Dubai Desert Safari Info

[NGFellow]

Any recommendations for the above in Dubai? A couple of families with small kids (ages 6 onwards). Would you suggest the day trip or an overnight camping experience?

[springbok449]

Hi NG, are you wanting to go with a company or self-drive?
I would recommend that you go for an afternoon drive first to familiarise yourself (especially the kids) then go for a camp later plus it's probably a little cool to camp at the moment...

Let me know if you need anymore info.

Rgds.

Bokkie

[RemoveB4Flght]

The desert safaris, while a staple tourist experience, are not really anything life changing. They will pick you up almost anywhere in Dubai, most are small owner/operators or contracted to another company. They drive not too far outside the city and it becomes a few hour ordeal of alternating between 5 to 10 minutes of "dune bashing" and then stopping for various tourist trap opportunities i.e. photos with camels, rides with camels, seeing a falcon, quad bike rentals, sand boarding, etc. All of this of course sounds like fun, but most of it will cost you extra, and is generally a let down. At the end you go to a big compound where you spend the next hour or so waiting for a uninspired buffet dinner to be heated and uncovered, with a massive queue of 300 people. There is a brief belly dancing/whirling dervish show and then you get driven home.

In short... you do it once and pray no visitor to Dubai forces you to do it again.

[three eighty]

Get yourself a copy of this book.
Off-Road Adventure (UAE + Oman) Routes by Mike Nott for 99 dits.
It has a selection of routes that are graded according to you and your vehicles capability. GPS co-ordinates provided for all routes and a disc is part of the package for easy transfer of waypoints to your GPS.
I have seen copies on sale at Bikers cafe Jumeirah and Icon 4 x 4.

[NGFellow]

Thanks for the info!

[J.L.Seagull]

...and IF you happen to be a newbie to the desert and dune-bashing, you have two options.

1. Get yourself registered in an off-road driving course with one of the driving schools. (expensive, and IMHO, not really worth it, but some ppl do like the idea of professional qualified training).

2. Find an experienced friend, and go out with him/her for the first time. IF you like, PM me. I've been driving in the desert nearly every weekend for the last 15 years.

Going out on your own is not the touristy "desert safari" thing that RemoveB4Flight described, but more of an evening out in the sand. Again, IMO, much better, because you're not herded into the BBQ pen and forced to watch 10mins 3rd rate belly dancing. You do your own thing at your own pace.

Cheers!