Top tips for booking a UAE desert safari

A desert escape has long been the ultimate UAE day out. So we’ve put together our top tips for booking a UAE desert safari. From when to go to what to wear, here’s everything you need to know before you book.

A desert safari is a chance to escape city life, get back to nature, show visiting family and friends that as well as the staggering skyscrapers, ferociously good food scene, great bars and buzzing art and culture vibe, the Emirates also have much to offer when it comes to al fresco adventures.

Here’s how to ensure you do your desert safari the right way.

Timings: things to consider

Desert safari tours tend to operate in the early morning or late afternoon and both have their merits. There’s a certain sense of surreal wonder about heading out into the middle of the desert while the city around you slumbers; desert sunrises can be truly spectacular and if you want to splash out and tag a hot air balloon ride onto your trip, morning is the time to do so. For obvious reason, it’s also cooler in the a.m., which well worth taking into consideration if you’re planning to bring along children whose spirts might wilt in the glare of the mid-afternoon heat.

An afternoon desert safari has plenty of appeal too, though, not least the later start. With this option, things will typically kick off between 3pm-4pm, meaning you should be sitting pretty on the top of a sand dune by sunset. At the end of the trip you’ll be safely returned to your pick-up location at around 10pm.

Most safari tours in Dubai and Abu Dhabi operate year-round and offer a door-to-door pick up and drop off service.

You might like: The best free beaches in Dubai

What to take with you

First up, a sense of adventure – you’re heading out into the vast Arabian desert after all.

There are photo ops a-plenty on desert safari, so make sure your phone is fully charged.

Sun cream, a bottle of water and sanitizer are all essentials– you don’t need us to explain further.

At the risk of preaching to the converted (what self-respecting UAE-resident would leave home sans sunnies?) don’t let this be the one time you forget your glasses (they’ll come in mighty handy protecting your eyes if the sand starts flying).

What to wear

Save the glitz and glamour for another day. Instead, opt for lightweight, breathable clothes (all the better for sandboarding, camel riding and quad biking) that offer plenty of protection from the sun.

That said, as soon as the sun disappears the temperature drops and it gets chilly fast. Pack a jacket or wrap so that you can cosy up under the stars.

Footwear-wise if you’re heading into the dessert in the hotter months (April-September) the sands gets screaming hot, so trainers or covered shoes are often a better option than sandals.

What to expect

A wonderful sense of tranquil isolation as you leave the city lights behind. High-octane thrills and spills as you hurtle through the rolling dunes in the back of a 4×4.The opportunity to try sandboarding, quad biking and take a dune buggy for a whirl. A sunset or sunrise that, provided the weather plays ball, will take your breath away (camera ‘phone at the ready). If you’re lucky, you might also spot herds of wild Arabian Oryx, roaming camels, gazelles and even a desert eagle owl. And if not, well there’s always the opportunity to ride a camel back at camp.

An afternoon safari is also likely to include an Arabic-style buffet and barbecue dinner at a Bedouin-style campsite, live entertainment under the stars (think fire show, belly dancing or a traditional tanoura dance), henna painting and shisha for adults.