Al Qudra Lakes and Love Lake are free to visit, about 30-40 km south-west of Downtown, with no metro, so you need a taxi or a car. The lakes sit in the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve, an unfenced desert where you can see water birds, oryx and gazelles, picnic by the water and watch the sun set over an empty horizon. This guide covers the wildlife, picnic and barbecue rules, the best hours, and how to get there and back without your own car. The cycling track has its own guide.
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.
Is Al Qudra Lakes free to visit?
Yes. Gulf News says the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve, where the lakes are, is open to the public and free. The lakes are about 30-40 km south-west of Downtown. You pay only for the taxi or fuel, and for anything you bring. Picnics and barbecues are allowed if you bring your own equipment and clean up.
This guide also answers:
- Where is Love Lake and how far is it from the main lakes?
- Can you have a barbecue at Love Lake?
- How do I get to Al Qudra Lakes without a car?
Six reasons to go to the lakes, and one way to see the desert without a car
#1
Love Lake
Two large interconnected heart-shaped lakes, which became popular after an Instagram post by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, according to Gulf News. Plants and flowers are arranged to spell the word love. The heart shape is clearest from above, so on the ground expect a pleasant lake with shaded areas, fire pits and washrooms.
#2
The main Al Qudra Lakes at sunset
A chain of man-made lakes winding through the sand, with an empty horizon behind them. Gulf News lists sunrise and sunset as the popular times. Sunset is about 5:30 PM from November to December, so arrive an hour earlier and plan the drive back before it is fully dark.
#3
Birdwatching and Flamingo Lake
Dubai Municipality built eight bird hides in the reserve, and Gulf News says more than 200 migratory and local species can be seen. Khaleej Times names ducks, cormorants, herons, egrets and ibises, with migrants expected from November to March. Flamingo Lake is on Gulf News's list of lakes, but sightings are never guaranteed.
#4
Oryx and gazelles
Gulf News says Al Marmoom has the largest population of Arabian oryx in Dubai, with sand gazelles and Arabian gazelles, and an Oryx Platform viewing point near Expo Lake. The reserve is unfenced, so the animals move freely. Keep your distance, never feed them and treat any sighting as a bonus.
#5
A lakeside picnic
Gulf News says picnics and barbecues are allowed if you bring your own equipment and clean up afterwards. There are no shops at Love Lake, according to Gulf News, so bring water and food. Charcoal goes in a barbecue pan or pot, never on the sand, which Dubai Municipality has said can bring a fine of AED 500 or more.
#6
The desert from the air, with pickup
We do not run tours to Al Qudra Lakes. If the problem is the car, our sunrise balloon flight collects you from your hotel before dawn and flies over the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, from $275 per person. It is a different place, dunes and wildlife rather than lakes, and the flight depends on the weather.
Al Qudra Lakes and Love Lake in short
The Al Qudra Lakes are man-made desert lakes inside the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve, free to visit and about 30-40 km south-west of Downtown. Gulf News says the reserve is open to the public and free to enter. It is unfenced desert with lakes, water birds and Arabian oryx, and it is popular for sunrise and sunset. Love Lake, the heart-shaped pair, is about 10 minutes' drive from the last of the Al Qudra lakes.
Go for the quiet, not for facilities. There are shaded areas, fire pits and washrooms at Love Lake, but Gulf News reported no shops or restaurants nearby, and the nearest food is the food-truck area called Last Exit on Al Qudra Road, which Gulf News put about 30 minutes away. The 80 km Al Qudra cycle track runs close to the lakes; the track, bike hire and heat rules are in our cycling in Dubai guide and we do not repeat them here.
The lakes: which is which
People say Al Qudra for the whole area, but Gulf News lists several lakes, and they are not the same experience.
| Lake | What it is | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Al Qudra Lake | The main lakes, known for birdwatching | Gulf News has reported 175 species here, some on endangered lists, and eight bird hides in the reserve |
| Love Lake | Two interconnected heart-shaped lakes | About 10 minutes by car from the last Al Qudra lake; shaded areas, fire pits and washrooms |
| Expo Lake | A lake in the same reserve | The Oryx Platform viewing point is near it |
| Crescent Moon Lake | A lake in the same reserve | Named on Gulf News's list of lakes in the reserve; we found no further detail |
| Flamingo Lake | A lake in the same reserve | Named for flamingos, but sightings vary |
Source: Gulf News. Lake layouts and access routes can change, so check a current map before you drive.
