The Liwa International Festival runs from 11 December 2026 to 2 January 2027 around Tal Moreeb, a dune of more than 300 metres, and the Al Dhafra camel festival runs in stages from 27 October 2026 to 13 January 2027. The Liwa festival's website says general admission to the grounds is free, and the Al Dhafra stages are heritage competitions. Both are in western Abu Dhabi, about 220-250 km from Abu Dhabi city, so from Dubai they are overnight trips. This guide gives the dates, what you see, the entry rules and how to get there.
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.
When is the Liwa International Festival 2026-27?
From 11 December 2026 to 2 January 2027, which is 23 days, in the Liwa desert around Tal Moreeb in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra region. The Tal Moreeb Car Championship finale runs from 30 December to 2 January, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office.
This guide also answers:
- When is the Al Dhafra Festival 2026?
- How far is Liwa from Dubai?
- Can I do Liwa as a day trip from Dubai?
Four things to see at the western Abu Dhabi festivals
#1
Camel beauty contests at Al Dhafra
The Abu Dhabi Media Office lists 383 rounds across five Camel Mazayna stages, with prize money in the millions of dirhams. Camel beauty contests are judged competitions for purebred camels, not rides, so go for the atmosphere and the heritage, not for a show. Entry and visitor hours were not stated in the announcement.
#2
Tal Moreeb dune events
The festival is built around the dune, which the organisers describe as more than 300 metres high. The programme has drag races, freestyle displays, a UTV track, a burnout challenge and a drift event, and the car championship finale runs from 30 December to 2 January. Dates for each event are in the table below.
#3
Heritage Village and the Falconry Tent
The Liwa festival has a Heritage Village modelled on Al Fareej, a House of Poetry, a Falconry Tent, traditional games, an Emirati majlis and gahwa workshops. It is the quiet side of a loud festival. For a longer falcon visit, the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital runs booked tours, which our guide to it explains.
#4
The road from Abu Dhabi to Liwa
Gulf News puts the Liwa festival site about 220 km from Abu Dhabi, and Visit Abu Dhabi says Liwa is around 250 km away, 2.5 to 3 hours each way. From Dubai the drive is longer. Read the getting-there section before you decide, because the distance is the main cost of this trip.
Al Dhafra and Liwa festivals 2026-27: the short answer
The Liwa International Festival runs from 11 December 2026 to 2 January 2027 in the Liwa desert, around Tal Moreeb. The Al Dhafra Festival is a camel-heritage season that runs in five stages from 27 October 2026 to 13 January 2027. The Abu Dhabi Media Office published both schedules, the Liwa one on 18 October 2026 and the Al Dhafra one on 6 July 2026. Khaleej Times and Gulf News carried the Liwa dates the same week.
The two events are different. Liwa is a family festival with fairground rides, motorsport, concerts and a heritage village, and its website says general admission to the grounds is free. Al Dhafra is a heritage competition for camels, falcons, salukis and horses, with markets around it. Both are far from Dubai, so the honest advice is to go only if the dune or the camels are the reason for the trip, and to stay a night.
Liwa International Festival: dates and the daily programme
The festival has run since 2001, and the Media Office says the last edition drew more than 700,000 visitors over 23 days. This season also lasts 23 days. It is organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi with partners that include Liwa Sports Club and Abu Dhabi Police. The table lists the main events from the Media Office announcement.
| Date | Event | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 11 Dec | Festival opens; freestyle display on 11 and 12 December | More than half of the Liwa Village rides are new or reimagined |
| Sun 13 Dec | Motorbike drag race | Falcon Race follows on 14 to 16 December |
| Fri 18 and Sat 19 Dec | Sand freestyle display; Sign Climb Challenge on 19 December | The display repeats on 27 and 28 December |
| Sat 19 and Sun 20 Dec | Nitro Circus, three shows with more than 15 athletes | A festival debut |
| Sun 20 Dec | Liwa UTV Track | Cycling race on 21 December |
| Tue 22 and Wed 23 Dec | Traditional pigeon race; community run on 23 December | Padel tournament on 24 and 25 December |
| Thu 24 Dec to Sat 26 Dec | Burnout challenge on 24 December; Liwa Drift on 25 and 26 December | Fitness tour on 29 December |
| Wed 30 Dec to Sat 2 Jan | Tal Moreeb Car Championship finale | The festival's closing days |
Dates from the Abu Dhabi Media Office announcement of 18 October 2026. The festival's own website said the 2027 programme was still coming soon, so check the app before you go.
Liwa Village has rides such as the Circus Swinger, Tagada and Space Tower, and a bungee jump is new this season. The heritage side has a Heritage Village modelled on Al Fareej, a House of Poetry, a Falconry Tent, traditional games, an Emirati majlis and gahwa workshops; for a longer falcon visit, see our Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital guide. Retail and dining are planned at the Dhafeer, Al Meel and Al Yabana forts, with crafts at Khanour Fort and a cultural experience at Mezairaa Fort.
Al Dhafra Festival: the camel season in five stages
This is the 20th Al Dhafra Festival, run by the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority as part of the Camel Mazayna Season. Mazayna means beauty contest. The Media Office says the five stages take place across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra, but it does not name the venue for each. The finale's heritage programme is at the Al Dhafra Traditional Market. Last season Gulf News placed the final station in Madinat Zayed, in the Al Dhafra region.
| Stage | Dates | Rounds | Prize money |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Sweihan Camel Mazayna | 27 October to 3 November | 82 | About AED 9.5 million |
| 2. Razeen Camel Mazayna | 15 to 22 November | 82 | About AED 9.5 million |
| 3. Madinat Zayed | 3 to 10 December | 88 | AED 10.255 million |
| 4. Cash prize rounds (festival finale) | 12 to 19 December | 66 | AED 20.56 million |
| 5. Elite rounds (Al Romooz) | 3 to 12 January 2027 | 65 | More than AED 43 million |
Source: Abu Dhabi Media Office, 6 July 2026. Stage 1 ends on 3 November, so most visitors will see stage 2 or later.
