Scottsdale ATV/UTV 2 Person Guided Sand Buggy Off-Road Tour

Recommended by 95% of travelers

Phoenix, USA

Popular pick

Booked 10+ times last week!

2 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.8

· Marcy_M ·

Feb 2026

We took the 4:00 trip. The temperature was perfect. We were hopeful for an awesome sunset but or course the clouds did not cooperate. Our guide was great. Ryan shared all kinds of facts with us about the desert and took us on a fun tour of the desert. We had a blast.

· Gennette_L ·

Oct 2025

We had a great time on this tour! The guides were so friendly. It was dirty, but so worth it! Be sure to wear something you don’t care gets full of sand, because the drive was worth the grit.

Overview

When visiting the Scottsdale or Phoenix area, this is an exciting off-road/racing styled adventure in Arizona's Sonoran Desert you won't want to miss! With a guide, drive through some of the finest off-road trails, washes, and hillsides aboard a sand buggy for an adrenaline-filled adventure.

Drive a desert car off-road in the Sonoran Desert
Enjoy the beautiful desert scenery and look out for wildlife
Convenient meet-up location near Scottsdale
Guide handle navigation so you can relax

What's Included

ATV Sand Buggy
Helmet
Bottled water
Gators
Snacks
Photos
Professional Guide
Fuel

Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

HFV4+MV Mesa
HFV4+MVM Mesa, AZ, USA
Refer to Maps and Directions page on outfitters website. You will receive a text with directions. Arrive 15 minutes before the tour begins. Guides can not wait if you are late. No refunds for no shows. Please call the office to arrange transportation. Uber and Lyft are not recommended.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Not far from Scottsdale, Arizona, have fun on desert trails as you drive your own ATV with an experienced guide along for the ride, with key advice and top-notch instruction in this fun and safe excursion.

Outfitted with goggles and a helmet, make your way along sandy washes and rocky creek beds, eventually crossing ridge lines for a bird’s eye view of the Sonoran Desert. Drive a "C2" Desert car, which is a 2-seat vehicle with a roll cage and seatbelts.

Important Note: Each booking must have 2 people.

Tonto National Forest

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Lake Saguaro (Pass By)

Four Peaks (Pass By)

Sonoran Desert (Pass By)

Salt River (Pass By)

Sonoran Desert National Monument (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level

Must have valid Drivers License to drive.
Transportation can be arranged for an additional fee. Uber and Lyft are not recommended. Call for details.
Weight restriction per buggy is 400 pounds
Tour runs rain or shine
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers

Supplied by

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

Paul_S

It was a fun trip out into the Sonoran Desert. The vehicles were easy to drive and a lot of fun. The trails too us to some beautiful places to see and there were nice terrain variations and fauna like cacti to see. Our guide was great and when we stopped for a break, he gave us a great overview of the area and its history snd characteristics. It was definitely something I would do again!

Reviews

4.8

based on 210 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Warm February ride.

Marcy_M, Feb 2026

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Thank you for the wonderful 5 star review of our Scottsdale Offroad Adventure! Ryan loves showing off The Sonoran Desert to guests!

Need your own transportation

Curtis_H, Jan 2026

Signed up for 9am. Was called and told they didn’t have enough for 9. Can you do 3:45? And you can’t take uber or Lyft to drop off due to no address or signal. We couldn’t make it work and I have not been given a credit yet.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Curtis, Thank you for your feedback and for the 1 star review. We’re very sorry for the inconvenience with your tour time. Occasionally, when we don’t have the minimum number of guests for a departure, we reach out right away to offer alternate times, which we did — we never want to disappoint our guests! We completely understand that the later time didn’t work for your schedule. Your refund was processed the same day, and depending on your bank and Viator, it may take a few business days to appear. I would reach out to Viator, since they are processing the refund.

A Blast in the Desert with a great guide.

Scott_C, Jan 2026

They should know that we haven’t rode wheelers in 25 years so there was some anxiety but after the safety talk and how to follow each other and how to operate the vehicles was very fun my wife ended up having to drive cause I had a reason I could not and my wife drove like a champ when I sent my daughter a picture of it her response to it was no way and I had as much fun not driving watching her tear it up thanks to our guide Ryan and the info he shared with us that we did not know some of it about Cactus some of it about mines and rock up by 4 Peaks would highly recommend going with Desert Dog there machines were newer seats were so comfortable, they give you a helmet with a clear visor on it to protect your eyes and your sunglasses you also get a face cover for the dust.,don’t hesitate go have some fun.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you so much for sharing your awesome experience! 🌵 We’re thrilled to hear you and your wife had such a fun and memorable time on your Scottsdale off-road ATV adventure — especially after not riding for 25 years! Ryan will be so happy to know his briefing and desert knowledge helped you feel comfortable and confident out on the trails. Exploring the Sonoran Desert around Four Peaks is always a treat, and we love that you enjoyed learning about the cactus, rocks, and old mining areas along the way. Our goal is to make every tour both exciting and fun, so it’s great to hear you appreciated the newer machines, comfortable seats, and full protective gear. Thanks again for choosing Desert Dog Offroad for your Arizona adventure — we hope to see you back for another ride soon! 🧡🐾

Amazing excursion for teenagers!

