Evening Desert Safari Abu Dhabi with Dune Bashing & BBQ Dinner

Absolute ripoff. Driver collected me on time but spent 60% of his time on WhatsApp while driving on the highway, even around traffic circles. On arrival you were overwhelmed by the ground team with extra options for an extra charge. A falcon was forced onto my arm and photos began, right in front of the vehicle, not even with a desert backdrop. Even though I clearly stated I did not bring my xtra money, AED50. The Quad biking is only allowed in a small area where you eventually bore of driving in circles. The Camel ride should be titled Camel photo opportunity. The pen is about 10x10m for the “ride” but of course a long ride is available for extra charge AED50. Again I was simply taken on the 50m “long” ride while protesting that I did not bring extra money. Everything is “ok” until the end when you are harassed with a credit card machine. Sand boarding was ridiculous, two groups combined in the top of a small dune, 18 people, and given a single board, which had seen better days. So you had one ride and then waited forever if you wanted another go! Water is not included AED10. The dinner arrangements were dismal. The food was served about an hour late in the hope that you would purchase the extras, food and drinks. The chicken was bone only I did not have a single bite. Rice and pasta. Entertainment was good, but the people I met saved the evening for me. After the show when ready to go home we had to stand around waiting for the drivers and ground team to sort out their money matters and admin. Zero consideration for the Customer experience, all focussed on money grabbing. Sadly it was my last night in Abu Dhabi and the worst experience I’ve ever had. Do not be fooled by the incredible looking photos, it’s literally all it was. Do not book with this provider!

Excellent Desert Safari Experience with Great Organization and Professional Drivers I am doing this as descriptive as possible and not to act as an exclamatory promotional stuff, specially for first timers We experienced the Evening Desert Safari with Extreme Tourism during our stopover in Abu Dhabi on our way to the United States. Since we were visiting in June, when daytime temperatures are quite high, we specifically opted for the evening safari, and in hindsight, that was definitely the right choice. One feature that initially attracted us was the "Pay Later" option. The booking process was straightforward, and payment was collected only after we reached the desert camp, following the dune bashing experience. It worked exactly as promised. Hotel Pick-up We were staying at the Grand Millennium Al Wahda and the hotel pick-up was punctual and well coordinated. We were in the lobby about 15 minutes before the scheduled pick-up time. A few other guests from the same hotel had also booked the safari, and the hotel staff coordinated efficiently with the driver to ensure everyone boarded without delays. On the way, we picked up additional guests from the Shangri-La Hotel before heading towards the desert. The drive to the camel stop took approximately 75 minutes. Camel Stop and Dune Bashing Our driver, Shyam, was friendly and explained the itinerary and safety precautions during the drive. The first stop was at a camel camp, which primarily serves as a photography stop. This is also where all the safari vehicles regroup before entering the desert. The drivers then deflate the tyres of the Toyota Land Cruisers to improve traction on the sand. From here began the highlight of the tour — the dune bashing. The experience was absolutely exhilarating. The drivers were clearly highly skilled, navigating steep dunes with remarkable confidence and control. Our vehicle was towards the rear of the convoy, which turned out to be an advantage because we could watch the other vehicles climb, descend and slide across the dunes before experiencing it ourselves. Some dunes appeared to be around 30 metres high, and there were moments when sand completely covered the windscreen and side windows, briefly blocking visibility. Despite this, the drivers handled the terrain with impressive expertise. The dune bashing lasted roughly 45 minutes and concluded with a stop on top of a scenic dune plateau for photographs. It was interesting to see fellow travellers from all over the world enjoying the experience together, giving the tour a truly international atmosphere. Desert Camp The desert camp itself was well organised and had much better infrastructure than we had expected. There was a central performance stage surrounded by traditional Arabian-style floor seating with comfortable cushions, allowing guests to enjoy the entertainment while having dinner. The camp also had clean restroom facilities, a tattoo area, shisha (hookah) section, dining counters and several shaded seating areas. Adjacent to the camp was a large sand dune used for sandboarding. This turned out to be another enjoyable activity, although first-time participants should exercise a little caution while climbing and descending the dune. Dinner, Entertainment and Stargazing The food, refreshments and cultural performances were enjoyable and well organised. The most memorable moment, however, came towards the end of the evening. After dinner, the camp lights were switched off, allowing guests to experience the desert night sky. Away from city lights, traffic and noise, the stargazing was surprisingly beautiful and peaceful. For me, it was the highlight of the evening, second only to the dune bashing itself. Afterwards, we were comfortably driven back to our hotel. Visiting in June Many travellers may wonder whether June is a suitable month for a desert safari. While it is certainly hot, we found one advantage to travelling during this period—the crowds were noticeably smaller, making the experience feel more relaxed. For reference: Hotel pickup: approximately 43°C During dune bashing: around 45°C Arrival at the camp (around 6:00 PM): still warm After sunset during stargazing: approximately 28°C Fortunately, you spend most of the excursion inside an air-conditioned Land Cruiser, stepping outside mainly for photography, sandboarding and activities at the camp. This makes the heat much more manageable than one might expect. What to Wear Comfortable casual clothing works perfectly. I wore jeans and a T-shirt, while many other guests wore shorts, sleeveless tops or light casual clothing. Comfortable footwear is recommended, especially if you plan to try sandboarding. Water Drinking water was readily available throughout the trip whenever required. Since the desert climate is dry rather than humid, you may not notice yourself sweating much, but it is still important to stay hydrated. Overall This was an exceptionally well-organised excursion with excellent logistics, professional drivers and a memorable combination of adventure, entertainment and relaxation. For anyone visiting Abu Dhabi—especially first-time visitors who have never experienced the Arabian desert—I would highly recommend this safari. Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

We had an amazing desert safari experience thanks to Salem, who was both our driver and tour guide. He was extremely professional, friendly, and made the whole trip enjoyable from start to finish. His dune bashing skills were incredible — exciting, smooth, and safe at the same time. Salem made sure everyone was comfortable, took great photos for us, and explained everything clearly throughout the tour. You can tell he has a lot of experience and genuinely cares about giving guests a memorable experience. Highly recommend asking for Salem if you book a desert safari. He truly made our trip unforgettable!

I’ll enjoy this whole evening thanks to our amazing guide. The drive, the photos, sandboarding, the camel ride — everything was incredible. Thank you so much again for this unforgettable experience!

Thahzeer was the BEST tour guide ever! Wr literally spent hours taking photos and he did everything I asked him to. He even provided his own creative input at times. TYSM again, made my IG pic-dreams come true!

Salem was an excellent driver who provided us with amazing safari experiece

It was perfect. Exciting, spectacular, even thrilling. Our driver Amir was very kind and professional. Thank you for the adventure. We enjoyed it very much.

Nice and authentic experience. Felt safe the whole time and they made sure everyone was comfortable.

It was a very exiting experience, so nice guys at the Safari Dunes, very good driving skills from Hamdan and very friendly... Also at dinner experience included a very nice 3 performances show at the Arabic camp... 100% Recommended.

Awesome service, very safe and expert driving. 10/10