The UAE · WILDLIFE
The 5 best wildlife trips you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is first for a reason, so start there.
Leave your Dubai hotel around 4:00 to 4:30 AM for a sunrise safari with an English-speaking driver such as Mustafa, Bhiru, or Ornell. Ride a 4WD over the dunes, try sandboarding, watch for oryx and gazelles, then eat breakfast beside Al Qudra Lake. The tour lasts about four hours.
“Very knowledgable guide lots of info. Camel ride was great”
Ride from your Dubai hotel in a Land Rover Defender to the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. A trained guide points out oryx, gazelles, birds, tracks, burrows, and desert plants before a gourmet buffet and à-la-carte breakfast at Al Maha Resort. The five-hour outing suits anyone who wants wildlife and quiet dunes instead of dune bashing.
“Fantastic start to the morning followed by a scrumptious brekkie with great views. Interesting to learn about the desert conservation area”
Ride a private air-conditioned 4x4 from Dubai into the desert for dune bashing and beginner-friendly sandboarding. You will also visit Al Qudra Lakes, stop at an Arabian Oryx feeding station, and enjoy Arabic coffee, dates, water, and soft drinks. The tour suits active visitors, but climbing back up the dunes takes real effort.
“A really funny experience, but be aware that walking up the sand dunes is really hard work.”
Start with hotel pickup in a private air-conditioned 4x4, then tackle 20 minutes of dune bashing and 15 minutes of sandboarding. Your English-speaking driver takes you to an Arabian oryx and gazelle feeding station, then Al Qudra Lakes for birds, refreshments, and a snack box. Guides such as Mustafa, Ahmed, Sahib, and Ornell are praised for friendly, careful driving.
“The private desert wildlife experience was amazing. This was largely due to our guide Sahib being so friendly and knowledgeable, not to mention brilliant at dune bashing. He said the desert would be ours for the trip, he wasn't joking, we did not see a single soul on our drive through the desert. We did see some lovely rabbits and gazelles and some birdlife including flamingoes at the lake stop off. Highly recommend if you would like some peace away from the hustle and bustle but also the thrill of riding the dunes!”
A four-hour Arabian Adventures outing with hotel pickup, a guided camel ride, wildlife viewing, and a light breakfast beside a desert lake. Guides such as Atif and Perera have added useful Dubai and desert details to the drive. Expect a quiet morning, not dune bashing, sandboarding, or a big entertainment show.
“I’m so happy, I could see and ride a camel today … it was such a nice experience :) I was the only one who booked this tour today and so I got a private tour just for me. That was really cool. My guide Perera picked me up at the hotel and drove me to the desert reservation, showing me lots of things along the way and giving me interesting information. The camels were already waiting there. They were so gentle and curious…super cute :) It was definitely a highlight for me and I can highly recommend the tour and the guides :) I’m hoping to do another tour…”
Pick a dune, a deck or a viewing floor.
