Desert Experiences from Abu Dhabi
Standing on the edges of the United Arab Emirates’ deserts, including the Empty Quarter that extends into Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi makes a wonderful point of departure for dune-based adventures. From camel rides to Bedouin-style camps, here are some of the top desert experiences available from the UAE capital.
Desert and Dinner Excursions
The most popular desert trips from Abu Dhabi fill the afternoon and evening, and feature sports, Bedouin traditions, and dinner at an Arabian Nights-inspired camp. Most begin with a 4WD dune bash, sunset photo ops, camel riding, and sand boarding. Then, it’s on to a tented camp for activities such as henna painting, falcon displays, and a barbecue buffet dinner and belly dancing shows beneath the stars.
Sports Trips
Sports-only trips are ideal if you want to enjoy the all-action opportunities of the desert and don’t mind skipping the usual afternoon and evening entertainment. Many of these trips happen in the cool of morning and include ATV or dune buggy treks, or sports such as dune bashing and sand boarding.
City and Desert Combos
Perfect for travelers with limited time, combo tours let you experience a number of different activities in one time-saving and hassle-free package. Some options team an afternoon-evening desert safari with an Abu Dhabi city tour and a Dhow boat dinner cruise, all packed into two days of sightseeing.
Liwa Desert Expeditions
Situated on the fringes of the UAE’s Empty Quarter—also known as the Rub’ Al Khali—Liwa is one of the country’s most beautiful deserts, and is characterized by towering red dunes. Trips to Liwa give you a feel for the scale and beauty of a large Arabian desert. Full-day group or private tours include dune drives, a visit to Liwa Fort, and usually, lunch at a desert resort.
Private Tours
Popular with couples and groups seeking quieter, less-crowded trips, private desert tours come in many different forms. Options include lantern-lit dinners for two in the dunes, intimate sunrise tours, and personal wildlife safaris followed by a private dinner table at an exclusive desert retreat.
Overnight Stays
Experience the UAE desert at both of its most magical times—sunset and sunrise—with an overnight desert expedition. Most start with a classic evening desert-and-dinner tour before letting you sleep in your own Bedouin-style tent or desert villa, so you can wake to breakfast and dawn breaking over the dunes.
20 Tours and Activities | All Abu Dhabi Tours
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Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner, Camel Ride and Sand Boarding
Experience the thrill of cruising through the desert with this evening safari with BBQ dinner. Head out on a six-hour adventure through the stunning landscapes outside of Abu Dhabi and make your way to a Bedouin-style camp tucked into the iconic sand dunes. Race over the rolling hills on 4x4, sand board down them at breakneck speeds, climb atop a camel for a once-in-a-lifetime experience or even rent a quad bike (additional cost). This trip includes round-trip hotel transport, henna painting, sheesha smoking, and even a belly dancing show, plus a savory BBQ dinner with fellow travelers.
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From
$83.00
Price varies by group size
From
$83.00
Price varies by group size
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Evening Desert Safari with Dune Bashing, Camel Riding, BBQ Dinner
Making your own forays into Abu Dhabi’s desert means seeing its dunes, but won’t deliver an immersive dune bash and complete Arabian camp experience. This afternoon-and-evening trip from Abu Dhabi provides just that: with a 4x4 dune drive, camel ride, sand boarding, and a barbecue buffet dinner and belly-dancing show under the stars. Quad biking is available (additional cost), and the trip includes door-to-door hotel transfers for ease.
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From
$61.65
From
$61.65
Safari Half-Day Adventure from Abu Dhabi
Unleash your spirit of adventure on this fun-packed desert expedition from Abu Dhabi. Glide into the Arabian wilderness by 4x4 Land Cruiser and take a dune drive through the Al Khatim area. Zip up and down the dunes with a professional driver just as the sun sinks over the ancient landscapes. Finally, visit a desert camp and enjoy a camel ride, sand boarding session, belly dancing tuition and more. Conclude by sitting down to a mouth-watering barbecue dinner and belly dancing display as the stars light up overhead.
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From
$63.92
From
$63.92
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Sunrise Desert Safari Tour from Abu Dhabi
Venture into the desert for a sunrise camel ride and dune drive on this 3-hour private tour from Abu Dhabi. Traveling by private 4x4, head into the desert and watch the sun rise over the dunes. Then, visit a desert camp for Arabic coffee and dates before a camel ride across the sands. Finish with a dune bash before returning to Abu Dhabi. Private guide and hotel pickup and drop-off included.
