Desert Safari

The desert safari is definitely something everyone should do while in the UAE. The tour begins when your guide picks you up in an SUV at your hotel, and other guests at theirs, and then drives 40 minutes outside of Dubai heading toward the desert. After a quick stop at a convenience and souvenir store where the guide lowers the tire pressure of the SUV to prepare for desert driving. Once you get to the desert entrance your driver takes you dune bashing through mountains and mountains of sand for about an hour. Toward the end of the dune bashing, you will have an opportunity to get out of the SUV and take pictures of the dunes and the desert. The tour then continues on to a campsite where you can ride a camel, sand board down the side of a dune or go four wheeling. Once inside the camp the show starts with a falconry demonstration after which dinner is served and the entertainment continues with whirling dervish and belly dancing shows. It is by far one of the most unique experiences of the trip.

The Tips

• The food at the camp is buffet style and is just okay.

• There’s a small market at the campsite where you can shop for souvenirs before the show. Expect the bargaining to be aggressive here.

• Communicate well with the organization ahead of time so you don’t cause delays in the group when your guide comes to pick you up.