At the finale the Media Office lists falconry competitions, camel milking, rifle shooting, a young-camel challenge, purebred Arabian horse racing and saluki racing, falcon, saluki and sheep beauty contests, and tea competitions, plus traditional markets. Last season's final stage, as Gulf News described it, had a heritage market with shops, food trucks and a performance stage. Whether the same layout returns is not stated, and the announcement says nothing about visitor entry or hours. Updates are on the Falak Al Namoos app named in the announcement.
Entry, camping and the apps
Liwa: the festival's website says general admission to the grounds is free, and that some sports competitions, VIP areas and special events may cost extra. Prices are to be published in the Liwa Sports Club app. Gulf News said the same about last season. The festival also has its first official app, where you can see the calendar and book camping spots and RV parking. We did not find camping prices, so check the app.
Al Dhafra: the Media Office announcement says nothing about tickets, so assume nothing. Check the Falak Al Namoos app and the official festival guide for entry rules, visiting hours and any restrictions on the competition areas.
- Bring a hat, sunscreen, comfortable shoes and a jacket for the evening; Gulf News gave this advice for last season's festival.
- Dress modestly. This is a regional heritage setting, not a beach resort.
- Do not fly a drone at either festival without checking the rules in our drone guide.
- Falcon races and camel contests are competitions with owners and judges. Ask before photographing people.
How far it is and how to get there from Dubai
Gulf News puts the Liwa festival site about 220 km from Abu Dhabi, and Visit Abu Dhabi says Liwa is around 250 km from Abu Dhabi and a drive of roughly two and a half to three hours each way. From Dubai the drive is longer, because Abu Dhabi city alone is about 140 km away on the E11, per our Dubai to Abu Dhabi guide, so a day trip from Dubai is a very long day. We could not verify an official drive time or distance from Dubai, and we did not find a scheduled bus or train to the festival.
The practical choices are a rental car, a taxi quoted in advance, or a private driver. Rental insurance normally does not cover sand tracks or dunes, as our car rental guide explains, so stay on the paved road. Our Liwa and Moreeb Dune day trip guide covers the distances, the best months and where to stay.
| Option | What to know |
|---|---|
| Day trip by car from Dubai | Visit Abu Dhabi says the drive alone takes five to six hours of the day from Abu Dhabi; from Dubai it is longer |
| One night in Liwa | The Liwa festival app lets you book camping and RV spots; Visit Abu Dhabi suggests an overnight stay at Qasr Al Sarab or a similar Al Dhafra hotel |
| Al Dhafra stages | Madinat Zayed is a town north of the Liwa oasis; the Media Office gives no venue map, so check the app |
| Tour with pickup | We do not run a Liwa or Al Dhafra tour; ask us on WhatsApp and we will say plainly whether a private driver is something we can arrange |
Distances are as reported by Gulf News and Visit Abu Dhabi; no official Dubai figure was found.
Is it worth the trip from Dubai?
It is worth it if you want what only these festivals give: a 300-metre dune with a motorsport programme, or a serious camel and falcon competition. It is not worth it if you want a dune day. The desert near Dubai is closer, and our full-day desert safari is from $45 per person with hotel pickup, 7 hours, dune bashing, sandboarding, a camel ride and a BBQ dinner. Our Lahbab Red Dunes guide explains the area. For driving yourself on a dune, the evening quad bike safari is from $70 per person.
If you are in Abu Dhabi anyway, the city has its own festival this season: the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba is much closer to the city. Our Abu Dhabi city tour is a different day, a 9-hour loop from $45 that does not go to Liwa. For other December plans, see what is on in Dubai in December 2026.
FAQ
When is the Liwa International Festival 2026-27?
From 11 December 2026 to 2 January 2027, which is 23 days, in the Liwa desert around Tal Moreeb in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra region. The Tal Moreeb Car Championship finale runs from 30 December to 2 January, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office.
Is the Liwa International Festival free?
The festival's website says general admission to the grounds is free. Some sports competitions, VIP areas and special events may cost extra, and prices are published in the Liwa Sports Club app. We did not find camping prices, so check the app.
When is the Al Dhafra Festival 2026?
The 20th Al Dhafra Festival runs from 27 October 2026 to 13 January 2027 in five stages, with the Madinat Zayed stage from 3 to 10 December and the finale from 12 to 19 December. The Abu Dhabi Media Office gives the schedule.
How far is Liwa from Dubai?
Gulf News puts the festival site about 220 km from Abu Dhabi, and Visit Abu Dhabi says Liwa is around 250 km and 2.5 to 3 hours from Abu Dhabi. From Dubai it is longer, since Abu Dhabi city alone is about 140 km away on the E11. We did not find an official Dubai figure, so check your map app.
Can I do Liwa as a day trip from Dubai?
It is possible but long. Visit Abu Dhabi says the drive alone takes five to six hours of the day from Abu Dhabi, and Dubai is further. Stay one night if you can, or choose the Dubai desert instead, such as our full-day safari from $45 per person.
Is there a bus or tour to the Liwa festival?
We did not find a scheduled public bus or train to the festival, and we do not run a Liwa tour. A rental car or a driver agreed in advance is the practical way. Our Abu Dhabi city tour, from $45, goes to Abu Dhabi city only.
What is Tal Moreeb?
It is a dune of more than 300 metres in the Liwa desert, which the Abu Dhabi Media Office calls the UAE's tallest. It is the centre of the Liwa festival's motorsport events and is also visited outside the festival season.
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