Occasion · 10 people and up
Group desert safari, Abu Dhabi
Everyone advertises “up to 30% off for groups” and nobody publishes a table. Here is the vehicle maths for 20, 30, 50 and 100 people, what changes at each size, and the two things that actually go wrong on group bookings.
- 6 per Land Cruiser
- From AED 40 per person
- Coach from AED 60
- One pickup point works best
- Nothing paid in advance
Family reunions, school trips, wedding parties, sports teams and office groups. Tell us the number and the date.
The number everything depends on
Six people per Land Cruiser
That is the constraint. A 4×4 seats six passengers plus the driver, and it is the reason group logistics work the way they do. A coach carries far more per vehicle but cannot go on the sand.
| Group | Land Cruisers | Or one coach | What we would suggest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10–12 | 2 | Minibus | Land Cruisers. Everyone gets the dune drive and you all arrive together. |
| 20 | 4 | Coaster | Land Cruisers from a single pickup point. |
| 30 | 5 | Yes | A mix. Coach for anyone who would rather skip the dune drive, 4×4s for the rest. |
| 50 | 9 | Yes | Coach out to the camp, then dune bashing in rotation from there. |
| 100 | 17 | Two coaches | Coaches out, dune drive in shifts. Needs planning — give us a couple of weeks. |
The trade-off nobody explains
A coach is much cheaper per head — ours is AED 60 against AED 150 for shared 4×4 pickup — and it takes the graded road straight to the camp, so there is no dune bashing on the way in. Land Cruisers give everyone the drive but need one vehicle per six people, which costs more and takes longer to load.
For a big group the right answer is usually both. Nobody is forced onto a machine they did not want, and nobody misses the drive because the budget said coach.
Two things that go wrong
The pickup loop, and the seating
Multiple pickups turn one hour into three
This is the single most common complaint about group safaris anywhere in the Gulf, and it is entirely avoidable. Chained hotel collections across a city add an hour and a half before you have left.
One meeting point
A mall car park, an office, one hotel lobby. Everyone there at one time, one departure, everybody arrives together. If your group is split across hotels, pick the most central and taxi to it — it will still be quicker.
A group of thirty split across the camp
The other big one. You arrive as a group and end up at four tables in different corners because nobody reserved anything.
Tell us the number when you book
We reserve seating for the group. On a busy winter weekend, VIP majlis at AED 80 a head guarantees the front block together — that is the honest reason to buy it, and the only one.
A third, smaller one: head counts drift. Confirm the final number 48 hours before and small changes on the day are not a problem. Nothing is paid in advance either way, so a no-show costs you nothing on a standard shared booking.
Different kinds of group
School trips, reunions and wedding parties
- School tripsWe can provide an itinerary with timings, vehicle and driver details, the activity list with age limits, and our written safety and cancellation policies for your file. Ask us early about anything else your school or ADEK submission needs and we will tell you what we can produce rather than promise blind.
- Age limits matter for schoolsDune bashing from 3, camel from 4, sandboarding from about 5, quads from 12, buggy drivers from 16. Under-fours need a car seat by UAE law. All published on the family page.
- Family reunionsThe mixed-age problem. Grandparents can take the graded route and skip the dune drive; teenagers can have quads; everyone eats together. Tell us the ages and we will lay out the evening before you book.
- Wedding partiesBusy, loud, and best on a weeknight rather than a Saturday when the camp is fullest. The morning safari is the underrated option for a group with a heavy night behind it.
- Sports teams and clubsStraightforward. One pickup point, Land Cruisers, and quads at AED 100 which is what they will actually want.
- Mixed abilitiesAnyone who cannot dune bash goes on the graded route and arrives first. They get the whole camp and miss twenty minutes. Nobody is left standing at a roadside working it out.
FAQs
Group bookings — your questions
How many people fit in one vehicle?
Six passengers plus the driver in a Land Cruiser. Coaches range from a twelve-seat minibus up to fifty or sixty depending on what is available for your date.
How many vehicles do we need for 30 people?
Five Land Cruisers, or one coach, or a mix. For thirty we would usually suggest the mix so people who want the dune drive get it and people who do not are not stuck in it.
What is the minimum group size for a group rate?
Ask us with your number. Below about ten people you are simply booking the standard package, which is already from AED 40 a head and often the right answer.
Can we all sit together at the camp?
Yes if you tell us the group size when you book — we reserve seating. On a busy winter weekend VIP majlis at AED 80 a head guarantees the front block together.
Can you pick us up from multiple locations?
We can, and we would gently talk you out of it. Chained pickups across the city are what turn a one-hour journey into three. One meeting point is faster for everybody.
Do you do school trips?
Yes. We can provide an itinerary with timings, vehicle and driver details, the activity list with age limits, and our written safety and cancellation policies. Ask early about anything specific your school needs.
What if some of our group cannot do the dune bashing?
They take the graded route straight to the camp and arrive before everyone else. Full camp experience, missing only twenty minutes of driving. Tell us the number in advance.
Do you take a deposit for large groups?
No. Nothing is charged on this website. Confirm the final head count 48 hours before and pay at the camp on the day.
What happens if some of our group do not turn up?
On a standard shared booking, nothing — nothing was paid. Where we have held whole vehicles for you we will have told you at booking if a late change affects the price.
How much is it per person for a group?
From AED 40 self-drive, AED 60 on the shared coach, AED 150 with door pickup, AED 250 for the full evening safari. A private Land Cruiser is AED 700 for up to six. We quote itemised for the group.
Is there a separate area for our group?
Not a private one — the camp is shared. We reserve seating so you are together, and VIP majlis puts your block at the front. We will not tell you the camp is yours.
Are there toilets at the camp?
Yes, desert camp standard rather than hotel standard. With a group of thirty, go before the shows start — that is when the queue happens.
Send us the number and the date
You get a vehicle plan, an itemised price and a straight answer about how busy the camp will be that night. Nothing to pay until you arrive.
Corporate bookings · With children · Private vehicles · Budget options