Book the Evening Quad Bike Safari if you want to drive: $70 on a shared quad or $105 on your own, a full hour on the quad, but no 4x4 dune bashing. Book the Full-Day Desert Safari if you want the 4x4 dune bashing ride: $45, or $65 with a 30-minute quad. Both end at Al Khayma camp with a BBQ buffet and a fire show, so the real question is whether you want to drive or be driven.
By SB Excursions · Published 23 October 2026 · Updated 23 October 2026
Tour on this route: Evening Quad Bike Desert Safari — From $70 per person, 6-7 hours.
Evening quad bike safari or full-day desert safari: which should I book?
Book the Evening Quad Bike Safari ($70 on a shared quad, $105 on your own) if you want to drive: it includes a full 60 minutes on a quad but no 4x4 dune bashing. Book the Full-Day Desert Safari ($45, or $65 with a 30-minute quad) if you want 30-45 minutes of 4x4 dune bashing.
This guide also answers:
- Does the quad bike safari include dune bashing?
- How much time on a quad do I get with each safari?
- Which is better for a couple?
The verdict, by what you want from the dunes
#1
Pick the Evening Quad Bike Safari
You drive: a full hour on a self-drive quad on the Lahbab Red Dunes, in daylight, before sandboarding, sunset photos and the camp. The trade is that there is no 4x4 dune bashing at all, so the quad is the whole adventure. Hotel pickup is usually about 1:15-2 pm.
#2
Pick the Full-Day Desert Safari at $45
You are driven: 30-45 minutes of dune bashing in a 4x4 on the Big Red dunes with a licensed driver who adjusts the pace to the group, then sandboarding, a camel ride and the camp evening. There is no quad in this price, so there is nothing to drive.
#3
Pick the Full-Day at $65 for a bit of both
The same seven hours as the $45 day, with a 30-minute quad ride added per person. It gives you the dune bashing and some driving, but the quad ride is half as long as the evening's 60 minutes. If the quad is the point of your trip, the evening hour is the longer ride: at $105 the quad is yours for all of it, and at $70 the hour is shared between two guests.
#4
Families with younger children
On the evening quad safari, under-16s ride only on a bike shared with an adult, and the minimum age is 10 to 14 depending on the session. The full-day safari welcomes families, children over 5 usually enjoy it most and the quad is optional, so it is the easier pick when the youngest cannot ride one. Under-12s ride the camel only with an adult on both.
#5
What both share: the camp evening
Both safaris finish at Al Khayma camp with a BBQ buffet with vegetarian options, unlimited soft drinks, a fire show and traditional dance, then the drive to your hotel. A few details are worded differently on the two booking pages, and we list them below. Both are paid on the day with no prepayment, and both cancel free up to 24 hours before pickup.
Evening quad safari or full-day safari: the short answer
Drive or be driven. Book the Evening Quad Bike Safari if you want to drive: a full 60 minutes on a self-drive quad on the Lahbab Red Dunes, $70 per person on a bike shared by two or $105 on your own quad, and no 4x4 dune bashing. Book the Full-Day Desert Safari if you want the 4x4 dune bashing ride: 30-45 minutes in the 4x4 for $45, or $65 with a 30-minute quad added.
Both are 6-7 hour afternoon-to-night trips with hotel pickup, sandboarding, a camel ride and an evening at Al Khayma camp. Both are paid on the day with free cancellation up to 24 hours before pickup, so the choice is mostly about what you do on the dunes. This guide sets them side by side, then takes the questions in turn: who should pick which, what is the same, and what each costs for two people. A morning safari is a different question, answered in morning or evening desert safari.
