A desert safari near Abu Dhabi costs between AED 100 and AED 1,200 per person, according to Visit Abu Dhabi, and two operators list a shared evening trip with a barbecue dinner at AED 200 to AED 300. The camps near the city are in the Al Khatim desert, listed 45-60 minutes away, and the biggest dunes are at Liwa, which needs a full day or a night. This guide covers the formats, prices, safety rules and how it compares with our Dubai desert safari, from $45.
By SB Excursions · Published 3 November 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026
Tour on this route: Full-Day Desert Safari in Dubai — From $45 per person, 7 hours.
How much does a desert safari in Abu Dhabi cost?
Visit Abu Dhabi gives a range of AED 100 to AED 1,200 per person, depending on timing, activities and food. Shared evening trips with a BBQ dinner were listed in early November 2026 at AED 200 per person by Arooha Tours and AED 300 per adult by VooTours. Our Dubai full-day safari is from $45, about AED 165. Check prices before you book.
This guide also answers:
- How far is the desert from Abu Dhabi city?
- Is a Dubai desert safari better than one from Abu Dhabi?
- Can I join your Dubai desert safari from an Abu Dhabi hotel?
Four ways to do a desert safari from Abu Dhabi or Dubai
#1
Shared evening safari at Al Khatim
The standard Abu Dhabi product is a shared 4x4 with hotel pickup in the afternoon, dune bashing, sandboarding, a camel ride, a barbecue buffet and a show at the camp. Arooha Tours lists it at AED 200 per person and VooTours at AED 300 per adult and AED 250 per child. Pickup times move with sunset, and quad bikes are extra.
#2
Morning safari
A morning trip is a short version of the evening one: around 30-40 minutes of dune bashing, sandboarding and a camel ride, without the dinner. The Better Vacation lists a 4-hour morning safari from AED 150 per adult. You are back around midday, which leaves the afternoon for the Corniche or a museum, but there is no sunset and no camp show.
#3
Liwa and the Empty Quarter
Moreeb Dune near Liwa rises more than 300 metres, according to Visit Abu Dhabi, and trips there are usually full-day or overnight. Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara and the Tilal Liwa Hotel sit in or at the edge of the desert. Treat it as its own trip, not an evening add-on to a city stay.
#4
Our Dubai full-day desert safari
Our safari is from $45 per person, or $65 with a 30-minute quad ride, and lasts 7 hours with hotel pickup, 30-45 minutes of dune bashing, sandboarding, a camel ride and a BBQ dinner with shows. There is no prepayment and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup. Pickup is in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman, not in Abu Dhabi.
Desert safari near Abu Dhabi: the short answer
Visit Abu Dhabi puts a desert safari in the emirate at AED 100 to AED 1,200 per person, and says the price depends on the time of day, the amenities, the activities and the food. The one most visitors book is a shared evening trip from an Abu Dhabi hotel. On their own booking pages in early November 2026, Arooha Tours lists it at AED 200 per person and VooTours at AED 300 per adult and AED 250 per child aged 4 to 10.
If you are staying in Abu Dhabi and want one evening in the dunes, book a local operator with pickup at your hotel. If you are staying in Dubai, our full-day desert safari is the easier plan: it is from $45 per person, about AED 165 at the fixed rate, with hotel pickup in Dubai, Sharjah or Ajman. If you want the largest dunes, go to Liwa and stay a night. The sections below explain each choice and what to check before you pay.
Where desert safaris happen near Abu Dhabi
The safari camps near Abu Dhabi cluster in a few places. Visit Abu Dhabi names two: the Al Khaznah dunes between Abu Dhabi city and Al Ain, and the desert outside the Liwa Oasis in the Al Dhafra region. Operators also use the Al Khatim desert along the Al Ain road, and one of them, VooTours, lists its camp there about 45 to 60 minutes from the city.
| Area | Distance from Abu Dhabi | Usual format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Khatim desert, Al Ain road | About 45-60 minutes (VooTours) | Shared evening trip, about 6 hours | The common choice for hotel pickup from the city |
| Al Khaznah dunes | Between Abu Dhabi city and Al Ain (Visit Abu Dhabi) | Morning, evening or overnight | Visit Abu Dhabi says several tours run close to the city |
| Mshayrif, Al Ain region | Not stated by Visit Abu Dhabi | Half-day or overnight stay at Arabian Nights Village | Dune bashing is part of the stay, per Visit Abu Dhabi |
| Liwa Oasis and Moreeb Dune | Al Dhafra; typically 2 to 3 hours by road (Visit Abu Dhabi) | Full-day or overnight | Moreeb Dune is more than 300 metres high |
Distances as reported by Visit Abu Dhabi and operators in early November 2026; check your pickup time and route when you book.
