Experiencing Dubai Desert Safari is a must not only for residents but for all tourists as well. It is a completely unique adventure, allowing you to experience the wilds of the desert.
It was not our first time to encounter this kind of adventure, but it was a ‘first’ for my mother, who went to Dubai and stayed with us for a month to take care of our daughter, Becca. I knew when she came to Dubai, that she must experience Desert Safari and we really need to go for it!
Booking the Tickets
Booking for the tickets was quite easy. I bought ours with one Tourism Agency I’ve found in Facebook. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to save their contact details, but for sure, you could find a lot of tourism agencies online. You would also see a lot of their advertisements online, so looking for a tour package has been made easier nowadays.
We paid for the tickets in cash once we met the driver who met us at the meeting point.
Our ticket costs AED39 ($10.60) per head which excluded Dune Bashing. At that time, we didn’t opt for dune bashing since Becca was with us, and I thought she would not like it much – for sure she would get dizzy, fuzzy and just cry – so we skipped that part.
Our package included a good barbecue dinner, some drinks, a free Henna tattoo and watching a show of talented entertainers.
How To Get There
By Shared Tour
If you have purchased a tour package from an agency, then transportation is usually included in the cost -where they will pick you up from a specified location, then go to the desert for dune bashing, and finally reaching the drop off point where dinner will be served and shows to be watched.
By Self-drive
For us, we opted for driving ourselves to the meeting point – which was also the starting point for dune bashing that we’ve chosen to exclude.
We parked our car on the sand beside the road – since we were instructed not to park on the road itself as we would be given a police fine by doing so.
From the meeting point, one SUV drove us to the drop-off point or they call the Bedouin camp.
Our Experience
Month of May was not actually an ideal time to go for Desert Safari – it was already hot and summer has already started. But we didn’t have much choice as my mother was here only for a month.
There were lots of things you could experience in this tour.
You can experience Dune Bashing on your way to the Bedouin camp which was actually fun. We didn’t do it on this trip but during our first desert safari experience, it was like a roller coaster ride but with a jeep and over the desert sand. Your driver will take you around the desert, going up and down the highest sand dunes, in seemingly the craziest way possible. It made us nauseous afterwards yet we still enjoyed in some way.
Aside from that, you could also do sandboarding, camel riding, trying shisha (hookah pipe), having your hand painted with henna and trying their local cuisine through their Arabic food and barbecue buffet.
I was surprised that I was more scared than her – simply because she was used to riding huge carabaos in our home country. 😅
The scarves covering our heads were not actually free, we bought it from one guy who was selling it there for AED 20 ($5.45) per piece. Well, I know the price is really higher from the one you can buy from thrift shop, but as I said, “no money can buy a good memory”. 🥰
If you wish to have a more beautiful and elaborate tattoo, then additional fees will be charged.
These hands were mine and my mom’s. 😁
We were actually surprised because that store at the corner (left side) was selling alcoholic beverages. 😲
It is uncommon in Dubai especially if it’s not in a hotel – so, that was new for us.
The VIP Package
There were free foods and beverages offered at the camp. You would enjoy it while watching the live entertainment shows.
When we arrived at the camp, we were offered to upgrade our package for an additional AED 50 ($13.60) per head to enjoy the Arabic Food Buffet and to sit on an higher level at the camp. We gave it a little thought and finally decided to take the offer.
The VIP package will give you access to their food buffet, to different kinds of freshly grilled barbecue with different options – from mutton, chicken, with spicy and normal flavors – plus, you could start having foods earlier than others (since others who took the normal package will start eating only around 6 or 7pm).
The buffet includes a mix of different cuisines which included Arabic, Egyptian, Indian foods and others – from starters, to main dishes, soups, fresh salads and grilled barbecues. I just couldn’t enumerate each of the dishes’ name as I totally forgot, but I knew there were Moong Dhal, Afghan Rice, Pulao, Buttered Chicken and some Indian chicken soup. 😋
Take note that all these menus were not included in the normal package.
In addition, you would not need to fall in long queue to take your food, as in VIP, they will serve you your food when you asked for it – except for the buffet in which you have to get by yourself. Lastly, you will also enjoy unlimited beverages including water and soda plus some snacks such as samosa and fried onions.
Look how happy they are, but me at the back of the camera, was the happiest! 🥰
Having the VIP Package also allowed us to sit in an elevated or higher level of the Bedouin camp. Through this, we had a better view of the show and the whole camp itself.
All in all, we’ve enjoyed our tour. When it comes to food, we really enjoyed the most of it as it captured our taste buds.
And without a doubt, experiencing Desert Safari was all worth it.
Have you experienced Dubai Desert Safari? Did you enjoy it?
We would love to hear from you! Please share us your experience on the below comment section.
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