Kim_E, Jan 2026

We just enjoyed this experience on Jan. 16, 2026 while we were in Phoenix for our sons’s club volleyball tournament. It was better than we could ever have imagined-Chris was a fabulous tour guide, teaching us about the area and its history. The dune buggies were amazing to drive! Our 17 year old had more fun with this than driving ATV’s in Honduras last summer. We highly recommend this tour-sunset was beautiful!

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you for choosing Desert Dog Offroad during your visit to Phoenix! We’re so glad you had an incredible experience exploring the Sonoran Desert with Chris as your guide. Driving our dune buggies through the desert at sunset really is something special! We love hearing your family enjoyed it even more than ATV riding abroad. Thanks for recommending our offroad desert tours—hope to see you again for another Arizona adventure!

Family Fun

Todd_P, Dec 2025

Tour guides were very friendly. Beautiful way to experience the desert and a great adventure for the family.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you for the 5 star review! Hope you and your family gets to visit with us!!!

Fun Ride in the Sonoran Drsert

Paul_S, Nov 2025

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We’re thrilled you had a great time exploring the beautiful Sonoran Desert with Desert Dog Offroad. Our trails near Scottsdale offer the perfect mix of adventure, scenic views, and fascinating desert wildlife — and we’re glad you enjoyed learning about the area from your guide. We can’t wait to have you back for another off-road adventure through Arizona’s most stunning desert trails! 🌵🚙

Worth the Grit

Gennette_L, Oct 2025

We had a great time on this tour! The guides were so friendly. It was dirty, but so worth it! Be sure to wear something you don’t care gets full of sand, because the drive was worth the grit.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! 🌵 We’re so glad you had a great time exploring the desert with our awesome guides — getting a little dirty is all part of the off-road fun! 🚙💨 Thanks for the tip to future adventurers, and for choosing Desert Dog Offroad Adventures, the closest and top-rated offroad tour near Scottsdale! Hope to see you again for another Sonoran Desert adventure!

Cool experience

Rai_R, Sep 2025

This was fun and with some great views along with sunset, just unbelievable!. Be ready the ride will be bumpy but I think is worthy and adds to the fun.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! 🌵 We’re thrilled you had such a fun time exploring the Scottsdale ATV trails with Desert Dog Offroad. The sunset views in the Sonoran Desert truly are unbelievable, and we love that you got to take it all in while enjoying the excitement of the ride. Yes, the trails can be bumpy—that’s what makes an off-road ATV tour in Scottsdale so adventurous and unique! We appreciate your recommendation and can’t wait to welcome you back for another unforgettable Arizona ATV adventure.

Gorgeous home would you

tonda_p, Sep 2025

The house was beautiful clean very peaceful neighborhood and the owners were extremely nice would definitely stay there again

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you!

Awesome experience

Stacy_B, Aug 2025

My niece and I did a Desert Dog tour on August 8 and Michael our guide was absolutely amazing! It was great experience and so much fun, will definitely do it again next time we are down there 👍 . Stacy B.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you, Stacy! 🌵 We’re so glad you and your niece had such a fun time out on the trails with Michael. He’ll be thrilled to hear your kind words! We can’t wait to welcome you back for another adventure next time you’re in town. 🚙💨

Best experience ever!!!

Sienna_T, Jun 2025

Our travel guide, Mike, was hilarious and a lot of fun! I would recommend this tour and company to everyone!

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you for the Awesome 5 star review of our Scottsdale, ATV Sand Buggy Adventure! Hope you get to visit with us again!

Fun OHV ride

Christopher_D, May 2025

Great tour and fun (dusty) ride through Sonaran desert. First time for my 18yr old and she did great driving offroad

Response from Host, May 2025

Thank you!

Had a blast!

Christopher_J, Apr 2025

Had a blast! Our guide Ryan did a wonderful job. Super friendly and informative and made sure everyone on our tour had a good time. Loved the variety of scenery on the tour. Our tour was in the beginning of April, perfect weather.

Response from Host, Apr 2025

Thank you!

Nice ride on the UTV,...

Britt_H, Mar 2025

Nice ride on the UTV, guides Don and Mike were great, it’s a dusty ride but well worth it, we had a perfect weather day

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Thank you!

I had a blast and you will too.

Stephanie_P, Mar 2025

I had so much fun on this off-road adventure. Before the tour starts, they set you up with helmets and gator masks so you won’t be breathing in all of the dust. Your vehicle has a glove box to store your films, wallets or anything else you choose to bring with you. Please keep in mind that it does get dusty. I went with my husband and we both shared a UTV. I let him do the driving so I could enjoy the scenery. The trail is full of sand, bumps, dust, and beautiful views of the Sonoran desert and it was exactly what I was looking for. There was one stop on the tour and our guide was offering our group water and snacks. Our guide was very kind and cool to talk to. He was very knowledgeable about the desert and all the vegetation. He gave me great advice on how to care for my cholla cactus that I picked up 13 years ago. I definitely recommend this adventure.

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Wonderful review our Sand Buggy Adventure. Thank you!