Wildlife: what you can realistically see
Birds are the sure thing. Khaleej Times reported that the reserve hosts hundreds of migratory bird species as winter sets in, and that migrants are expected from November to March, drawn to man-made lakes. It names ducks, cormorants, herons, egrets, ibises, snipes and sandpipers on the water, and eagles, kites and harriers among the winter raptors. Gulf News says Dubai Municipality built eight bird hides in the reserve, so you can watch without scaring them.
Mammals are a bonus. Gulf News says Al Marmoom has the largest population of Arabian oryx in Dubai, plus sand gazelles and Arabian gazelles, and an Oryx Platform viewing point near Expo Lake. The reserve is unfenced and the animals move freely, so there is no schedule. Binoculars help, and so does patience. Stay in your car or on the paths, keep your distance and never feed any animal.
Flamingos are possible rather than certain. Gulf News lists a Flamingo Lake, and another guide reports flamingos in the wider area, but we found no source that promises them at a set time. If flamingos are the goal, read the cycling guide's wildlife notes too.
Picnics, barbecues and what to bring
Gulf News says picnics and barbecues are allowed at the lakes, and that you bring your own equipment and clean up afterwards. The rule that matters is about fire: Dubai Municipality has said fires must be in a barbecue pan or pot, not on the sand, and that lighting one on the sand can bring a fine of AED 500 or more, depending on the damage. That statement is a few years old, so read the signs at the lake, and use the marked bins and charcoal drums.
Bring everything you need, because Gulf News reported no shops or restaurants near Love Lake:
- Water: more than you expect, at least 2 litres each in warm weather, plus a spare bottle in the car.
- Food and a cool bag, a rug or mat, and a rubbish bag to take everything home.
- A barbecue stand with charcoal, if you plan to cook; use charcoal only, in the stand.
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat, and a warm layer for the evening in winter.
- Binoculars and a charged phone; take photos from the path, not from the water's edge.
Do not swim in the lakes or take any watercraft: we found no source that allows either, and the lakes are for watching. Drones need a permit, and our drone rules guide explains the registration; the heart shape is the photo that tempts people to fly one.
Sunset and sunrise at the lakes
Gulf News lists sunrise and sunset as the popular times at the lakes, and the cooler months are the comfortable ones. Winter evenings are early, so the whole visit fits before dinner, but the drive back is in the dark on a desert road. The table shows approximate times for Dubai, calculated from solar position tables.
| Month | Sunrise (about) | Sunset (about) | Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| November | 6:35 AM | 5:30 PM | Arrive by 4:30 PM; birds are arriving |
| December | 6:55 AM | 5:30 PM | Arrive by 4:30 PM; cold after dark |
| January | 7:05 AM | 5:50 PM | The coolest month; a warm layer for sunrise |
| February | 6:55 AM | 6:10 PM | Arrive by 5:10 PM |
| March | 6:30 AM | 6:25 PM | Arrive by 5:25 PM; midday is warm |
From May to September the lakes are too hot by day; the heat table in our cycling guide applies to a visit on foot too.
For the other places on the list, see best sunset spots in Dubai and best sunrise spots in Dubai. The lakes are the free, do-it-yourself option; the trade-off is the car.
How to get to the lakes without a car
There is no metro or tram stop at the lakes, and none of the sources we checked lists a bus route to them. Check the S'hail app for any current route, but plan on a taxi or a ride-hailing car. The distance is about 30-40 km from Downtown. At the taxi rate in our taxi and Careem guide, about AED 5 to start and AED 2 per km, that is roughly AED 75-85 each way for 35-40 km before waiting time. That is our estimate, not a quote; use the app's price.
