Every version of our full-day desert safari is the same seven hours in the Lahbab Red Dunes — hotel pickup in a 4x4, 30-45 minutes of dune bashing, sandboarding, a camel ride, sunset, and a BBQ dinner with fire, Tanoura and belly dance shows at Al Khayma camp. The price changes with one question: do you want to drive something yourself? At $45 you are a passenger in the 4x4 and that is the whole programme. At $65 you add 30 minutes on your own quad bike. At $240 you add 30 minutes in a 1000cc dune buggy with a roll cage. This guide lays out what each level includes, what it does not, and which one people actually pick — the $65 quad bike is the most booked option we have.
By SB Excursions · Published 14 September 2026 · Updated 23 October 2026
Tour on this route: Full-Day Desert Safari in Dubai — From $45 per person, 7 hours.
How much does a desert safari in Dubai cost?
Our full-day safari is $45 per person for the classic programme — dune bashing, sandboarding, camel ride, BBQ dinner and shows — $65 with a 30-minute quad bike session added, or $240 with a 30-minute dune buggy. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included at every level.
This guide also answers:
- Is the $65 quad bike safari worth it over the $45 classic?
- What is the difference between the quad bike and the dune buggy options?
- Do I need a driving licence for the quad bike or buggy?
The three formats, by price
#1
Classic safari
The full programme with nothing missing: 4x4 pickup, 30-45 minutes of dune bashing with a licensed driver who sets the pace for the group, sandboarding, the camel ride, sunset photos and the whole evening at Al Khayma — BBQ buffet, unlimited soft drinks, henna, fire show, Tanoura and belly dance.
#2
Safari plus quad bike
Everything in the classic, plus 30 minutes on your own quad bike across the dunes before the camp. For $20 more than the classic you go from passenger to driver, which is why it is our number one seller. No driving licence needed; under-16s ride accompanied by an adult.
#3
Safari plus dune buggy
Everything in the classic, plus 30 minutes in a high-performance dune buggy — 1000cc-class machines with a roll cage and harness that climb the tallest red dunes a quad cannot. Faster, more stable and the best video of the trip, at a price that makes it a deliberate choice rather than an add-on.
#4
The camp evening, included at every level
Whatever you paid for the afternoon, the evening is the same: air-conditioned tents to cool off in, unlimited water, soft drinks, tea and Arabic coffee, a BBQ buffet with vegetarian and gluten-free dishes, henna, a shisha station, and the fire, Tanoura and belly dance shows before the drive back.
Which safari should you book?
Book the $45 classic if you want the desert without driving anything: it is the complete day, and for families and first-timers it is the right call. Book the $65 quad bike version if you want to drive — it is our most booked tour, and the $20 difference buys 30 minutes at the handlebars. Book the $240 buggy if speed and the tallest dunes are the point and the budget is not; it is the best footage of the trip, and it is a premium price for a premium machine.
All three run on the same Full-Day Desert Safari in Dubai: same pickup, same dunes, same camp, same shows. The self-drive session is a 30-minute block added before the camp, so nothing from the classic programme is removed to make room for it.
What the $45 classic includes
The classic is not a stripped-down version; it is the full day. A 4x4 collects you at your hotel in Dubai, Sharjah or Ajman and drives 45-60 minutes out to the Lahbab desert, home of the Big Red dunes. Then comes 30-45 minutes of dune bashing — the driver is licensed and adjusts the intensity to the group, so it can be a thrill ride or a scenic one — followed by sandboarding, the camel ride and falcon photos as the light turns gold.
After sunset the camp takes over: Al Khayma with its air-conditioned tents, the BBQ buffet of Mediterranean and Arabic grills with vegetarian and gluten-free options, unlimited water, soft drinks, tea and Arabic coffee, henna, a shisha station, and the fire show, Tanoura and belly dance before the 4x4 takes you back to the hotel.
- Door-to-door 4x4 transfers with a licensed English-speaking driver-guide.
- 30-45 minutes of dune bashing on the Red Dunes.
- Sandboarding and a camel ride, sunset and falcon photos.
- BBQ buffet with vegetarian and meat dishes; unlimited chilled water, soft drinks, tea and Arabic coffee.
- Fire show, Tanoura dance and belly dance; henna and air-conditioned tents at Al Khayma camp.