Our Liwa and Moreeb Dune guide covers distances, the season and the limits of a self-drive day.
Formats and prices
Visit Abu Dhabi lists morning, afternoon, evening and overnight packages. The table shows what the operators we read list for each, next to our own Dubai safari. The formats are not identical, so compare what is included before you compare the price.
| Format | Length | Price listed | What the listing includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morning safari | 4 hours, pickup 7:30 AM | From AED 150 per adult (The Better Vacation) | 30-40 minutes of dune bashing, sandboarding, a camel ride |
| Shared evening safari | About 6 hours (VooTours) | AED 200 (Arooha Tours); AED 300 adult, AED 250 child (VooTours) | 4x4, dune bashing, sandboarding, camel ride or farm visit, henna, BBQ buffet, belly dance and tanoura shows; quad bikes extra |
| Liwa or overnight camp | Full day or overnight | Within Visit Abu Dhabi's AED 100 to AED 1,200 range; resort stays cost more | Depends on the camp or resort |
| Our Dubai full-day safari | 7 hours with hotel pickup | From $45 (about AED 165); $65 with a 30-minute quad | Dune bashing, sandboarding, camel ride, BBQ dinner, shows, unlimited drinks |
Operator prices were read from their own pages in early November 2026 and change by date and season; check before you book.
On price alone the Dubai and Abu Dhabi evening trips are close, and a gap of AED 35 to AED 135 should not decide your day. The bigger difference is the transfer. An Abu Dhabi hotel guest who books a Dubai safari adds roughly 140 km each way on the E11, which our Dubai to Abu Dhabi guide puts at 1.5-2 hours. A Dubai hotel guest who books an Abu Dhabi camp adds the same.
What an evening safari includes, and the safety rules
Visit Abu Dhabi lists the usual building blocks: dune bashing in a 4x4, sandboarding, quad biking, falcon experiences, camel trekking or a camel farm visit, cultural shows in a Bedouin-style camp with Arabic coffee, and a traditional meal. Most packages include the meal. Quad biking and some extras are often charged separately, so read the listing line by line.
Dune bashing has simple rules, and Visit Abu Dhabi spells them out:
- Wear the seat belt for the whole drive.
- Babies are not permitted because of the speed.
- Most operators accept children from about age three, and under-threes are generally not recommended.
- People with medical conditions, and pregnant women, should check with a doctor first.
- Drivers can ease the ride for younger or nervous passengers, so ask.
Our dune bashing safety guide goes through who should skip the ride. For clothes, Visit Abu Dhabi suggests light casual wear, open shoes so sand does not fill sneakers, sunscreen, a hat or scarf, water, and a light jacket in winter because desert nights are cooler. Our what-to-wear guide for the Dubai desert adds the detail, and it applies here too.
Abu Dhabi or Dubai: which safari suits whom
Both safaris use the same kind of experience, so the choice is mostly about where you sleep and what else is on your list. Here is how we see it.
- You sleep in Abu Dhabi and have one free evening. Book an Abu Dhabi operator with pickup at your hotel. Our listed pickup areas are Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman, so we are not the right choice from an Abu Dhabi hotel.
- You sleep in Dubai. Our safari is simpler. The Lahbab Red Dunes are 45-60 km east of Dubai on the E44, 45-60 minutes from most hotels, and our Big Red guide explains the route. A trip from Dubai to an Abu Dhabi camp would add a long drive before the safari even starts.
- You are doing our Abu Dhabi city tour. That day is 9 hours from an 8:00 AM pickup, so do the desert on a different day. Our best day trips from Dubai guide recommends Abu Dhabi first and the desert second, on separate days.
