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Abu Dhabi: Morning Dune Drive, Camel Ride & Sandboarding

Recommended by 99% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

4 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Experience thrills, spills and high-octane adventure among the dunes on this morning desert safari from Abu Dhabi. Visit a Bedouin-style camp nestled deep in the desert before the day’s heat kicks in. Ride and roll over the sand by powerful 4x4 vehicle, and feel the wind in your face as you dominate the dunes! Explore the terrain in style on camelback, just like the desert-dwelling Bedouin peoples, and enjoy breathtaking views over the rugged landscape. Test your balance sand boarding down the dunes, then enjoy refreshments back at camp.

Enjoy three activities at a Bedouin-style camp before the desert heat cranks up
Slip and slide down the dunes on a thrilling 4x4 dune bash
Hop aboard a camel for a ride across the sands
Take to a sandboard to glide and skid down the steep sandy slopes

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

This desert trip starts a tad earlier from May-September than most similar tours to avoid the worst heat.

What's Included

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Desert Drive in 4WD (Dune Bashing)
Short Camel ride
Sandboarding session
Light refreshments such as Arabic Tea, Coffee, Dates, Soft Drinks & Mineral Water

Gratuities
Food and drinks, unless specified

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Our pickup locations are within Abu Dhabi only. Unfortunately, we do not offer pickup from Dubai or any other emirates except Abu Dhabi. We offer pickup from any Hotel, Shopping Malls in Abu Dhabi.

Operating hours
.7:00 am

What To Expect

Al Khatim

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not recommended for pregnant women or participants with back problems
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Infant seats available

Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 100 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Karen_B

This experience was the best part of my two week vacation. Our tour guide was Gino and he was an absolute dream. So well mannered. He came to pick us up a little bit early and he called to let us know he was here but did not make us feel rushed. During the dune bashing I felt completely confident in his skills. It was so much fun. I actually rode a camel and had fun watching others in our group sandboard. I would recommend this tour to anyone and everyone!!!

Reviews

4.9

based on 546 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Morning with the camels

Mairi_M, Dec 2025

Great morning out in the dunes and seeing the camels! Would not be good for someone who gets car sick but we absolutely loved it.

Response from Host, Dec 2025

We are so glad you had a positive experience with Emirates Tours and Safari LLC. Your support is invaluable to us. Looking forward to seeing you again soon!

Great for littles!

Reanna_T, Mar 2025

We were a large group with small kids (6 adults and 2 kids). 2 of us are traveling from the U.S. and the rest are local. We had a great time, even the locals! They were prompt picking us up and had the appropriate car seats for the kids. 8 thumbs up!

Response from Host, Mar 2025

We are so grateful for your kind words and 5-star rating! Our team works hard to ensure every customer has a memorable experience. If there’s anything else we can do to make your next visit even better, please let us know.

Breathtaking ride in the...

Ram_B, Mar 2025

Breathtaking ride in the desert. Get ready for sudden drops and sideways riding on the dunes. The drivers are extremely skillful.

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Thank you so much for your 4-star review! We appreciate your support and are glad to hear you had a positive experience. If you have any suggestions on how we can make your next visit even better, please feel free to reach out. We look forward to serving you again soon

What a fun tour!

Debbie_t, Jan 2024

What a fun tour!! We had Nasim and he was a fabulous guide! Highly recommend!! The dune bashing was incredible as was the short camel ride! And sledding down the dune was so much fun!

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We are thrilled to hear that you had a great time at Emirates Tours and Safari LLC. We look forward to welcoming you back soon!

The excursion is great by...

Alla_Z, Apr 2023

The excursion is great by context, dune bashing is unbelievable experience (Ferrari park indeed 😀), the desert is beautiful. Our tour was slightly spoiled by the fact that our car got broken even before the first stop (something with power, not charged enough?). So we had to wait for another car for 20 minutes (which was not a problem as we were enjoying the scenery and taking pictures) but obviously with the car we also lost a guide who was supposed to take care of us, as the new one was just a substitute driver, so on all the subsequent stops we were by ourselves. Also because of this delay we were late to return to the hotel by the check out time

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We're glad to hear that you enjoyed the dune bashing experience and found the desert beautiful. However, we're sorry to hear that your tour was slightly spoiled due to the car breaking down and the delay it caused. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the delay and for the loss of the guide who was supposed to take care of you. We understand that this may have impacted your experience, and we will be sure to address this issue with our team to ensure that such incidents are avoided in the future. We appreciate your feedback as it helps us to improve our services and provide a better experience for our guests. Thank you again for choosing our company, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back for a better experience in the future.

