From AED 40 per person
Cheap desert safari in Abu Dhabi
The camp is the same one for everybody. The dune bashing, the camel, the sandboarding, the BBQ and the shows do not change. What changes is how you get there — and that is the entire difference between AED 40 and AED 150.
- Self-drive AED 40
- Shared coach AED 60
- Door pickup AED 150
- No deposit
- Free cancellation 24h
Prices include VAT. Nothing is charged on this website.
The whole story
What changes with the price, and what does not
Every operator in Abu Dhabi sells three or four tiers and hints that the expensive one is a better evening. For us it is not. The camp is one camp. Here it is laid out honestly.
| Self-drive AED 40 | Shared coach AED 60 | Door pickup 4×4 AED 150 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The camp | Same | Same | Same |
| BBQ buffet, veg and non-veg | Included | Included | Included |
| Camel ride, sandboarding, henna, shows | Included | Included | Included |
| Soft drinks, tea, coffee, dates | Included | Included | Included |
| Dune bashing | Not included — you arrive in your own car | Included on the way in | Included on the way in |
| How you get there | You drive. We send coordinates | Meet the coach at a mall | Collected from your door |
| Waiting around | None — you arrive when you like | Coach leaves on time, one or two stops | Depends where you are in the pickup run |
| Getting home | Your own car, leave whenever | With the coach | Dropped back at your door |
So why is one AED 40 and another AED 150?
Because a Land Cruiser, a driver and two hours of his evening cost money, and a coach split between thirty people costs a lot less per head. That is it. Nobody is getting a smaller dinner or a shorter camel ride because they paid less.
Scam-proofing
“Anything under AED 100 must be a scam”
You will find operators saying exactly that, usually the ones charging AED 250. It is a reasonable worry and it deserves a real answer rather than an insult, so here is where our low prices actually come from.
You supply the car
The single largest cost in a desert safari is the 4×4 and the driver. Take that out and you are paying for camp entry, the food and the activities. There is nothing clever about it and nothing is missing.
Thirty people share one vehicle
A coach from a mall car park costs a fraction per head of a Land Cruiser doing four hotel pickups. You give up door service and departure flexibility. That is the trade, and it is a fair one.
Advance payment
The pattern that catches people out is not a low price. It is being asked to transfer a deposit to a personal bank account or a payment link before anyone has confirmed anything. We do not take a fil in advance. There is no payment button on this website.
Prices that appear at the camp
Cheap tours often make their margin back once you are an hour into the desert with no way home. Our add-on prices are printed below, before you book, and they are the same at the camp.
Extras
Everything you can buy at the camp, with the price, now
This is the list of things that cost money once you are out there. Publishing it is the whole point — if you know the numbers before you leave the city, nobody can lean on you in the dark.
| Add-on | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| VIP majlis seating | Front-row seat by the live BBQ | AED 80 / person |
| Quad bike — single | One rider | AED 100 |
| Quad bike — double | Two riders, up to 20 minutes | AED 200 |
| Long camel ride | 15 minutes, up to 2 people | AED 150 |
| Long dune bashing | About 30 minutes, private Land Cruiser | AED 150 |
| Sheesha at the camp | Flavours on request | AED 100 |
| Falcon photography | Hold the falcon, keep the photo | AED 30 / person |
| Professional photography | Depends what you want shot | From AED 50 |
| Dune buggy | Two-seater, around 30 minutes | AED 800 / buggy |
None of it is compulsory and nobody will chase you
The commonest complaint about budget safaris anywhere in the Gulf is being sold to every ten minutes. Say no once at our camp and that is the end of it. The short camel ride, the sandboarding, the henna, the shows and as much food as you want are all already paid for.
AED 40
Driving yourself: what you need to know first
This is the cheapest desert safari in Abu Dhabi that is actually a desert safari, and almost nobody writes about how it works. So:
- The carA normal saloon is fine. The access track to the camp is graded and you are not driving on soft sand — that is what the dune bashing vehicles are for.
- The routeOut along the Abu Dhabi–Al Ain road, 45 minutes to an hour from the city. We send GPS coordinates on WhatsApp the day before, plus the last stretch written out in plain words because the turn-off is easy to miss in the dark.
- When to arriveWe give you an arrival window with your confirmation. Turn up inside it and someone meets you at the entrance and parks you.
- What you missThe dune bashing on the way in, because you drove yourself. You can buy 30 minutes of it at the camp for AED 150 in a private Land Cruiser, which several self-drive guests do.
- What you gainNo waiting for anyone. Arrive when you like, leave when you like, and no long coach ride home when you are full of BBQ and tired.
- Coming back at nightThe road back is straightforward and lit. If you are not confident driving in the desert after dark, take the coach instead — it is AED 20 more.
AED 60 and AED 150
The shared coach, and the shared Land Cruiser
The two middle options. Both include dune bashing on the way in, both put you at the same camp.
