Dubai desert safaris

Due to their often inaccessible locations, unrelenting heat and generally harsh living conditions, deserts are not something we come across or get the chance to experience often – which is why this is such an essential Dubai experience.

First, there are your desert outdoor activities for those with an interest in adrenaline. These include sandboarding, dune-bashing (driving over dunes in 4x4s) and quad biking. A number of more nature-themed safaris head instead to the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, a stunning environment populated with rehabilitated indigenous wildlife, including the once-endangered Arabian oryx and gazelle.

Second, a trip into the expansive desert outside of the city also allows you to tick off a checklist of distinctly Arabian experiences. Many tours will include the option to ride on a camel, watch a traditional falconry display, smoke a sheesha and get a henna tattoo.

Your Lawrence of Arabia desert experience concludes at a Bedouin-style desert camp for dinner, with entertainment supplied by traditional local performers, including belly dancers.

Platinum Heritage and Sonara Camp are amongst the best operators that have overnight camp options. You could then also arrange a sunrise hot air balloon flight – a surreally beautiful way to see the desert.

Some of the desert activities have minimum age requirements; for example, dune buggying is for over-14s only (passengers) or over-18s (drivers), camel riding for over 5s. The sunset dinner safaris are a great experience for children from about 5 upwards.