biking, that hurt. Continued on with the trip, bandaging my wrist (which is now in cast). I took my tripod expecting to get some great sunset shots, I didn't. So don't waste your time dragging your tripod around the world. Food was beautiful. Plenty of choice of drinks. Toilets were clean. There was about 40 people for dinner and we were only couple that stayed over, which was great. Would not want to experience dinner and overnight in peak season when its busy, would spoil the experience.
Review by: F M M, May 2011
Great belly dancing. Food was really mediocre for the price. Stayed overnight in the desert but never slept as planes flew over every 2 minutes all night. Obviously in the flight path
Review by: F M M, February 2011
Great belly dancing. Food was really mediocre for the price. Stayed overnight in the desert but never slept as planes flew over every 2 minutes all night. Obviously in the flight path
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