- Coach, AED 60Meet at Al Wahda Mall, Mazyad Mall or Safeer Mall in Shabiya — whichever is closest. The coach leaves on time and it will not wait, so be there ten minutes early. One or two stops on the way.
- Land Cruiser, AED 150Collected from your hotel lobby, apartment or villa anywhere across Abu Dhabi city, Khalifa City, Yas, Saadiyat and Al Reem. Six passengers per vehicle. The driver messages when he is outside.
- How many peopleA shared Land Cruiser is six guests. The coach is a coach. If you want a vehicle to yourselves it is AED 700 for up to six — and that is the only thing private money buys you, not a better camp.
- Honest about the waitOn a shared pickup run you may be first or last. Being collected first means sitting in the vehicle while others are picked up. Tell us if that matters and we will try to slot you late.
Expectations
What a busy evening in the desert is actually like
The reviews that go badly are almost never about money. They are about someone expecting one thing and getting another. So here is the unglamorous version.
About twenty minutes
Not an hour. Twenty minutes of ridges and drops on the way in, which is genuinely as much as most stomachs want. If you love it, buy thirty more minutes at the camp for AED 150.
Busy on a good evening
Winter weekends fill up. It is a shared camp, not a private one, and there will be other people. Quieter on weeknights and in the shoulder months.
A buffet, and you can go back
Veg and non-veg, grilled in front of you, plus salads and rice. It is camp food cooked outdoors, not a hotel restaurant, and there is as much of it as you want.
There is some sitting around
Between arriving and dinner there is a stretch where you do the activities at your own pace. Some people love it, some find it slow. Bring a jacket — the desert drops fast after dark.
If you want it quiet, do this
Take the morning safari instead of the evening, or come on a weeknight, or book the private car. A cheap safari on a December Saturday is the busiest version of this evening that exists.
FAQs
Cheap desert safari in Abu Dhabi — your questions
What is the cheapest desert safari in Abu Dhabi?
AED 40 per person if you drive yourself to the camp. AED 60 if you meet the shared coach at a mall. Both include the full camp: camel ride, sandboarding, henna, the shows and the BBQ buffet.
Is a cheap desert safari worse than an expensive one?
Not with us, and this is the point of the whole page. The camp, the food, the activities and the shows are identical across every price. What you pay more for is transport — door pickup instead of a mall meeting point, or a vehicle to yourselves.
Are AED 40 and AED 60 safaris a scam?
It is a fair thing to ask, because there are operators who advertise a low headline and then invent charges. What makes a price real is where it comes from: at AED 40 you supply your own car, and at AED 60 thirty people share one coach. And we take no money in advance at all.
Do I have to pay a deposit?
No. Nothing is charged on this website and we will never ask you to transfer money to a bank account before your trip. You pay cash or card at the camp on the day.
Is VAT included?
Yes. The price you are quoted is the price you pay. There is no card surcharge either.
What is not included?
Alcohol, quad bikes, the dune buggy, the long camel ride, VIP seating, sheesha and professional photos. Every one of those has its price printed on this page so you can decide before you go.
Will I be pressured to buy things at the camp?
No. Say no once and that is the end of it. The commonest complaint about budget safaris in this region is exactly this, which is why we publish the add-on list instead of springing it on you.
Is dune bashing included in the AED 40 self-drive?
No, because you arrive in your own car. You can buy 30 minutes of it at the camp for AED 150 in a private Land Cruiser, and plenty of self-drive guests do.
Can I drive a normal car to the camp?
Yes. A saloon is fine — the access track is graded and you are not driving on soft sand. We send GPS coordinates and written directions the day before.
Where do the shared coaches leave from?
Al Wahda Mall, Mazyad Mall, and Safeer Mall in Shabiya. Pick whichever is closest and be there ten minutes early, because the coach leaves on time.
How many people are in a shared Land Cruiser?
Six guests plus the driver. If you want the vehicle to yourselves it is AED 700 for up to six people.
How long is the dune bashing?
About twenty minutes on the way in. It is intense rather than long, and most people find that is plenty.
How many people are at the camp?
It varies. Winter weekends are busy and it is a shared camp, not a private one. Weeknights and the shoulder months are much quieter.
How far in advance should I book?
A day or two is usually fine. Weekends, Eid and the December to February peak fill faster, so a week ahead if you can.
Can I cancel?
Free up to 24 hours before pickup. A WhatsApp message is enough — no form, no fee.
Should I tip?
Only if you want to. Nothing is expected and nobody will ask. If a driver has been good, he will not say no.
Same desert, less money
Tell us the date, how many of you there are, and whether you have a car. We will come back with the total and a pickup time. Nothing to pay until you arrive.
More to read: All prices and timings · Evening Safari · Morning Safari · Dune Bashing