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From
$71.75
Price varies by group size
From
$71.75
Price varies by group size
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Morning Desert Safari From Abu Dhabi
Swap a full afternoon-and-evening Abu Dhabi desert trip for a shorter outing with this morning tour—ideal if your time is limited in the UAE capital. Hold tight as your chauffeured 4x4 careers over the sands on a dune bash; absorb the scenery in the relative cool of morning; and keep the rest of the day and evening free for your other plans. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included for your convenience.
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From
$71.44
From
$71.44
4x4 Desert Safari Abu Dhabi with BBQ Dinner
Hit the heights of desert fun with this exciting afternoon and evening adventure from Abu Dhabi. Take a pulse-racing 4x4 drive across the dunes, break for photos of a brilliant desert sunset, and experience a host of desert entertainments at a welcoming Bedouin-style camp. Get a henna tattoo painted on your skin, surf a sand board down dunes, enjoy a camel ride and more. Finally, savor a barbecue dinner served under the stars, accompanied by a vibrant belly dancing show. Ideal for families, with hotel pickup and drop-off included.
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From
$69.00
From
$69.00
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Abu Dhabi 6-Hour Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner
Experience the Arabian desert and its traditional culture on this 6-hour Abu Dhabi shared safari. Visit a desert camp and discover traditional Bedouin life over Arabian coffee and dates. Plus, enjoy a host of activities, including a 4x4 dune bash, camel riding, henna tattoo art, and photos in Arabic dress. Lastly, savor an international barbecue dinner and belly dancing show. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Abu Dhabi, Khalifa, and Yas and Sadiyat islands included.
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From
$58.00
From
$58.00
Abu Dhabi Desert Morning Safari: 4x4 Dune Bash, Camel Ride and Sandboarding
Experience thrills, spills and high-octane adventure among the dunes on this morning desert safari from Abu Dhabi. Visit a Bedouin-style camp nestled deep in the desert before the day’s heat kicks in. Ride and roll over the sand by powerful 4x4 vehicle, and feel the wind in your face as you dominate the dunes! Explore the terrain in style on camelback, just like the desert-dwelling Bedouin peoples, and enjoy breathtaking views over the rugged landscape. Test your balance sand boarding down the dunes, then enjoy refreshments back at camp.
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From
$72.00
From
$72.00
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Half-Day Desert Safari from Abu Dhabi
Immerse yourself in the Abu Dhabi desert and savor a sunset barbecue on this half-day 4x4 adventure. Board a comfortable 4x4 with a driver and venture into the desert around the city. Take a thrilling dune-bashing session, enjoy a camel ride, and continue to a desert camp in time for sundown. Be welcomed with fresh dates and Arabic coffee, try some sand boarding and perhaps get a henna tattoo. Watch a radiant desert sunset and finish with a succulent barbecue dinner and belly dancing show as dusk cloaks the dunes.
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From
$60.00
From
$60.00
Full Day LIWA 4x4 Safari With Lunch Included From Abu Dhabi
Experience the vast Arabian desert on a full-day expedition to the Liwa Desert from Abu Dhabi. Journey through the southern UAE past sun-baked desert and lush date plantations to Liwa’s oases, on the edges of the Rub Al Khali or ‘Empty Quarter.’ Behold the ocean of gargantuan, golden dunes stretched before you and take an exhilarating 4x4 drive over the shifting sands. Stop for a delicious lunch, visit historical Liwa Fort, and as you explore and absorb the awe-inspiring scenery, learn about the area’s original Bedouin tribes and culture.
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From
$314.00
Price varies by group size
From
$314.00
Price varies by group size
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Evening Desert Safari with BBQ Dinner,Belly Dance,Tanura & Fire Dance,Camel Ride
Perfect for friends, couples, and families, this adventure-filled evening tour brings you into the heart of the desert. Experience a traditional, Bedouin-style campsite, complete with henna painting, belly dancing, and a tasty BBQ dinner. Sip on a mint tea and relax in the tent, or choose from a variety of high-speed activities, including dune bashing, sand boarding, and more.