Experience of a Lifetime

Karen_B, Dec 2021

Amazing trip

Matthew_S, Mar 2020

Amazing trip, our guide was great, really enjoyed the whole trip. Been to the Uae for 20+ Yeats and keeps saying we should do that.. we should have. 5*

A really good morning in the dunes. The...

valerie, Sep 2018

A really good morning in the dunes. The driver was very skilled and knowledgeable.

It was a fantastic ride. With a...

Joao M, Jan 2018

It was a fantastic ride. With a super friendly guide. And fortunately without having to take with the belly dancer!

Avoid! l3 hours in length including...

Sharon S, Apr 2017

Avoid! l3 hours in length including pick up/return . 7 seater 4WD we were picked up last so were squashed in the two rear seats. My seatbelt was broken . Driver gave no commentary. The sand boarding hill wasn't steep enough for anyone to get the boards moving. Camel ride was a 50 metre led circle

Very ordinary tour that lacked fun...

Chattan_K, Feb 2017

Very ordinary tour that lacked fun and surprise. Expensive. The driver/guide was just going through the motions most of the time. The "dune bash" was monotonous and uninteresting, with so-so scenery. The camel ride was all too brief.

I was disappointed that I did not...

czarina c, May 2016

I was disappointed that I did not get a private safari for me and my friends. It was rather awkward having a stranger join us. The guide was not willing to wait and let me finish my breakfast at the hotel as I was never told a specific time to be ready. The 4x4 dune bash was fun but anything more than 15 min. was too much. My friends were getting motion sickness and needed to rest afterwards. I didn't bother with the camel ride as I've already done that in Qatar and Egypt. The sand boarding was something new to try but they need to fix the boards. Some of them were not bolted down securely enough for safety reasons. It was unbearably hot before 11 a.m. and we were ready to go back to the hotel.

Excellent value. My tour guide was...

Jones1465, Apr 2016

Excellent value. My tour guide was great and this safari was a lot of fun. I would do it again next time I am in Abu Dhabi. Don't miss this one. All 5 stars all the way.

Good to get out of the city for a...

Robert E, Jan 2016

Good to get out of the city for a few hours and do something a little bit different. The 4x4 dune bashing was fun, but the camel riding and sandboarding weren't great. The camel ride was about 200 yards in a circle and the sandboards were just lying there and we were told to just have a go. Would have been better with a bit of instruction. Not a bad way to spend a few hours, but could be improved.

Brilliant! Lots of fun and driver/tour...

Caron S, Jan 2016

Brilliant! Lots of fun and driver/tour guide was very knowledgable!

Great 1/2 day excursion. Guide...

Neil S, Dec 2015

Great 1/2 day excursion. Guide was terrific - lots of fun hanging out with the camels.

4x4 dans le desert tres...

Frederic_V, Mar 2025

4x4 dans le desert tres bien. Chauffeur très gentil et bon pilote par contre la ballade en chameaux a duré 2 minutes maximum. très decu. nous avons mis la moitié du temps sur la route (aller/retour) sur le lieu d'activité Une petite pause avec un thé offert aurai été le bienvenue.

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Merci pour votre avis. Vos commentaires sont très importants pour nous, mais nous sommes désolés de vous annoncer que notre forfait SAFARI MATINAL ne comprend qu'une courte balade à dos de chameau. Si vous avez souhaité une balade plus longue, nous vous conseillons de réserver une RANDONNÉE À DROMADAIRE de 30 minutes. Si nous pouvons améliorer votre prochaine visite, n'hésitez pas à nous le faire savoir.

Top

Marie_B, Dec 2024

Top Expérience incroyable!! Le guide était super ! Je recommande à 100 % Merci pour cette matinée !!

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Merci beaucoup pour l'avis 5 étoiles ! Nous sommes ravis d'apprendre que vous appréciez notre safari matinal dans le désert d'Abu Dhabi : 4x4 Dune Bashing, balade à dos de chameau et sandboard et apprécions vos commentaires. J'espère vous revoir lors de votre prochaine visite.