Terms & Conditions

These terms apply to every tour and activity booked with Golden Dunes Desert Safari. Booking with us — on WhatsApp, by email, or through a form on this website — means you accept them.

Who we are

Golden Dunes Desert Safari is a tour operator arranging desert safaris and city tours in Abu Dhabi, operating since 2015. We are a service-area business with no walk-in office. Our camp is in the Al Khatim desert; the camp and the animals in it are operated by a partner, and our vehicles and drivers work under established local partnerships. We say this plainly on our About page rather than implying we own everything.

Booking and payment

• A booking is confirmed when we confirm it to you in writing on WhatsApp or by email — not when you fill in a form.
• Nothing is charged on this website. There is no deposit, no payment link and no online checkout.
• You pay cash or card at the camp on the day of your trip.
• We will never ask you to transfer money to a personal bank account. If anyone claiming to be us does, it is not us — tell us immediately.
• All prices include VAT. There is no card surcharge.

Prices and what they include

The price you are quoted covers the package described at the time of booking. Optional extras — quad bikes, the dune buggy, a longer camel ride, VIP seating, sheesha, photography — are priced separately and every one of those prices is published on this website. The price at the camp is the same as the price on the page.

City tour entry tickets are not included in the tour price and are listed individually on the relevant pages.

Cancellation and changes

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before your pickup, with nothing owed. Full detail, including late cancellations and no-shows, is on the Cancellation & Refund Policy.

Pickup and timing

• Your pickup window is confirmed on WhatsApp, usually the evening before.
• Please be ready at the agreed point on time. On a shared vehicle the driver may not be able to wait more than ten to fifteen minutes without affecting other guests.
• If you are running late, message us immediately rather than at the pickup time.
• Self-drive guests receive GPS coordinates and an arrival window and should arrive inside it.
• Timings shift with sunset across the year. See safari timings.

Safety and who can take part

• Dune bashing is driven by experienced desert drivers. Seat belts are worn at all times during the drive.
• Dune bashing, quad bikes, the dune buggy, sandboarding and camel riding are not advisable for pregnant guests or anyone with heart, back or neck conditions. The camp, the food and the shows remain fully available.
• Quad bikes and the dune buggy are self-driven and are used at your own risk. You must follow the guide’s instructions.
• Helmets and goggles are provided for quad bikes and the buggy and must be worn.
• We may refuse participation in any activity, without refund, to anyone who appears intoxicated, ignores safety instructions, or puts others at risk.
• Tell us in advance about medical conditions, allergies or mobility needs so we can plan properly rather than improvise at the camp.

Children

• Dune bashing from age 3, camel rides from about 4, sandboarding from about 5, quad bikes from 12, dune buggy passengers from 8 and drivers from 16.
• UAE law requires a child safety seat for any child under four, and no one under ten or under 145 cm may travel in the front seat. Tell us your children’s ages when you book. You are welcome to bring your own seat.
• We will not carry a small child on an adult’s lap during the dune drive. If a seat cannot be arranged, we will suggest the self-drive option or a private vehicle instead.
• Children remain the responsibility of the accompanying adult throughout.

Weather and conditions

If we cancel a trip because of extreme weather, blowing sand or any other safety concern, you choose: a free reschedule to any available date, or a full refund of anything you have paid. We would rather move your trip than send you into conditions we would not go out in ourselves.

Behaviour at the camp

It is a shared, family camp. Alcohol is not served and is not permitted. Please respect other guests, the staff, the animals and the desert — take your rubbish with you and do not remove or damage anything.

Photos

We sometimes photograph at the camp for our own website and gallery. Tell your guide if you would rather not appear and that is the end of it. If you find a photograph of yourself on this site and want it removed, message us and it comes down.

Your belongings

Please keep valuables with you. We are not responsible for items lost or damaged at the camp or in vehicles. Anything loose in an open pocket on a quad, a buggy or a camel will very likely end up in the sand.

What we are responsible for

We arrange your tour with reasonable skill and care and we work with established local operators. To the extent permitted by law, our liability for any booking is limited to the amount you paid for that booking. Nothing in these terms limits any liability that cannot lawfully be limited — including for death or personal injury caused by negligence.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the United Arab Emirates and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and any dispute falls to the courts of Abu Dhabi.

Contact

Golden Dunes Desert Safari · Al Khatim Desert, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates · WhatsApp +971 50 277 1900 · info@abudhabidesertsafaritour.com