The two safaris side by side
Everything in the table comes from the two booking pages. The rows that settle most choices are the quad time, the dune bashing and the ages.
| Evening Quad Bike Safari | Full-Day Desert Safari | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | From $70 per person on a quad shared by two; $105 for your own quad | From $45 per person; $65 with a 30-minute quad |
| Duration | 6-7 hours | 7 hours |
| Pickup | Hotels in Dubai, usually about 1:15-2 pm, about an hour later in summer | Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman, in the afternoon; time set by season and hotel area |
| The adventure | A self-drive quad on the Lahbab Red Dunes | 4x4 dune bashing on the Lahbab Red Dunes |
| Quad time | A full 60 minutes at both prices; at $70 the bike is shared by two guests | None at $45; 30 minutes at $65 |
| 4x4 dune bashing | Not included | 30-45 minutes |
| Sandboarding and camel ride | Yes | Yes |
| The camp evening | Al Khayma: live BBQ buffet, unlimited water and soft drinks, fire show, traditional dance | Al Khayma: BBQ buffet, unlimited drinks, fire show, Tanoura and belly dance, air-conditioned tents |
| Ages | Solo quad riders 16-55; under-16s share a bike with an adult, minimum age 10-14 depending on the session; over 55 check first | Families welcome, children over 5 usually enjoy it most; under-16s ride the optional quad with an adult |
| Payment and cancellation | No prepayment, pay on the day; free cancellation up to 24 hours before pickup | No prepayment, pay on the day; free cancellation up to 24 hours before pickup |
Quad riding is self-drive at your own risk on both. Neither safari is recommended for pregnant women or people with back or heart problems, or for infants under 3.
Read down the quad and dune bashing rows and the choice shows itself. The evening is built around one hour that you drive; the full day is built around a 4x4 ride that someone else drives, with a short quad session as an option. The quad rules in detail are in quad biking in Dubai.
Who should pick which
Put the table next to the people in your group and most choices take one sentence.
- You want to drive: the Evening Quad Bike Safari. A full hour on the quad is twice the 30 minutes the full day offers at $65; at $70 the hour is shared between two guests, at $105 it is yours alone.
- You want the 4x4 dune bashing ride: the Full-Day Desert Safari. The evening has none, and dune bashing is the heart of the full day.
- You want a bit of both: the full day at $65, with 30-45 minutes of dune bashing and a 30-minute quad ride.
- You get carsick easily: the evening safari has no 4x4 dune bashing, which is the part of the full day that the motion-sickness advice is about, though you still travel about 45-60 minutes to the dunes. If you choose the full day, skip a heavy meal 2-3 hours before pickup, ask for the front seat of the 4x4 and tell the driver, who can keep the dune bashing gentle.
- A couple sharing one bike: the evening safari at $70 each, $140 for the two of you, one bike between you for the hour. If you would both rather drive, it is $105 each, $210 for a quad each.
- A solo traveller: your own quad on the evening safari at $105, because the $70 option is a shared bike and needs at least 2 guests per booking. If price decides it, the full day starts at $45.
- Over 55: on the evening safari, check with us before booking. On the full day, the listed advice is about health rather than age: it is not recommended with back or heart problems.
- Staying in Sharjah or Ajman: the full-day page lists pickup there; the evening page lists hotels in Dubai, so ask us first.
Families and children: which one fits
The evening quad safari has the stricter age rules, because the quad is the whole programme: under-16s ride only on a bike shared with an adult, from a minimum age of 10 to 14 depending on the session. The full list is in quad biking in Dubai.
The full-day safari is the easier day for a mixed family. Children over 5 usually enjoy it most, the quad is optional, and children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult if they ride it. The $45 classic means nobody has to drive anything, so a family with children under the evening quad's minimum age can still do the same day together. The desert safari with kids guide covers the full-day programme for families in detail.
What both safaris share: the camp evening
Both safaris collect you from your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle, drive about 45-60 minutes to the Lahbab Red Dunes and finish at Al Khayma camp. Both include sandboarding, a camel ride and sunset photos, a BBQ buffet with vegetarian dishes, unlimited water and soft drinks, a fire show and traditional dance, falcon photos and a shisha area at the camp. Both go back to your hotel after the evening programme, and in Ramadan the shows may be limited on both.
The two booking pages are not worded identically, so check the small points that matter to you. The full-day page lists air-conditioned tents, tea and Arabic coffee, vegan and gluten-free dishes and Tanoura and belly dance by name. The evening page lists Arabic coffee and dates on arrival and henna for women, and does not mention tents, vegan or gluten-free dishes. Ask us on WhatsApp if one of those decides it.