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From
$65.00
From
$65.00
Abu Dhabi Desert Tour with Camel Ride, Sand Boarding, and BBQ Dinner
Enjoy a true ‘Arabian Nights’ experience and desert activities on this tour from Abu Dhabi. Venture into the sands for a 4x4 dune bash and experience sand boarding, camel riding, and your choice of Bedouin customs such as henna painting and 'shishas' (Arabic water pipes). Cap your afternoon by dressing in Arabic robes for a barbecue dinner along with ‘tanoura’ (whirling dervish) and Nashaat show “group of ladies” dance. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included for a complete experience.
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From
$69.00
From
$69.00
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Abu Dhabi Quad Bike Desert Safari with 4W Dune Bashing & Off Road Adventure
Tackle the desert dunes on your own on this off-road adventure tour. With careful supervision and instruction from your guide, you’ll hop on a quad bike and travel over the desert landscape during the morning hours before the temperatures begin to rise. At the Bedouin-style campsite, enjoy refreshments before heading back to Abu Dhabi.
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From
$225.00
Price varies by group size
From
$225.00
Price varies by group size
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Face masks provided for travelers
Evening Desert Safari Abu Dhabi with Dinner
Outside the urban center of Abu Dhabi, traditional Bedouin desert culture is still a way of life. Ride over the sand dunes to reach a traditional Bedouin camp where you can learn about this culture and enjoy dinner, belly dancing, and even a camel ride.
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From
$85.00
From
$85.00
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Private Full Day Rub Al Khali Liwa Desert Safari with Lunch
Take a desert adventure while you’re in Abu Dhabi with a private full-day tour to Rub Al Khali Liwa. Drive through the vast sand desert and over the dunes with your guide and stop along the way for some sandboarding. Visit a camel farm, learn more about the Arabian desert culture, and enjoy a delicious buffet lunch in the middle of the desert before heading back to Abu Dhabi.
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From
$270.00
From
$270.00
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Morning Abu Dhabi Safari With Quad Bike
Make the most of an Abu Dhabi morning with a rip-roaring 4-hour desert adventure and sports experience. Head into the desert by 4x4, and enjoy an exhilarating, 20-minute dune bash with a trained driver at the wheel. Zoom over rolling, orange dunes before continuing to a desert camp for a camel ride, and a thrilling sand board and quad bike session. Boost your energy with complimentary refreshments during the action. This morning tour is ideal if you’re already booked for, or just want to relax, in the afternoon and evening.
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From
$85.00
From
$85.00
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Morning Safari in Abu Dhabi
Venture to the Arabian Desert on a morning safari tour from Abu Dhabi. During this 4-hour tour, visitors can explore the sand dunes by 4x4 and enjoy other desert activities such as a camel ride, sandboarding, and quad biking, upon request. Capture the beauty of the desert with many photo opportunities and create beautiful memories of your trip to Abu Dhabi.
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From
$72.00
From
$72.00
Overnight Safari Abu Dhabi ,Belly Dance ,Camel Ride ,Henna Painting ,BBQ Dinner
Spend the night under the stars during this overnight trip in an Arabian desert camp, which includes a tasty, barbecued dinner spread. Enjoy high-speed desert activities like sandboarding and dune bashing, and learn about regional traditions with on-site henna painting, shisha smoking, and Tanoura dances, plus other local pastimes.
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From
$130.00
From
$130.00
Best of Abu Dhabi Desert Safari Thrilling Quad Bike and 4W Dune Bashing
Make the most of Abu Dhabi’s desert sports opportunities without any need to plan or set things up with this all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and dune bash tour. After Abu Dhabi hotel pickup, sit back as you’re transported into the desert, and then open the throttle and drive an ATV across the dunes. A 4WD dune bash, refreshments at a Bedouin-style camp, and hotel drop-off then round out your experience.
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From
$276.00
Price varies by group size
From
$276.00
Price varies by group size
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Face masks provided for travelers
Abu Dhabi Overnight Desert Camping -Arabian Nights with BBQ & Belly Dance & More
Abu Dhabi Overnight Desert Camping - Experience Bedouin Life & Desert Adventure activities, including dune bashing, camel riding, sand boarding and more
After an exciting desert safari by day, experience the magic of the desert by night. Discover its uniquely quiet atmosphere and see the millions of stars above you. Wake up to the smell of coffee and enjoy an Arabian breakfast before trying out a bit of ‘dune bashing’ on your way back to Abu Dhabi.
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From
$245.00
Price varies by group size
From
$245.00
Price varies by group size