What the $65 quad bike adds
Thirty minutes on your own quad bike in the dunes, taken before the camp. It is the amount of time that feels like a real ride without eating the sunset, and it turns the passenger day into a driver day — which is why this is the version most guests choose. No official driving licence is required in the designated riding area; you follow the guide's briefing, and children under 16 ride accompanied by an adult.
Practically, it is $35 on top of the classic. Hotel tour desks tend to quote far more for a basic quad session on its own, without the safari, the dinner or the shows around it; booked as part of the day it is the best value on the list.
What the $240 dune buggy adds
Thirty minutes in a high-performance dune buggy — 1000cc-class machines with a roll cage and a four-point harness. The buggy goes where a quad cannot: up the tallest red dunes, at speed, with the stability of four wide wheels and a cage around you. It is safer than it looks and faster than it sounds, and it is the ride people film.
At $240 it is the deliberate upgrade, not the default. The right buyer is the person who came to Dubai for exactly this and would rather spend on the machine than on a second day out. Everyone else gets the same desert, the same dinner and the same shows for a third of the price.
| Included | Classic $45 | Quad bike $65 | Dune buggy $240 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4x4 dune bashing, 30-45 min | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sandboarding and camel ride | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sunset and falcon photos | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BBQ buffet, drinks, henna, shows | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Self-drive session | None | 30 min quad bike | 30 min dune buggy |
| Hotel pickup and drop-off | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Prices per person; the self-drive sessions are optional, taken at your own risk and under the guide's instructions.
Who each format suits
The classic is for families with children, couples who want the sunset and the dinner more than the adrenaline, and anyone who gets carsick easily — the driver can keep the dune bashing gentle, and there is nothing else to drive. The quad bike suits almost everyone else: couples, groups of friends, teenagers with a parent alongside. The buggy is for two people who want the fastest thing in the desert and are happy to pay for it.
Two limits apply to all three. The safari is not recommended for pregnant women, people with back or heart problems, or infants under three, and a heavy meal two to three hours before pickup is the classic mistake before dune bashing.
The small print that matters
Wear light clothes and closed shoes or sandals you do not mind filling with sand; bring sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen for the afternoon and a light jacket for the evening between December and February, when the desert cools quickly after sunset. Quad and buggy sessions are self-drive, taken at your own risk, with the guide's instructions to follow at all times.
During Ramadan the entertainment and any alcohol service at the camp may be limited or modified. Cancellation is flexible: a full refund up to 24 hours before the scheduled pickup. Drones need the DCAA permit Dubai law requires; cameras are welcome, in a bag that keeps the sand out.
FAQ
How much does a desert safari in Dubai cost?
Our full-day safari is $45 per person for the classic programme — dune bashing, sandboarding, camel ride, BBQ dinner and shows — $65 with a 30-minute quad bike session added, or $240 with a 30-minute dune buggy. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included at every level.
Is the $65 quad bike safari worth it over the $45 classic?
For most people, yes — it is the most booked version we run. The $20 difference buys 30 minutes driving your own quad bike before the camp, and nothing from the classic day is removed to fit it in.
What is the difference between the quad bike and the dune buggy options?
Both are 30-minute self-drive sessions before the camp. The quad bike ($65 total) is an open machine you ride alone; the dune buggy ($240 total) is a 1000cc-class two-seater with a roll cage and harness that climbs the tallest dunes at speed.
Do I need a driving licence for the quad bike or buggy?
No official driving licence is required in the designated riding area. You follow the guide's safety briefing, ride at your own risk, and children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
How long is the full-day desert safari?
About 7 hours door to door: pickup at your hotel, 45-60 minutes to the Lahbab desert, 30-45 minutes of dune bashing, the activities and sunset, then the evening at Al Khayma camp and the drive back.
Is dinner included in the desert safari price?
Yes, at every level. The BBQ buffet at Al Khayma camp has Mediterranean and Arabic grills with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, plus unlimited water, soft drinks, tea and Arabic coffee.
Can children come on the desert safari?
Yes, families are welcome and children over five tend to enjoy it most. Children under 12 ride the camel accompanied by an adult, under-16s need an adult for the quad bike, and the safari is not recommended for infants under three.
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