Sunset Tour

Gianna_D, Jan 2025

Such a cool and fun experience! We did a sunset tour and the views were absolutely amazing! Mike and Ryan are expert tour guides making sure to keep everyone safe, informed, and having fun! Would definitely do again!

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Thank you for the Awesome 5 star review! Our guides strive to make your offroad adventure an amazing one1

Fun experience!...

William_B, Jan 2025

Fun experience! Appreciated that they are organized well and start on time. Great way to see the beautiful desert.

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Thank you for the 5 star review of our Sand Buggy Desert Adventure! I agree, its a great way to experience The Sonoran Desert!

The Road Less Traveled

Mike_M, Jan 2025

Ryan is the best guide. Very cool. Tell him if he is ever in OKLAHOMA to look me up. Your crew was AWESOME. I think my side by side needs a few bolts tightened. Can't wait until you get the new cars with the upgraded suspension. Mike Massey 405-919-2196 cell.

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Mike, Thank you for the 5 star review! We love Oklahoma!

Buggy Fun!

Valerie_L, Jan 2025

This was so much fun! I highly recommend! Ryan was a wonderful guide! It is very very bumpy so if you have any body issues you should be careful. My husband and I are in our 70s and we came away unscathed. It is VERY VERY. Dusty so be ready to be covered head to toe! My husband was like a kid driving the buggy and it was very safe , beautiful and loads of fun!

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Valerie, Thank you for the 5 star review of our ATV Sand Buggy Adventure! Hope you get to visit with us again.

Great Arizona Desert Experience with the Desert Dogs !!!!!

Kevin_r, Jan 2025

Ryan was a great guide. He made the tour fun and he killed it with a great trail ride with amazing Mountain views. The sunset was amazing and I would highly recommend this tour to anyone. It was reasonably priced and the attention to detail was great. Michelle called and sent texts with the exact meeting location and gave us all the necessary details.

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Kevin, Thank you so much for your amazing 5-star review! 🌟 We’re thrilled to hear you had such a wonderful experience and that we could be a part of making it memorable. 🌵

Enjoyable and Fun

PENNY_M, Jan 2025

The kids had a great time, and the guide was easy to follow. The scenery was beautiful and they got to see a lot.

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Penny, Thank you for the wonderful 5 star review of our Atv Sand Buggy Adventure! It is a great way to experience desert and take in the beautiful scenery!

Great guide. Fun...

Rachael_M, Jan 2025

Great guide. Fun experience. My kids 10 and 13 loved it! Would definitely recommend. The highlight of our Scottsdale trip!

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Thank you for the 5 star review of our Atv/Utv Desert Adventure! I'm so glad the kids loved it! It is a great activity for the whole family!

Girls trip

Jordan_M, Jan 2025

So much fun and a must do when visiting the desert! The terrain was rocky but expected and the view was unforgettable!

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Jordan, Thank you for the 5 star review of our ATV/UTV Desert Adventure. I agree the views are beautiful!

Desert Buggy Ride

Keith_A, Dec 2024

Mike and Ryan are awesome!! Professional and help you have a great time. Be ready for a fun and bumpy ride. Great views along the way.

Response from Host, Dec 2024

Thank you for the 5 star review of our ATV Sand Buggy Off-Road Adventure Tour! With over 50 years of combined off-roading experience Mike and Ryan take pride in what they do! Thank you!

It was ok

Lisa_K, Nov 2024

Our guide Ryan was good but the details of the experience listed on the website wasn’t exactly correct. It was basically a ride through the dessert with no details or sites.

Response from Host, Nov 2024

Thank you for your review.

Fun adventure!

Vrinda_K, Nov 2024

The guides were fantastic and took good care of us. The trails were awesome! Despite the cold and rain on that day, we still had a great time and would do it again!!! Highly recommend!

Response from Host, Nov 2024

Thank you for the wonderful 5 star review. For over 27 years we have been offering exhilarating off-roading tours in The Sonoran Desert! Hope you get to visit with us again!

Bucket List Adventure!

Alfredo_R, Oct 2024

The entire tour was a great experience to have with family and friends. The views of the mountains and desert landscape are breathtaking. Don our tour guide was very knowledgeable and extremely professional.

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Thank you for the wonderful 5 star review. Yes, I agree our Sand Buggy tour is a great offroad adventure to do with family and friends! Hope to see you again!

Great sandbuggy experience!

Adriana_G, Oct 2024

Great sandbuggy tour with Mike and Ryan! They told us exactly what to do and were patient with everyone. Very knowledgeable about the terrain and safety!

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Adriana, Thank you for the awesome 5 star review! Yes, they are very patient with customers and love to share their knowledge of off-roading.

Awesome trip thru the desert

Silvana_L, Oct 2024

It was a great experience Mike and Ryan were great tour guides. It was our first time on dune buddy’s.

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Thank you for the 5 star review! Our vehicles are very easy and fun to drive, which makes it perfect for anyone that is novice to off roading. Hope to see you on the trails again!

Great experience in the...

Frank_M, Oct 2024

Great experience in the desert with great guides michael and ryan informative safe and fun... michele the owner went out of here way to accommodate us at the last minute..