When it comes to choosing a destination to satiate the adventurous spirit, Dubai comes to the top of the mind. In the last few decades, the futuristic city of UAE has dazzled travelers across the world with its unique blend of attractions to soak in luxury, leisure, and adventure. Are you on your first trip to Dubai and have a desert safari in mind? This ultimate guide for first-time visitors to Dubai Desert Safari will present you with the list of activities included to help you make your desert safari adventure memorable.
On a desert safari, you will find fascinating facts about the Bedouin culture and learn about their lifestyle in this vast desert. Also, an important thing regarding desert safari tours is that everyone can enjoy them regardless of age or skill level, and they are done under full safety considerations. You have plenty of options to choose from, starting with the Morning Desert safari, Evening safari, and Overnight safari, along with the option of Private tours. Let’s read more about Morning Desert safari in detail.
Types of Dubai Desert Safaris to Book
A desert safari in Dubai is designed to accommodate the tastes and preferences of guests of all ages. However, given the physicality involved in trying activities, visitors of a certain age or those with medical conditions cannot take all adventure activities. But there are other relaxing activities designed for them to experience the magic of the desert. The timings of desert safaris are so set that guests can see desert sunrise and sunset and even camp in the desert for a night and immerse in stargazing. For exclusive privacy, there is an option to choose a premium desert safari that will make you enjoy and feel like a royal.
Morning Desert Safari
A driver will arrive at your accommodation at the scheduled time and drive you to the Morning Desert Safari in Dubai. On the way to the desert, you will enjoy beautiful scenery. Once you reach the desert, you will get into a 4×4 and go on a rollercoaster ride. You will enjoy the ride as the vehicle travels up and down the steep dunes. The next activity on the safari is a leisurely camel ride that offers enough time and a vantage point to look at the desert landscapes to your heart’s full. You will love the spectacle of desert sunrise as the sun begins to rise. The kaleidoscope of colors you will witness as the sunlight falls on the sand dunes will enthrall you.
Evening Desert Safari
Dubai’s evening desert safari adventure usually starts at 3 or 4 pm. The itinerary includes dune bashing, a came-back ride, sandboarding, quad biking, and photography with a falcon. As the sun ends its journey and goes beyond the horizon, the spectacular sunset view will mesmerize you. The view is so special it will relax you, heal your mind and calm down your body. Next, you will be escorted to a Bedouin-style campsite where you will enjoy photography in Arabian attire and participate in cultural activities like henna tattooing and shisha smoking. The safari also offers the opportunity to watch belly dancing and savor mouth-watering BBQ dinner.
Overnight Desert Safari
This Overnight Desert safari will remind you of your college days when you used to go on a camping trip. While it includes most of the activities of the evening desert safari, it allows you to spend a night in a Bedouin-style tent watching the shining stars in the sky and listening to the sound of the nocturnal animals indigenous to the desert. Before retiring to the tent, you will sit next to a bonfire and watch exciting fire shows. The next morning, you can enjoy the desert sunrise view along with a cup of coffee, and breakfast. Thus, going on an overnight desert safari is like hitting two objects with one stone wherein the sunrise and sunset views are the bonus.
What to expect on the desert safari in Dubai
Dubai has a unique landscape compared to other Emirates in the UAE, with its captivating red, sandy desert. This makes it ideal for a jam-packed desert safari, which includes exciting activities like dune bashing, sandboarding, quad biking, and more. You’ll also have roundtrip transfers to and from your accommodation, so all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the trip!
Here are the activities you can expect on the desert safari tour:
1. Dune Bashing
The highlight of the desert safari in Dubai is undoubtedly dune bashing, where you’ll journey across the massive sand dunes for 30 minutes on a jeep. Expect exciting speeds and thrilling twists and turns on the uneven and ever-changing terrain! It gives you a taste of adventure and provides a fantastic escape from the metropolitan area of Dubai.
2. Quad Biking
You can also opt to go quad biking or sand biking after dune bashing, so you can feel the open air as you drive your 350cc quad bike and plow through the dunes. Ride through the uneven terrains while admiring the sea of Arabian sand around you. All the while, you’ll be guided by professionals and provided with safety gear!
3. Sandboarding
Aside from the motor-aided sand exploration, you can also try your hand at sandboarding. Think of it as the desert equivalent of snowboarding but just as fun and exciting! Explore your skills with a new activity that’s a mix of surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding amidst the captivating desert terrain.
4. Camel Riding
Slow down after the more sporty and thrilling activities and venture into the desert the traditional way: by riding camels! You can go either in the morning or during sunset, but either way, you’re guaranteed to see spectacular views.
5. Henna painting
Aside from thrills and views, the desert safari in Dubai allows you to immerse in Emirati culture, like henna painting. While they were initially done to bring luck to nuptials, they are now modern beauty statements. Tourists are welcome to experience henna painting during their visit.
6. BBQ Dinner and Shisha
You’ll be famished after all the adventures of the day, so a delicious barbeque dinner is just what you need! To further energize yourself after your journey, you can also sip Arabian coffee and have some sweets. You can also try the traditional way of smoking, which is by using shisha, an apparatus instrument for heating or vaporizing, and then smoking tobacco.
7. Belly Dancing and Tanoura Show
Another culturally enriching experience during the desert safari is the belly dancing show, which features the mesmerizing traditional dance of Middle Eastern and North African cultures. The tanoura (which translates to “skirt” in English), a folkloric dance of Islamic countries, is also a part of the show. Tanoura features vividly colored costumes and movements that symbolize giving praise to nature.
Do’s and Don’t on a Dubai Desert Safari
To enjoy a desert safari, it is advisable to book a safari when the weather is cooler so that you can enjoy it in a comfortable atmosphere. Try to choose the time between November and March. From March to September, it is summer in Dubai and hence a discreet decision to avoid this time.
Don’t go on a safari if you’re pregnant or traveling with kids less than four years old. If an emergency crops up, getting medical help will be difficult given the distance of the desert from the city.
Don’t opt for dune bashing if you’re a heart patient, suffering from back problems, have vertigo, or motion sickness as the activity is highly thrilling and exciting. These health conditions may worsen because of the jerks and ascending and descending sand dunes. For young and fit, it is advisable not to have heavy meals as there is a possibility of throwing up as dune bashing is a roller coaster ride.
Stay hydrated as the heat in the desert can drain away the water from your body through sweat.
Don’t carry your valuables, such as your passport, expensive watch, or a lot of cash.
Use sunscreen with a high SPF that can negate the harmful effects of the sun’s rays. In addition, use a wide hat that can cover your head and entire face. Also, carry a light jacket to tackle the cool conditions in the evening.
Conclusion
A desert safari Dubai tour is undoubtedly full of fun and exciting activities that one can enjoy with family. With plenty of things to do here, you can expect your experience to be a very memorable one.
A desert safari can easily outshine other popular adventures in Dubai. If it is your first visit to Dubai, you must experience it without any doubt. The fun, excitement, adventure, food, and views that a desert safari offers make anyone addicted to it. So, try this activity and enjoy the Desert Safari Dubai Tour.
