Dubai Desert Safari: My Honest 2025 Review of BBQ, Camels & Sandboarding

So, you’re looking at a desert safari in Dubai. You have apparently seen the amazing pictures online. I mean, the golden sands, the stunning sunsets, and all that fun stuff, you know? The question is that, is it really as good as it looks? Well, I went on one of these trips recently, specifically the ‘Dubai Desert Safari: BBQ, Camel Ride & Sandboarding’ tour, to see for myself. Honestly, I wanted to share a genuine rundown of what happens, what feels great, and what you should, kind of, know before you go. This whole thing is basically about swapping the city’s tall buildings for huge, open sand dunes for an afternoon and evening. At the end of the day, it’s an experience a lot of people have on their Dubai list.

The Pickup and The Shift to Sand

Okay, so the day pretty much started with a pickup from our hotel. The vehicle was a clean 4×4 Land Cruiser, which, frankly, got me a little excited for the off-roading part. The driver was a really friendly person, and he spoke English quite well. You spend about 45 minutes to an hour in the car, by the way. This time is sort of a cool transition. You see, you literally watch Dubai’s super modern city skyline fade away in the rearview mirror. It is replaced by, well, a flatter, more sandy view. It’s actually a pretty interesting change of scenery, you know? Our driver told us some neat facts about Dubai as we drove, so it felt more like a personal tour. At the end of the day, that small talk made the ride feel quicker. We then reached a sort of staging area, just at the edge of the desert reserve. Here, the drivers prepare the cars for the sand by lowering the tire pressure; this is obviously a very important step for driving on dunes.

Absolutely Wild Dune Bashing Fun

Frankly, this was the part I was most looking forward to. And honestly, it did not disappoint. Dune bashing is basically like a rollercoaster on sand. The driver, who is obviously a skilled professional, takes the 4×4 up and down these massive sand dunes. You are literally sliding sideways down steep slopes of sand. It’s an absolutely incredible feeling. We were laughing and screaming the whole time; it was seriously so much fun. The vehicle goes up a dune that seems almost vertical, and you sort of hold your breath. Then, you get to the top, and for just a second, you see nothing but endless sand around you. Next, you tip over the edge and slide down in a controlled, yet completely wild, way. The ride goes on for about 20-30 minutes, which is, I mean, a good amount of time. You get all the thrills without it being too much. Anyone who gets a little queasy from motion might want to take a motion sickness pill beforehand, to be honest. Our driver put on some upbeat Arabic music, which, you know, just added to the whole vibe.

Golden Hour Views and Sandboarding Attempts

After the crazy dune ride, our driver found the perfect spot for us to stop and watch the sunset. This part was just beautiful. The desert gets very quiet when the engines are off. You are standing on top of a sand dune, and the sun is just a huge orange ball dipping below the horizon. It seriously paints the entire sky in shades of orange, pink, and purple. The photos we took here are, you know, some of the best from our entire trip. The temperature starts to drop a little, which is actually a nice relief from the afternoon heat. This is also where they brought out the sandboards. A sandboard is pretty much like a snowboard, but without the bindings. You just stand on it and try to slide down a sand dune. It’s harder than it looks, definitely. Most of us ended up tumbling in the soft sand more than actually sliding, but it was just hilarious. It’s a very lighthearted activity and a really fun thing to do with your group.

A Short Camel Ride into Camp

Next up was the camel ride. It is, like your vision of a desert trip, more or less. The camels were all waiting, just chilling out in a line. Getting on one is a bit of a funny experience. The camel stands up in two movements, first the back legs then the front, so you kind of lurch forward and back. You definitely have to hold on tight. The ride itself is actually pretty short, maybe 5 to 10 minutes. It’s not a long trek through the desert. It is more or less a slow, calm walk from the desert area to the main camp. It’s basically a photo opportunity and a chance to say you’ve ridden a camel in the Arabian desert. The camels themselves seem very gentle. The view from up high on a camel gives you, well, a slightly different look at the surroundings. After this little ride, we arrived at the entrance of a big, open-air camp that looked like something from a movie.

The Camp Experience: Food and Fun Under the Stars

The camp had a really great atmosphere as soon as we walked in. It’s sort of set up with low tables and cushions on carpets surrounding a central stage. There were different stations set up for activities, so we explored a bit. I got a small, pretty henna design on my hand, which was a nice free souvenir. There was also a shisha corner where you could try flavored water pipes, you know, for a small extra cost. They even had some traditional Arabic outfits that you could put on for photos, which was a fun thing a lot of people were doing. As the sky got completely dark, the lights around the camp made everything look pretty magical, honestly.

How was the Food, Really?

Now, let’s talk about the BBQ dinner, which is obviously a big part of the name. It was a buffet setup, so you could pretty much help yourself. The options were actually really good. There were a bunch of salads, like hummus, tabbouleh, and fatoush, with warm Arabic bread. For the main course, there were grilled meats like chicken skewers and lamb kofta, which were cooked right there. There were also some vegetarian choices like lentil curry and rice, so pretty much everyone was covered. The food was tasty and there was plenty of it. It’s not fine dining, of course, but for a meal served in the middle of the desert, it was seriously good. Soft drinks and water were included too, which was great. The whole setup was pretty efficient, and we didn’t have to wait in line for too long.

Dancers, Fire, and the Final Show

Just as we were finishing our meal, the entertainment on the main stage started. The first performance was a Tanoura dancer. This is a guy in a huge, colorful skirt who just spins and spins for what feels like forever. The skirt lights up with LEDs, so in the dark, it creates these incredible patterns. It’s absolutely mesmerizing to watch. After that, a belly dancer came on stage. Her performance was very energetic and skillful, and she got some people from the audience to join in, which was fun to see. The grand finale was a fire show. The performer did amazing things with fire, like eating it and spinning flaming props around. It was a very dramatic and exciting end to the night’s entertainment. At the end of the day, all the performers were really talented and put on a great show.

Honestly, the entire evening felt very well-organized. From the dune bashing to the final fire show, everything flowed nicely from one thing to the next, you know?

• Dune Bashing: A totally thrilling and fun part of the trip.
• Sunset: The views are absolutely breathtaking and worth the trip alone.
• Food: A pretty good selection of tasty food in a buffet style.
• Entertainment: The dancers and fire show were very captivating.
• Overall Vibe: A really enjoyable experience that gives you a little taste of desert life.

Read our full review: Dubai Desert Safari Review 2025 Full Review and Details

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