- You want the biggest dunes. Go to Liwa and sleep there. Visit Abu Dhabi says Liwa trips typically run as full-day or overnight packages, and it names Moreeb Dune at more than 300 metres.
- You want to drive a quad yourself. Quad bikes are an extra on the Abu Dhabi listings we read. Our evening quad bike safari from Dubai is from $70 per person, with a full hour of riding in the price.
We run the Dubai desert, so our view is not neutral, and we say plainly that an Abu Dhabi camp is the better pick for a guest who is already in Abu Dhabi and not planning to cross to Dubai.
When to go and how to book
Visit Abu Dhabi says November to March is ideal for the desert. Summer afternoons are very hot; our month-by-month desert safari guide shows how the heat changes the evening,. Before you pay an Abu Dhabi operator, check these points:
- Pickup time. Arooha Tours says its pickup varies from 2:30 PM to 4:45 PM with sunset, and VooTours says about 3:00 PM, confirmed after booking, with a possible 30-60 minute shift.
- Where you are collected. VooTours' page says hotels or malls inside Abu Dhabi city limits but is inconsistent about lobbies, so confirm your exact address.
- What is not included. Arooha Tours lists quad bikes as extra and sells alcohol separately.
- Child pricing. VooTours charges AED 250 for ages 4 to 10 and counts 11 and over as adults.
- A licensed operator. Visit Abu Dhabi advises choosing a trusted one and gives no list, so book through your hotel or a company with a clear address and a written confirmation.
Desert safaris attract touts and pushy resellers in both emirates, so read our guide to common tourist scams in Dubai before you pay a street seller. Our getting around Abu Dhabi guide covers the rest of the logistics.
FAQ
How much does a desert safari in Abu Dhabi cost?
Visit Abu Dhabi gives a range of AED 100 to AED 1,200 per person, depending on timing, activities and food. Shared evening trips with a BBQ dinner were listed in early November 2026 at AED 200 per person by Arooha Tours and AED 300 per adult by VooTours. Our Dubai full-day safari is from $45, about AED 165. Check prices before you book.
How far is the desert from Abu Dhabi city?
VooTours lists its Al Khatim camp along the Al Ain road about 45 to 60 minutes from the city. Liwa and the biggest dunes are further: Visit Abu Dhabi says the drive to the Al Dhafra region typically takes 2 to 3 hours, so they suit a full day or a night.
Is a Dubai desert safari better than one from Abu Dhabi?
Neither is better; it depends on where you sleep. If you are in Dubai, our safari from $45 has hotel pickup and the dunes are 45-60 minutes away. If you are in Abu Dhabi, a local operator saves roughly 140 km each way. For the tallest dunes, choose Liwa instead.
Can I join your Dubai desert safari from an Abu Dhabi hotel?
Our safari picks up in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman, not in Abu Dhabi. From an Abu Dhabi hotel the sensible option is an Abu Dhabi operator, because driving to Dubai first adds about 1.5-2 hours each way.
What is the best season for a desert safari near Abu Dhabi?
Visit Abu Dhabi says November to March is ideal, and that winter nights are cooler, so take a light jacket. In the hotter months the afternoon is very hot, so the evening trip matters more.
Is dune bashing safe for children and pregnant women?
Visit Abu Dhabi says seat belts must be worn throughout, babies are not permitted, and most operators accept children from about age three. People with medical conditions and pregnant women should check with a doctor first. Drivers can ease the ride on request.
Can I drive into the dunes myself?
Visit Abu Dhabi lists off-road routes near Al Ain and Liwa but advises a desert-ready vehicle, spare tyre, water and a breakdown service, and rates several routes as advanced. Our Liwa guide notes that rental insurance does not normally cover sand tracks. A guided safari with a licensed driver is the safer choice.
Recommended Dubai tours for this guide
Full-Day Desert Safari in Dubai
It is the slow-travel version of the classic safari: more time on the dunes, sunset without the crowds and a full evening programme at a premium camp with air-conditioned tents, unlimited drinks and a large BBQ buffet with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Everything is arranged from the hotel door — a licensed English-speaking driver, the 4x4, the camp and the shows.
- Duration
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- Area
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- Format
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