The Last Weekend Before School: A Desert Plan That Does Not Wreck Monday
Three days off, then the first school bell of the year. Which night to take the children out, what time you actually get home, and the version of this trip we would tell a parent to skip.
- 6 min read
- Al Khatim Desert
- Children under 3 free
Tomorrow is Friday 28 August, a public holiday, and then Saturday and Sunday. On Monday the 31st the school year starts. So this is the last free weekend of the summer, and if you have children you are probably trying to do two things at once — give them something worth remembering, and still get them into a classroom on Monday morning in a fit state to be there.
Those two goals fight each other on exactly one night. Here is how to plan around it.
Take them Friday or Saturday, not Sunday
The evening safari gets you home around half past nine, later if you are the last drop on the route. Add a shower, the sand that gets into everything, and the wind-down that follows an exciting night, and a child is asleep somewhere near eleven.
That is a perfectly normal holiday bedtime. It is a bad one the night before a new school year, and a worse one if your child is starting a new school, a new class or KG1.
So: Friday 28 if you want the fullest camp and the most atmosphere. Saturday 29 if you would rather have room on the carpets — same trip, same price, and it leaves Sunday clear for uniforms, bags and an early night.
Saturday is the one we suggest to most parents who ask. Sunday is lovely and quiet, and it is the one night of the three we would rather you did not pick.
What the evening actually looks like on a clock
Nothing here is a surprise if you see it written down first. Sunset on Friday is at 6:45 PM, and the whole evening is built backwards from it.
| Time | What is happening |
|---|---|
| 3:00–3:30 PM | Pickup from your hotel or building |
| about 4:30 PM | Arrive at the dunes, dune bashing starts |
| 5:30–6:45 PM | Camel ride, sandboarding, photos, sunset |
| from about 7:15 PM | BBQ buffet, tanoura, fire show |
| about 8:30 PM | Leave the camp |
| about 9:30 PM | Back at your door |
If you drive yourself you control both ends of that, which is why a lot of parents pick self-drive and leave the camp early. Nobody minds. The full timetable for every package is on the price and timings page.
The one version to skip this weekend
The overnight safari on Sunday night. You sleep in a tent, wake for the sunrise and get back to the city mid-morning — which is the middle of the first school day of the year.
It is a genuinely special trip and we would love to sell it to you. Book it for tomorrow night instead, or wait for October when the nights are actually cool and there is no Monday attached.
The other one to move rather than cancel: quad bikes in the middle of the day. In late August that is a helmet, an engine and about 40°C. At the camp in the evening they are fine, and children under twelve ride double with a driver anyway.
What actually works, by age
| Age | Dune bashing | What they will remember |
|---|---|---|
| Under 3 | Ask for the gentle route | The camels and the fire. Free of charge |
| 3–6 | Gentle route | Camel ride, sandboarding on their bottom, the falcon |
| 7–11 | Fine on the normal route | Sandboarding, quad double with a driver, the fire show |
| 12+ | Fine, and they will ask for more | Everything. This is the age that loves dune bashing |
Tell the driver before you set off if anyone gets car sick or would rather take it easy. The route is adjustable and it costs nothing to ask — what does not work is discovering it halfway up a dune.
More detail, including seat and car-seat questions, is on the family safari page.
What to actually put in the bag
- A change of clothes each. Sand goes everywhere. A car with clean children in it is a calmer car.
- Closed shoes for the drive, bare feet at the camp. Sandals disappear into the dunes.
- A light long-sleeved top. Not for cold — for the wind on the dunes and for mosquito-free evenings by the fire.
- Water, more than you think. It is included at the camp, but the drive out is an hour.
- Wet wipes. Every parent who has done this once brings them the second time.
- Anything your child needs to sleep. Most under-sevens fall asleep on the drive home. That is the plan working, not going wrong.
What not to bring: new white trainers, and anything you would be upset to lose in sand at night. The full list is on the what to wear page.
What it actually costs a family of four
Two adults and two children, evening safari, everything at the camp included — dune bashing, camel ride, sandboarding, the shows and the full BBQ buffet.
| How you travel | Family of four |
|---|---|
| You drive to the camp | AED 160 |
| Sharing bus from Al Wahda, Mazyad or Safeer | AED 240 |
| Sharing Land Cruiser, hotel pickup | AED 600 |
| Private car, whole car up to six | AED 700 |
Children under three do not pay. If your family is five or six people, the private car stops being the expensive option and starts being the sensible one — it is a flat AED 700 whether there are three of you or six.
No deposit and no card details. You pay at the camp, and you can cancel free up to 24 hours before.
If you are deciding this evening
Tomorrow is a public holiday, so the sharing bus is the seat that runs out first and it may already be gone. Self-drive and the private car stay open latest, because neither depends on a shared seat.
We wrote the whole picture — what closes first and how late each option really runs — in the last-minute booking guide. The short version: message us with the date, how many of you there are, where you are staying and whether you have a car, and you will get a straight yes or no in a few minutes.
And if the answer for Friday is no, Saturday is the same trip at the same price — and for a family it is the better night anyway.
Questions parents ask us on WhatsApp
Is a desert safari safe for young children?
Yes, with one conversation first. Tell the driver before you set off that you have small children and he will take the gentle route through the dunes instead of the sharp one. The camel ride is short and led on foot, and sandboarding on a low slope suits children from about four.
What time will we be home if we go on Friday?
Pickup is 3:00 to 3:30 PM and you are usually back at your door around 9:30 PM, a little later if you are the last drop-off. If you drive yourself you can leave the camp whenever you like, which is why a lot of parents choose that option.
Should we book the Sunday night before school starts?
We would not. The evening trip gets you home around half past nine and school begins on Monday 31 August. Friday or Saturday gives the children the same night out and leaves Sunday free. The overnight safari on Sunday is a straight no, because you return to the city mid-morning on the first school day.
Do children pay full price?
Children under three go free. Above that the per-person price applies, so a family of four is AED 160 if you drive yourself, AED 240 on the sharing bus, or AED 600 in a sharing Land Cruiser with hotel pickup. A private car is a flat AED 700 for up to six people, which is usually cheaper for a family of five or more.
Is it too hot in late August for kids?
Not for the evening trip. You reach the dunes late in the afternoon, sunset is around 6:45 PM and the camp cools noticeably once the sand stops holding the day’s heat. Midday quad bikes and long camel treks are the things to avoid at this time of year.
Can we still book for tomorrow night?
Often yes, but tomorrow is a public holiday so the sharing bus may already be full. Self-drive and the private car stay available the longest. Message us with your date, numbers and location and you will get an honest answer within a few minutes.
Going without the children another time?
The same evening at a different pace: the evening safari is the one most people book, the private car is what you want when you would rather not share, and the long weekend guide explains which of the three nights suits which kind of evening.
Tell us the ages and we will tell you the plan
Send the date, how many adults and children, and where you are staying. A real person replies, usually within a few minutes. If the night you picked is the wrong one for a school family, we will say so.
Al Khatim Desert · Abu Dhabi | Pay on arrival · Free cancellation 24h · Under 3 free