Toilets at the Desert Camp: The Straight Answer
Yes, there are separate washrooms. They are desert-camp standard rather than hotel standard — they exist, they work, and they are basic. Here is what that actually means and what to bring.
- 4 min read
- Separate washrooms
- No stop on the drive out
Nobody wants to ask this and everybody wants to know, so here it is written down rather than left to a guess.
The honest summary: there are separate washrooms at the camp, they are functional, and they are not what you have at your hotel. That is true of every desert camp in this country, and any operator implying otherwise is managing your expectations rather than meeting them.
What “desert-camp standard” means
There are separate washrooms at the camp, listed among the eighteen things included in every standard package. They are a short walk from the seating on flat ground and they are lit after dark.
What they are not: tiled, air-conditioned, or attended. They are a facility in the middle of a desert an hour from the nearest building, run on what can be brought out there. Treat them as you would the facilities at a festival or a roadside stop rather than a restaurant, and you will not be surprised.
Two things we will not claim. There is no baby changing table — bring a mat and use the car or the carpets, which is what parents end up doing anyway. And we would not describe them as suitable for someone with limited mobility; if that matters to your group, tell us on WhatsApp before you book and we will give you a straight answer rather than a hopeful one.
The drive out, and the one stop
This is the part people do not think about. The drive from the city to the camp is forty-five minutes to an hour, with no scheduled stop along the way.
There is one pause before the camp: the tyre stop at the edge of the dunes, where the driver drops the pressure from about 35 psi to 15 and everyone gets out for a few minutes. That is at the desert, not on the road, and it has no facilities — it is open sand.
So go before you leave the hotel. It sounds obvious and it is the single most useful line on this page, particularly for anyone travelling with children or in late pregnancy.
If a stop on the way is genuinely likely to be needed, a private car is the answer, because it stops when you say rather than when the convoy does.
When to go, and when not to
The camp evening has a rhythm and there is a busy moment worth avoiding.
Straight after you arrive is quiet. Most people head for the carpets or the camel line first.
Just before dinner is served is the queue. Everyone has the same idea at the same time, roughly ninety minutes after arrival.
During the shows is quiet again, and the buffet stays open rather than being served in one sitting, so stepping away costs you nothing.
Go in the first half hour or during the tanoura, and you will not queue at all.
What to bring
Small things, and they make a disproportionate difference out there.
Tissues or a pack of wipes. Bring your own rather than relying on what is there.
Hand sanitiser. Same reasoning.
A changing mat if you have a baby with you — see the travelling with a baby page for the rest of that list.
A small torch, or your phone. The walk over is lit but the sand between is not always.
Everything else you might want — water, soft drinks, tea, coffee — is already there, unlimited and free from arrival to departure.
Facilities questions people ask quietly
Are there toilets at the desert safari camp?
Yes. There are separate washrooms at the camp, included in every standard package. They are desert-camp standard rather than hotel standard — functional and basic. Bring your own tissues and hand sanitiser.
Is there a toilet stop on the drive to the desert?
No. The drive is forty-five minutes to an hour with no scheduled stop. The only pause is the tyre stop at the edge of the dunes, which is open sand with no facilities. Go before you leave the hotel.
Are there baby changing facilities at the camp?
No changing table — do not count on one. Bring a mat and use the car or the carpets, which is what most parents end up doing.
Are the toilets accessible for someone with limited mobility?
We would not claim they are. The camp is flat but it is soft sand throughout. If mobility matters for anyone in your group, message us before booking and we will be straight with you about what will and will not work.
When is the best time to go during the evening?
In the first half hour after you arrive, or during the shows. The queue forms just before dinner is served, about ninety minutes in, when everyone has the same idea at once.
Are the washrooms separate for men and women?
Yes, separate washrooms are part of every standard package at the camp.
Read next
The rest of what is and is not included is on the first-timer’s guide, and the food side is on the BBQ menu page. Travelling with a baby, in pregnancy or with older parents? Those have their own pages under who it’s for. Everything worth checking first is on before you book.
If a facility matters to you, ask and we will tell you straight
We would rather lose a booking than have you find out at the camp that something does not work for your group. Send us the question with your dates and you will get an honest answer, not a sales one.