The desert safari is a must-see event for everyone who visits the United Arab Emirates. It is an experience that you can share along with your family and friends and take back the memories with you. It would be worth every single dollar that you spend.
You have a choice of safaris to choose from – you could choose either Morning Desert Safaris, Evening Desert Safaris, or Overnight Desert safaris, but the best thing for you would be to take the leisurely Evening desert safari or the Overnight safari because it allows you to escape the harsh sunlight and the scorching daytime desert temperatures.
The Evening Desert Safari normally departs in the late afternoon and takes you across the deserts of Dubai. You will enjoy the Arabian Roller Coaster ride (which is also popularly called ‘dune-bashing’) as you will laugh and cry at the same time. It takes you across the dunes with many photo-stops towards the first destination which is a camel farm. You watch the beautiful sunset and drive on till you reach a campsite, where you can do camel riding and sand boarding. Do not miss the traditional Arab coffee and dates. If you have the inclination, you could try henna designing on your hand and feet. You can dress up for the occasion by wearing an attire like a traditional Bedouin. Work up an appetite and enjoy a barbecue dinner under the starry skies and you could also try the Shisha, which is the famous traditional Arabic hubly-bubly water pipe. Finally, you get a chance to watch the famous Arabian belly dance perform around a camp fire before returning back to Dubai.
The Morning Desert safari is suitable for people who do not have time to spare in the afternoon or in the evening. You start at about 9.00 am and head straight for the desert where you enjoy 20 minutes of thrilling dune bashing and then you are taken to a camp where you can try out 15 minutes of Quad biking, camel riding, and sand skiing. It is a two hour package.
Should you be interested in the Overnight Desert Safari, there is nothing like it. This safari contains all the elements of the evening desert safari. However, instead of returning to Dubai in the evening you get an opportunity to spend a night in a desert campsite. You will be able to sleep cozily inside your spacious tents, under the star studded sky, within the warmth and security of your sleeping bags, and experience that beauty of a cool Arabian night. In the morning, you get a chance to see the stunning sunrise, eat a hearty continental or Arabian breakfast and return to Dubai.
You could also try the Hatta Wadi Safari, where you can travel through the sandy desert landscape and ride to the mountainous region, colloquially known as the ‘Hatta’. You can then ride through the deep desert trenches and get an opportunity to witness the beauty of million-year old mountain ranges. You can also splash in the cool waters of the natural pools, colloquially known as the ‘wadis’. You can also see an ancient fort en-route. Later on, you can visit the Hatta Fort Hotel, where you can take enjoy a brief swim, followed by an exotic Arabian lunch, before returning back to Dubai.
A trip to Dubai would be a waste without experiencing one of the adventurous desert safaris. This wonderful experience will be etched in your memory for a long, long time to come, and don’t forget to check the other exciting Dubai desert activities too.