What each costs for two people
Prices are per person and paid on the day, so the sum for two is simple arithmetic. Here are the five ways a pair can book, and what the two of you get for the money.
| Choice | Per person | For two | What the two of you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evening quad, one shared bike | $70 | $140 | One quad between the two of you for 60 minutes; no dune bashing |
| Evening quad, a quad each | $105 | $210 | 60 minutes each on your own quad; no dune bashing |
| Full-Day classic | $45 | $90 | 30-45 minutes of 4x4 dune bashing; no quad |
| Full-Day with quad | $65 | $130 | 30-45 minutes of 4x4 dune bashing and a 30-minute quad ride each |
| Full-Day, quad for one of you | $45 + $65 | $110 | Dune bashing for both, a 30-minute quad ride for one |
Arithmetic from the per-person prices above, paid on the day; anything beyond the included programme is extra. The quad is optional on the full day, so one of you can take it and the other not; tell us when you book.
Compare like with like. At $140 the two of you share one quad for 60 minutes and there is no dune bashing; at $130 you get 30-45 minutes of dune bashing and a 30-minute quad ride each. They are $10 apart, but they are different days, not one day at two prices. If you both want to drive, the closer pair is $210 for 60 minutes on a quad each against $130 for 30 minutes each plus the dune bashing, which is $80 apart. The cheapest of the five is the $90 classic, if neither of you needs to drive.
The full day also has a dune buggy option at $240 per person. The three formats are laid out in Dubai desert safari prices, and quad bike or dune buggy compares the two machines.
If you are still unsure
Answer these in order and stop at the first yes.
- Do you want to drive for a full hour? Book the Evening Quad Bike Safari: $70 shared, $105 on your own quad.
- Do you want the 4x4 dune bashing ride? Book the Full-Day Desert Safari at $45.
- Do you want the ride and a short quad turn? The full day at $65.
- Is someone in your group under the quad minimum age of 10-14, or are you staying in Sharjah or Ajman? The full day.
- Still torn? Send us the date, your hotel, how many of you are coming and their ages on WhatsApp, and we help you pick. Nothing is paid until the day, and you can cancel free up to 24 hours before pickup.
FAQ
Evening quad bike safari or full-day desert safari: which should I book?
Book the Evening Quad Bike Safari ($70 on a shared quad, $105 on your own) if you want to drive: it includes a full 60 minutes on a quad but no 4x4 dune bashing. Book the Full-Day Desert Safari ($45, or $65 with a 30-minute quad) if you want 30-45 minutes of 4x4 dune bashing.
Does the quad bike safari include dune bashing?
No. 4x4 dune bashing is not included in either option of the evening quad safari: you travel in a shared air-conditioned vehicle and the quad is the adventure. If you want dune bashing, choose the Full-Day Desert Safari.
How much time on a quad do I get with each safari?
A full 60 minutes on the evening quad safari, at both $70 and $105. On the Full-Day Desert Safari there is no quad at $45 and a 30-minute quad ride at $65.
Which is better for a couple?
For a couple who want to drive, the evening quad safari: $140 for two on one shared bike for the hour, or $210 for a quad each. For a couple who would rather be driven, the full day: $90 for two, or $130 with a 30-minute quad ride each.
Which is better for children?
The full day, if the children are young. On the evening safari, under-16s ride only on a bike shared with an adult and the minimum age is 10 to 14 depending on the session. The full day welcomes families, and children over 5 usually enjoy it most.
Which one should I choose if I get car sick?
The evening quad safari has no 4x4 dune bashing, the part of the full day that bothers carsick guests, though you still travel about 45-60 minutes to the dunes. On the full day, skip a heavy meal 2-3 hours before pickup, ask for the front seat and the driver can keep the dune bashing gentle.
Are the camp, dinner and shows the same on both safaris?
Mostly, but not word for word. Both end at Al Khayma camp with a BBQ buffet with vegetarian options, unlimited soft drinks, a fire show and traditional dance. The full-day page also lists air-conditioned tents and Tanoura and belly dance; the evening page lists Arabic coffee and dates and henna for women.
Can I cancel, and do I pay in advance?
You pay nothing in advance on either safari: you agree the date on WhatsApp and pay on the day. You can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before pickup.
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