This has to be on your list if you are visiting or living in Dubai.
We booked the VIP gold desert safari package as a treat for the boys, got picked up from the house, and spent an afternoon and evening out in the desert. Here is honestly what you get and what you should know before you book.
What is included
The package covered the lot:
- Pick up from our house
- Dune bashing in the car
- Sandboarding
- Camel riding
- A set menu dinner plus access to the buffet
- A fire show
There is a rest stop on the way out with complimentary water, which is also where the buggies are.
The buggies: the big optional extra
This one catches people out, so worth being clear. The buggies are not included in your ticket. They are an optional extra, and they are not cheap.
"The price you will see listed was 1,100 dirhams for the four seater. We got two, and we got the price down to 630 dirhams each. Not too bad."
So there is room to negotiate. We had not planned on doing them at all, but decided when in Rome. The boys had an absolute ball.
Worth noting: one of ours managed to break a buggy, which left us briefly stranded in the desert waiting for a replacement to come out. All part of the experience, apparently.
Dune bashing and sandboarding
The dune bashing is the bit everyone pictures when they think desert safari, and it delivers. If you are travelling with someone who gets motion sick, be aware, it is genuinely bumpy.
After that you park up in the desert and do the sandboarding, which the boys took to immediately.
The camp
By the time we arrived at the camp, both boys had fallen asleep in the car, which felt like a good sign.
The camp itself has more going on than we expected:
- A playground for younger children
- Camel rides, including some baby camels
- Stalls selling souvenirs and traditional clothing
- Table service for the set menu, plus the buffet
- A stage for the fire show and dancing
The food
The set menu started with a mushroom starter and a prawn starter served on a bed of melon, and then you also get access to the buffet on top of that. Nobody left hungry.
A tip on the sellers
A gentleman came round the tables with oils. They smelled lovely and one bottle lasts a couple of months. The asking price was 80 dirhams, and he very generously did them for 60. We ordered four or five.
Nothing about it felt pushy, which we appreciated. Same with the buggies. There is room to have a friendly conversation about price almost everywhere here, and it is a habit worth getting into. When you first arrive you tend to take every price at face value, and after a while you realise you do not have to.
Would we recommend it?
Yes, wholeheartedly, and especially if you have family visiting. It is one of the few things that genuinely works for adults and children at the same time, and it gives you an evening in the desert that feels a world away from the city.
If you are new here and looking for other things to fill those first few months, this sits nicely alongside the rest of what Dubai does well for families. Have a look at our wider guide to moving to Dubai with family for more of what we wish we had known early on, and the cost of living page if you are still building your budget.
Thinking about making the move? Take our neighbourhood quiz to find the right area for your family, or take a look at the relocation package if you would like personalised help with schools, housing and the whole process.