The hard part is the return. Few cars wait in the desert, so settle it before you leave:
| Option | How it works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Taxi or Careem one way, then a second booking | Order the ride back from the lake or from the food-truck area at Last Exit | Few drivers are nearby, so book early and leave before dark |
| Ask the driver to wait | Agree the waiting time and charge before you set off | The meter runs while you wait; get a total price |
| Share the cost | Three or four people split one car both ways | Fine for a picnic group; one car is easier to find |
| Bike hire at the track | The Al Qudra track starts near the Last Exit area | A separate plan; see our cycling guide for hire and heat rules |
Directions from Time Out Dubai: follow Al Qudra Road past Last Exit and on to Dubai Endurance City, then follow the signs to Love Lake. Gulf News gives the map code R9V2+XMJ for the Al Qudra Lakes.
Khaleej Times reported on 9 August that RTA opened a new four-lane bridge on Al Qudra Road, at the junction with Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street, and that two more side-ramp bridges are planned for the fourth quarter of 2026. Expect road works and changed lanes on Al Qudra Road, and add time. Our guide to how to get around Dubai has the general options.
If you want the desert without a car
We do not run tours to Al Qudra Lakes, and we do not want to sell you one that does not exist. If the car is the problem, the desert with pickup is a different product. The full-day desert safari goes to the Lahbab Red Dunes, 45-60 km east of Dubai, not to the lakes: 7 hours from $45 per person, with hotel pickup in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman. For the desert at first light, the sunrise balloon is from $275 per person, with pre-dawn pickup from any hotel in Dubai city, and flies over the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve; it depends on the wind.
Both are the dunes and the wildlife of the open desert, not a lakeside picnic. Choose the lakes for a free, quiet few hours with your own food, and one of these for a desert day with transport and a guide.
FAQ
Is Al Qudra Lakes free to visit?
Yes. Gulf News says the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve, where the lakes are, is open to the public and free. The lakes are about 30-40 km south-west of Downtown. You pay only for the taxi or fuel, and for anything you bring. Picnics and barbecues are allowed if you bring your own equipment and clean up.
Where is Love Lake and how far is it from the main lakes?
Love Lake is about 10 minutes by car from the last of the Al Qudra lakes, just off the Umm Suqeim-Al Ain road, according to Gulf News. Time Out Dubai's route is along Al Qudra Road past Last Exit and on to Dubai Endurance City, then the signs. Check a current map, because roads in this area are being rebuilt.
Can you see flamingos at Al Qudra Lakes?
Sometimes. Gulf News lists a Flamingo Lake in the reserve and another guide reports flamingos in the wider area, but no source promises them at a set time. Migratory birds are expected from November to March, so winter is the best season for birdwatching; bring binoculars.
Can you have a barbecue at Love Lake?
Gulf News says barbecues are allowed if you bring your own equipment and clean up. Dubai Municipality has said the fire must be in a barbecue pan or pot, not on the sand, and that lighting a fire on the sand can bring a fine of AED 500 or more. That rule is a few years old, so check the signs at the lake.
How do I get to Al Qudra Lakes without a car?
By taxi or Careem, about 30-40 km from Downtown, which is roughly AED 75-85 each way by our estimate at AED 2 per km. There is no metro, and we found no bus route. The risk is the return, so book the ride back or agree a price for the driver to wait before you set off, and leave before dark.
What is the best time to visit the lakes?
Sunrise or the hour before sunset, in the cooler months from November to March, according to Gulf News on the popular times. Sunset is about 5:30 PM in November and December. From May to September the lakes are too hot by day. Our cycling guide has a heat table that applies to a visit on foot.
Does SB Excursions run a tour to Al Qudra Lakes?
No. Our desert safari goes to the Lahbab Red Dunes, 7 hours from $45 per person with hotel pickup, and our sunrise balloon, from $275 per person, flies over the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. Neither visits the lakes, so for the lakes you need a taxi, a car or a driver you arrange yourself.
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Photos: Aerial drone view of the turquoise man-made Al Qudra Lakes, with tree-dotted islands set in the desert sand — Charbel Zakhour, CC BY-SA 4.0, Birdwatching and Flamingo Lake — Florian Kriechbaumer, CC BY-SA 4.0, Oryx and gazelles — Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons).