A white 4x4 cresting a golden dune with the Dubai skyline in the distance

Explore Dubai Desert · The Journal

Stories from the Dubai desert

Culture, nature and honest, practical guides to the dunes, camps and mountains beyond the city.

Start reading Browse all guides

A traditional wooden dhow boat with warm lights sailing through Dubai Marina at sunset, with guests dining on the open upper deck and the Marina skyscrapers glowing behind

Featured · Planning

Desert Safari and Dhow Cruise in Dubai: How to Plan Both

Planning a desert safari and dhow cruise in Dubai? See if both fit in one day, Creek vs Marina cruises, sample itineraries, what's included and booking tips.

Explore Dubai Desert Team · 5 November 2026 · 9 min read

New to the desert?

Start here

Fresh from the journal

Latest stories

View all

Racing camels with small robot jockeys galloping along a sandy track at the Al Marmoom camel racetrack near Dubai at sunrise, with 4x4 vehicles following on a parallel road

Culture & Nature

Camel Racing in Dubai: How to Watch the Races at Al Marmoom

Camel racing Dubai guide: when the 2026-27 Al Marmoom season runs, race times, free entry, robot jockeys, how to get there and tips for your first race day.

1 Nov 2026 · 10 min read

White 4x4 parked on a red sand dune ridge outside Dubai while a family of four looks out over empty dunes in warm late-afternoon light

Experiences

Private Desert Safari in Dubai: Is It Worth It and How to Book

Private desert safari Dubai guide: what private really means, private vs shared vs VIP, who it suits, what to check before you book and the best tours.

31 Oct 2026 · 9 min read

Rider on a chestnut Arabian horse walking along a golden sand dune ridge outside Dubai at sunset, with ghaf trees and soft warm light

Experiences

Horse Riding in the Dubai Desert: Stables, Rules & First-Ride Tips

Plan horse riding in the Dubai desert: where to ride, sunrise vs sunset slots, age and 85kg weight limits, what to wear, beginner tips and tours to book.

30 Oct 2026 · 10 min read

Private luxury dinner table with lanterns, cushions and rugs set on golden sand dunes outside Dubai at sunset, with a vintage open-top Land Rover parked nearby

Experiences

VIP Desert Safari Dubai: Luxury Camps, Private 4x4s & What's Included

Planning a VIP desert safari in Dubai? Compare luxury camps, private 4x4 and vintage Land Rover tours, gourmet dinners, what's included and how to pick one.

29 Oct 2026 · 10 min read

Guests watching the sunset from a high red sand dune outside Dubai, with 4x4 vehicles parked on the crest and a lantern-lit desert camp in the valley below

Experiences

Evening Desert Safari Dubai: Timings, BBQ Dinner, Shows & Tips

Plan an evening desert safari in Dubai: pickup and sunset times by month, what's included, the BBQ dinner and live shows, camp types, Ramadan changes and tips.

28 Oct 2026 · 10 min read

Rolling red sand dunes outside Dubai in soft early-morning light, with smooth wind-sculpted crests, long shadows and a pale clear sky

Experiences

Morning Desert Safari Dubai: Timings, What's Included & Tips

Plan a morning desert safari in Dubai: pickup times, what's included, sunrise vs standard trips, morning vs evening, the best months, what to wear and tours.

27 Oct 2026 · 9 min read

Shaded walkway through the date palms of the UNESCO-listed Al Ain Oasis, with a falaj water channel and a mud-brick fort tower in warm afternoon light

Culture & Nature

Al Ain Day Trip from Dubai: Oasis, Forts & Jebel Hafeet

Plan an Al Ain day trip from Dubai: the UNESCO oasis, Al Jahili Fort, the reopened Al Ain Museum, Jebel Hafeet, the camel market, timings, routes and tours.

26 Oct 2026 · 11 min read

White 4x4 driving along a red sand dune in the Al Wadi desert of Ras Al Khaimah, with the Hajar Mountains on the horizon at sunset

Experiences

Ras Al Khaimah Desert Safari: Al Wadi Dunes, Camps & Tips

Plan a Ras Al Khaimah desert safari: where the Al Wadi red dunes are, evening vs morning vs overnight tours, the main camps, RAK vs Dubai and tips to book well.

25 Oct 2026 · 11 min read

Two-seater dune buggy with roll cage driving over red sand dunes near Dubai at sunset, kicking up a spray of orange sand

Experiences

Dune Buggy Dubai: A First-Timer's Guide to Self-Drive Desert Buggies

Planning a dune buggy ride in Dubai? Licence and age rules, Polaris vs Can-Am, 2 or 4 seats, Lahbab vs Al Badayer, safety, what to wear and how to book well.

24 Oct 2026 · 10 min read

Stories worth your time

Arabic coffee being poured from a brass dallah into a small cup beside a bowl of dates in a desert majlis

Culture & Nature

Bedouin Culture on a Dubai Desert Safari: Traditions, Food & History

Bedouin-style desert camp glowing under the Milky Way on an overnight safari near Dubai

Experiences

Overnight Desert Safari in Dubai: What It's Really Like

Kayakers on the turquoise water of Hatta Dam surrounded by the rocky Hajar Mountains

Culture & Nature

Hatta Day Trip from Dubai: Dam, Kayaking, Heritage & Hiking

20 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

Small herd of white Arabian oryx standing among low shrubs on pale sand dunes in the morning

Culture & Nature

Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve & Wildlife: An Eco-Friendly Safari Guide

20 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

Category

Planning

More Planning

Planning

Travel Tips

More Travel Tips

Tourists watching a golden November sunset from the top of a red sand dune in the Dubai desert, with 4x4 vehicles parked below and soft evening light over the dunes

Travel Tips

Dubai in November 2026: Weather, Events and the Best Desert Experiences

4 Nov 2026 · 10 min read

Category

Experiences

More Experiences

Open-air desert dinner in Dubai at dusk with Arabic mezze dishes and brass lanterns on a low wooden table, cushions, a campfire and string lights among the sand dunes

Experiences

Culture & Nature

More Culture & Nature

Culture & Nature

Families

More Families

Family with young children relaxing at an Arabian-style desert camp near Dubai at dusk

Families

Desert Safari with Kids: A Practical Family Guide

4 Oct 2026 · 7 min read

A family on a camel ride at a desert camp

About the journal

Honest writing about the Dubai desert

Explore Dubai Desert is an independent travel journal covering desert culture, nature, experiences and practical planning. We update guides when things change and label every affiliate link.

More about us Tours we recommend

Stories from the Dubai desert

Desert Safari and Dhow Cruise in Dubai: How to Plan Both

Start here

Latest stories

Camel Racing in Dubai: How to Watch the Races at Al Marmoom

Private Desert Safari in Dubai: Is It Worth It and How to Book

Horse Riding in the Dubai Desert: Stables, Rules & First-Ride Tips

VIP Desert Safari Dubai: Luxury Camps, Private 4x4s & What's Included

Evening Desert Safari Dubai: Timings, BBQ Dinner, Shows & Tips

Morning Desert Safari Dubai: Timings, What's Included & Tips

Al Ain Day Trip from Dubai: Oasis, Forts & Jebel Hafeet

Ras Al Khaimah Desert Safari: Al Wadi Dunes, Camps & Tips

Dune Buggy Dubai: A First-Timer's Guide to Self-Drive Desert Buggies

Stories worth your time

Bedouin Culture on a Dubai Desert Safari: Traditions, Food & History

Overnight Desert Safari in Dubai: What It's Really Like

Hatta Day Trip from Dubai: Dam, Kayaking, Heritage & Hiking

Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve & Wildlife: An Eco-Friendly Safari Guide

Planning

Desert Safari and Dhow Cruise in Dubai: How to Plan Both

Is a Dubai Desert Safari Safe? Dune Bashing, Health and Safety Tips

Desert Safari Cost in Dubai: What You Pay For & Mistakes to Avoid

First-Time Dubai Desert Safari: What to Expect + 12 Tips

Best Time for a Dubai Desert Safari: Month-by-Month Guide

What to Wear on a Dubai Desert Safari (+ Packing Checklist)

Travel Tips

Dubai in November 2026: Weather, Events and the Best Desert Experiences

Experiences

Desert Dinner in Dubai: Al Hadheerah, Sonara Camp and Safari Camps Compared

Private Desert Safari in Dubai: Is It Worth It and How to Book

Horse Riding in the Dubai Desert: Stables, Rules & First-Ride Tips

VIP Desert Safari Dubai: Luxury Camps, Private 4x4s & What's Included

Evening Desert Safari Dubai: Timings, BBQ Dinner, Shows & Tips

Morning Desert Safari Dubai: Timings, What's Included & Tips

Ras Al Khaimah Desert Safari: Al Wadi Dunes, Camps & Tips

Dune Buggy Dubai: A First-Timer's Guide to Self-Drive Desert Buggies

Stargazing in the Dubai Desert: Best Spots, Dates & Tips

Culture & Nature

Camel Racing in Dubai: How to Watch the Races at Al Marmoom

Al Ain Day Trip from Dubai: Oasis, Forts & Jebel Hafeet

Mleiha & Fossil Rock: A Sharjah Desert Day Trip from Dubai

Bedouin Culture on a Dubai Desert Safari: Traditions, Food & History

Big Red & Al Qudra: Dubai's Iconic Desert Spots Explained

Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve & Wildlife: An Eco-Friendly Safari Guide

Hatta Day Trip from Dubai: Dam, Kayaking, Heritage & Hiking

Families

Desert Safari with Kids: A Practical Family Guide

Honest writing about the Dubai desert