Dubai Desert Safari

We run six desert safari packages out of Dubai, all with pure vegetarian and Jain food options on every evening run. This page is the full reference: compare every package side by side, see what dune bashing actually feels like, check the Jain-food details (no onion, no garlic, separate counter), find your hotel in the pickup grid, and decide who should skip the bumpy bits. If you’re ready to book, jump to the prices section or just WhatsApp our desert desk.

Quick pick — which safari fits you

If you only have 30 seconds, here’s the short version:

• First-timer with family, on a budget — Standard Evening (AED 99). Great experience, mat seating, buffet dinner.
• Couples / want a clean Jain BBQ counter — VIP Evening (AED 149). Sofa seating, separate Jain counter, table service.
• Families with seniors or kids who want comfort — Premium Evening (AED 199). AC camp, less crowded, Lehbab Red Dunes.
• Have an evening commitment, want the desert in daylight — Morning Safari (AED 150). 4 hours, no meal, no shows.
• Want the full bedouin experience — sleep in the desert — Overnight Safari (AED 249).
• Adrenaline first, everything else second — Quad Bike Safari (AED 350).

Compare all 6 packages side by side

The single comparison most people want, in one table.

What dune bashing actually feels like

Dune bashing is the headline activity for the evening safaris. A 4x4 Land Cruiser (deflated tyres, roll cage) crests, slides and drops down the sand dunes for about 20 minutes — a controlled rollercoaster on sand. It’s the bit your friends posted on Instagram with everyone laughing.

Here’s the honest part: it’s genuinely fun if you go in ready, and genuinely uncomfortable if you don’t. The car leans hard, sand sprays the windows, and a few drops will lift you out of your seat. Buckle up tight, take any motion-sickness medication 30 minutes before, eat lightly beforehand (no big lunch), and avoid loose accessories. If you’re prone to motion sickness, ask for the front passenger seat — the smoothest spot in the car.

The drivers are licensed and very experienced — this is their every-day job. They calibrate the intensity to the car: families get a gentler ride, friend groups get the full theatrical version. If you want less, just say so before pulling away from the convoy point.

Jain food at desert safaris — the truth

This is the question we get more than any other from Indian families, and almost every other safari operator either fudges the answer or flatly lies about it. Here’s the honest picture:

• Standard safari — the camp serves a basic veg buffet alongside the non-veg buffet, on the same line. There is no separate Jain counter, no separate utensils and no guarantee of no-onion-no-garlic. We’re telling you this so you can pick the right package, not the cheapest one.
• VIP safari — we operate a separate Jain BBQ counter to the side of the main buffet. Pure vegetarian, no onion, no garlic, no root vegetables. Different grill, different utensils. The counter staff have done it many times before for our Indian customers; you don’t need to negotiate.
• Premium safari (Lehbab Red Dunes) — same Jain counter as VIP, plus an international buffet that includes a wider veg selection (Continental, Italian, Indian). Less crowded camp.
• Overnight safari — same Jain counter at dinner. Breakfast is a vegetarian spread by default (poha, upma, paratha, fruit, tea/coffee). No-onion-no-garlic on request.

Standard Evening Safari — AED 99

Our highest-volume package. Six hours, hotel pickup around 3 PM, 20 minutes of dune bashing, then a Bedouin-style camp with camel ride, sandboarding, henna, Arabic costumes for photos and a buffet dinner followed by the cultural shows (Tanoura spinning dance, fire show, belly dance). Drop back at your hotel around 9:30 PM.

It’s the right pick if you’re a first-time visitor to Dubai on a tight budget, you don’t need a separate Jain counter, and you’re comfortable with mat-style seating on the camp floor. For families that observe Jain meal rules strictly, jump to VIP or Premium. Full Standard safari details →

VIP Evening Safari — AED 149

Same six-hour evening structure as Standard, but the camp experience is upgraded: sofa-style seating around your own table, starters and drinks served to you (you don’t queue at the buffet), and the separate Jain BBQ counter mentioned above. For an extra AED 50 per person it’s the package most of our Indian families pick. Full VIP safari details →

Premium Evening Safari — AED 199

At Lehbab Red Dunes — about 45 minutes south of Dubai, deeper into the desert, with the rich orange-red sand colour you see on postcards. Different camp from Standard / VIP. AC seating area (genuinely a relief in the warmer months), longer 30-minute dune bashing, international buffet alongside the Jain counter, and the camp is less crowded so the cultural shows feel less like a production line.

Best for: families travelling with seniors, couples celebrating something, or visitors who’ve done a Standard safari before and want the upgrade. Full Premium safari details →

Morning Desert Safari — AED 150

Four hours, 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM. Hotel pickup, dune bashing, camel ride, sandboarding — and that’s it. No meal, no shows, no camp dinner. The right pick if you have evening plans (a Burj Khalifa sunset, a Marina dhow cruise, a wedding) and want the desert in the morning when the light is soft and the dunes are sharp-edged. Full Morning safari details →

Overnight Desert Safari — AED 249

Sixteen hours, 3 PM to 9 AM the next day. The full evening safari programme, then a campfire, comfortable Bedouin-style tent accommodation, sunrise over the dunes, light vegetarian breakfast. For families with kids who want the full experience, this is the memorable one — sleeping in the desert with the stars overhead is something they’ll talk about for years. Full Overnight safari details →

Quad Bike Safari — AED 350

Two hours, adrenaline only. You ride a 250–400cc quad bike (or for an upgrade fee, a 1000cc dune buggy) on a guided desert route, with safety gear and a short camel ride included. No meal, no shows, no camp. For thrill-seekers who’ve already done an evening safari and want a different format. Full Quad-Bike safari details →

What to wear and bring

• Wear: comfortable, breathable clothing (light cotton works); closed-toe shoes for sandboarding and walking on warm sand; long sleeves for the camp evening once temperatures drop.
• Bring: sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat, a light jacket or shawl for after sunset (desert temperatures drop noticeably even in summer), a phone in a zip pocket (the dune ride will eject anything loose).
• Avoid: contact lenses (sand in the air), loose jewellery, expensive heels, white clothes (the orange-red sand is permanent).
• For the kids: a small water bottle, wet wipes, a change of clothes back at the hotel.

Best time of year — and why prices vary

Dubai desert safaris run year-round, but the experience changes a lot between seasons:

• October – March (peak season): cool evenings, long sunsets, comfortable camp temperatures. Bookings fill 5–7 days in advance, especially around Christmas and Indian winter holidays. Prices are at the upper end.
• April, May, September (shoulder): warm but bearable. Good value, smaller crowds, AC at Premium camp earns its money.
• June – August (off-peak): hot. Most Indian families avoid this window; if you’re here for work and want a one-evening safari, the Premium AC camp is essentially mandatory.

We update the prices on this page as the season turns. Last review: 29 May 2026.

Why book through Arihant Travel

We’re a UAE-licensed travel agency physically based in Sharjah, founded by a Jain family. The visible difference: when you message us about a Jain meal, a senior pickup, a wheelchair-friendly transfer or a private 4x4, the answer comes from someone who knows the camps first-hand. We don’t resell other operators’ safaris blindly — we’ve walked the camps and we know the camp managers by name.

Practically: free hotel pickup from most Dubai zones, transparent AED + INR pricing, WhatsApp confirmation within 30 minutes, no hidden fees at the camp, and 4.8☆ on Google with 1,000+ reviews you can verify before booking.