Red Dunes Desert Safari with Quad Bike Option & BBQ Dinner Dubai

The red dunes of Lahbab

Lahbab lies south-east of Dubai off the road to Hatta, about 45 minutes from Downtown, and it is where most visitors meet the famous red sand. Iron oxide in the grains gives the dunes their deep orange to rust-red colour, which glows almost crimson in the late afternoon. The dunes here are tall and steep, with long sharp crests, which makes Lahbab the classic setting for a red dunes desert safari in Dubai.

The area is wide open, with scattered ghaf trees and desert shrubs between the dunes, and on clear days you can see the outline of the Hajar Mountains far to the east. Our licensed guide knows the desert well and chooses the slopes for each part of the safari, from the steepest climbs for dune bashing to gentle faces for sandboarding and open ridges for the sunset.

Desert station stop and quad bike ride

The first stop is a desert station at the edge of the dunes, with air-conditioned rest tents, clean restrooms, small shops for snacks, scarves and souvenirs, and outdoor seating. While you relax, your guide lowers the tyre pressure of the 4x4 for grip on the sand. This is also where the quad bike track starts.

In this default option your self-drive quad bike ride is included. After a safety briefing and helmet, you ride your own quad on the red sand, following the marshal along the track and feeling the bike climb and turn on the dunes. For many guests it is the highlight of a desert safari with quad bike in Dubai. Quad biking is self-driven at your own risk and is not covered by the provider's insurance, so travel insurance is recommended.

Dune bashing and sandboarding

Back in the 4x4, the guide takes you dune bashing for 30 to 40 minutes: fast climbs, sideways slides along the crests and steep drops into the hollows, all with seat belts on and a driver trained for desert conditions. Dune bashing in Dubai is famous for good reason, and the high red dunes of Lahbab give the most exciting ride.

Halfway through, the car stops on a smooth slope for sandboarding. You sit or stand on the board and glide down the dune as many times as you like; there is no skill needed and the soft sand makes every fall harmless. Your guide films and photographs the activities, so you get the pictures without missing the fun. Avoid a heavy meal two or three hours before the drive.

Camel ride and sunset photo point

After the adrenaline comes a calmer moment: a short camel ride across the sand, which you can repeat on request. Camels carried people and goods across this desert for centuries, and the slow, swaying walk is the best way to feel the silence of the dunes. Children under 12 ride with an adult.

As the sun goes down, your guide stops at a photo point in the middle of the red sand. The dunes change from orange to deep red and then violet, and the long shadows make the ridges look sculpted. Sunset falls between about 5:30 pm in winter and 7:10 pm in summer, and our pickup times are set so that you reach the dunes in time.

Bedouin camp: BBQ dinner and shows

After dark you arrive at a Bedouin-style desert camp with low seating, carpets and a central stage. Tea, Arabic coffee and dates are served throughout, along with soft drinks, Arabic snacks and fruit salad. You can have a small henna design painted, put on traditional Arabic dress for photos and relax in the shisha corner, which is free in the designated area.

Dinner is a halal BBQ buffet with grilled meats, rice, breads, salads and mezze, plus vegetarian and dietary choices, followed by dessert. The live shows include a fire show, the whirling Tanoura dance with its colourful spinning skirts and a belly dance performance; dance shows are not held during Ramadan and on some religious days. You are back at your hotel about seven hours after pickup.