Golden Dunes Desert Safari
Cancellation & Refund Policy
You do not pay before your trip, so cancelling costs you nothing. One message is enough.
Last updated: August 2026
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The short version
You do not pay us anything before your trip, so cancelling almost never costs you money. One WhatsApp message is enough. There is no form, no fee and no argument.
Free cancellation
Cancel any tour free of charge up to 24 hours before your pickup time. Nothing is owed, nothing is charged, and you do not need to give a reason.
Because nothing is paid in advance, in practice this means you simply tell us and we take you off the list.
Cancelling inside 24 hours
- Standard shared tours — nothing has been paid, so nothing is charged. Tell us anyway so the driver is not sitting outside your hotel.
- Private vehicles and reserved add-ons — where we have held a whole vehicle, a buggy or a specific machine for you, a late cancellation may be charged, because that vehicle was turned away from other work. We will tell you at the time of booking if this applies.
- Anything you paid for in advance — rare, and only for large group bookings. See refunds below.
No-shows
If nobody is at the pickup point and we cannot reach you, the driver waits as long as he reasonably can and then has to go. For a standard shared tour with nothing paid, there is no charge.
We will say the awkward part plainly: repeated no-shows without a message mean we may not take a future booking. It costs a driver his evening.
Rescheduling
Free, any time, subject to availability. Moving your date is always easier than cancelling it, and we would rather do that.
Weekends, Eid, National Day and the December to February peak fill fastest, so tell us as early as you can if you need to move one of those.
If we cancel
If we cancel your trip — for weather, for a safety concern, or for anything on our side — you choose:
- A free reschedule to any available date, or
- A full refund of anything you have already paid.
We do not offer credit notes in place of a refund.
Refunds
Where a refund is due, it goes back by the same method it was paid and we aim to have it sent within seven working days. Card refunds may then take a few days more to appear, depending on your bank.
Cutting a trip short
If you decide during the trip that you would rather go back early, tell your guide. On a private vehicle we simply take you back. On a shared vehicle we will do our best but cannot always return one group ahead of the others.
Deciding not to do an activity — the dune drive, the camel, the sandboard — costs nothing and changes nothing about your price. Nobody is charged differently for sitting one out.
Weather
Rain almost never affects a trip here. Strong wind and blowing sand does, and so does extreme summer heat. If conditions would make your trip unsafe or genuinely unpleasant we contact you the day before and move it. We would rather lose the booking than send you out into it.
How to cancel
Message the same WhatsApp number you booked on: +971 50 277 1900. Any time, day or night. Or email info@abudhabidesertsafaritour.com if you would rather have it in writing elsewhere.
You will get a reply confirming the cancellation. If you do not get one, assume we have not seen it and message again.
FAQs
Cancellation — quick answers
Do I lose a deposit if I cancel?
There is no deposit. Nothing is charged on this website and nothing is paid before your trip, so on a standard tour cancelling costs you nothing at any point.
How late can I cancel for free?
Up to 24 hours before your pickup time, with no reason needed. Inside 24 hours it still costs nothing on a standard shared tour — but please tell us so a driver is not sent out.
What if I just do not turn up?
The driver waits as long as he can and then leaves. No charge on a standard tour with nothing paid. Repeated no-shows without a message may mean we cannot take a future booking.
Can I change my date instead?
Yes, free and any time, subject to availability. Peak dates fill fast so move them early.
What happens if the weather is bad?
We contact you the day before and you choose a free reschedule or a full refund of anything paid. Wind and blowing sand is the real risk here, not rain.
How long does a refund take?
Sent within seven working days by the same method it was paid. Card refunds can take a few more days to show up depending on your bank.
Can I get a refund if I do not want to do the dune bashing?
You would not need one — sitting out an activity costs nothing and does not change your price. The camp, the food and everything else are still yours.
Need to change something?
Message us and it is done. Moving a date is always easier than cancelling it.