Desert Safari in October: The Month the Season Reopens
Four degrees off September, twenty-seven minutes of daylight gone, and the first month since spring when the camp is genuinely comfortable after dark. October is also the only month of the stargazing season warm enough to lie on the sand without a jacket.
- 7 min read
- Al Khatim Desert
- Runs every day
- Same price all year
October is the month the desert reopens. Not because anything closes in summer — the trip runs every day of the year — but because this is when the evening stops being something to endure and starts being the reason you came.
It is also a month of two halves. The first week still carries September in the sand; the last week is already reaching for November. Here is what changes, with the official figures rather than the usual “pleasant year-round” line.
The short version
The daytime is still hot. The evening is not. October averages 36.6°C by day and 23.7°C at night. That daytime figure still means an evening trip rather than a midday one — but 23.7°C at the camp is a different world from August’s thirty.
The light moves fast. Sunset drops from 6:10 PM on the 1st to 5:44 PM on the 31st. Twenty-seven minutes in one month, which means full dark arrives while you are still at the camp rather than on the drive home.
This is when the stars come back. The summer haze has cleared and the sky is properly dark by dinner. October is the opening month of the clear-sky window that runs to March.
Book earlier as the month goes on. Early October is still quiet. By the last week the season is visibly filling and weekends go first.
What October actually looks like in numbers
Official Abu Dhabi climate normals, with September and November either side so you can see where the month sits.
| Measure | September | October | November |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average daytime high | 40.9°C | 36.6°C | 31.0°C |
| Average overnight low | 27.4°C | 23.7°C | 19.6°C |
| Rainfall | effectively zero | 0.2 mm | 2.4 mm |
| Sunset, 1st | 6:41 PM | 6:10 PM | 5:43 PM |
| Sunset, last day | 6:11 PM | 5:44 PM | 5:33 PM |
| At the camp after dark | Warm | Comfortable, no jacket | Cool, bring a layer |
Two rows carry the month. The 23.7°C night is the last one of the year that needs nothing over your shoulders — by December it is 15.7°C and by January 13.8°C. And the rain row matters more than it looks: October is effectively dry, November brings a little back, and by winter you are into the wettest months of the year.
One neat detail about the handover. October finishes at a 5:44 PM sunset and November opens at 5:43 PM. The two months run to almost exactly the same clock — what changes between them is the air, not the timetable.
October is a slope, not a setting
Booking the 3rd and booking the 28th are not the same trip. If your dates are flexible, this is the section that decides them.
| Window | What it is like | What we would tell you |
|---|---|---|
| 1–10 October | Still September-shaped at pickup. Sunset near 6:10 PM. Camp quiet | Excellent evenings and you will have space. Good if you want photographs without crowds |
| 11–20 October | Settles into the month’s average. Long clean horizons | The sweet spot — near-peak conditions before peak demand arrives |
| 21–31 October | Sunset at 5:44 PM, nights noticeably cooler | The most comfortable, and the busiest. Book weekends further ahead |
One thing worth clearing up, because it worries people: the dusty, windy spells that blow through in early summer are long finished by October. The air has been clear since September. There is no autumn dust season here — October gives some of the cleanest horizons of the year.
October opens the stargazing window — and it is the warm one
From roughly October to March the desert sky is at its clearest. Summer haze washes the stars out for months; by October it has gone, and with sunset at 5:44 to 6:10 PM the sky is fully dark while you are still sitting at the camp rather than on the road home.
What makes October different from the rest of that window is temperature. The other months buy their clear skies with cold: November nights average 19.6°C, December 15.7°C, January 13.8°C. October gives you the same dark sky at 23.7°C.
That changes how the evening actually goes. In midwinter people watch the sky in short bursts between the fire and the seating. In October they stay out on the sand between courses, because there is no reason to come back in. If the stars are the point of your trip, our stargazing page and the overnight safari make more sense this month than at any other time of year.
Why October sand behaves differently
By October the dunes have gone months without meaningful rain — the last real showers were back in spring. That leaves the sand as dry and loose as it gets all year, and every activity that depends on loose sand gets better.
Dune bashing runs softer. Loose sand gives a more fluid line over the crests and gentler landings on the far side. Drivers let air out of the tyres before every run, which matters more on sand this dry, not less.
Sandboarding is at its best. Dry unpacked sand is fast sand, and the slopes near the camp face the right way for a late-afternoon run with the sun behind you.
Quad bikes and buggies move back into the afternoon. In August we would only put you on one after sunset. From October the track has cooled enough by late afternoon that the timing stops being a problem.
Morning or evening in October?
The evening safari suits nearly everyone, because the programme rides the day downhill: you are collected at the hot end, sunset lands in the middle, and dinner happens in air that is finally cooling.
| Evening | Morning | |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Pickup 3:00–3:30 PM, back around 9:30 PM | Early start, first light on untouched sand |
| October temperature | Hot at pickup, falling all evening toward 23.7°C | The coolest hour of the day |
| Best for | First-timers, families, groups, anyone who wants the shows and dinner | Photographers, stopover guests, anyone pairing the desert with an afternoon in the city |
One point specific to this month: because sunset pulls back nearly half an hour across October, a late-October evening finishes its daylight section earlier than an early-October one. Nothing is lost — the shows and dinner simply start against a darker sky, which most people prefer.
The morning trip is genuinely back in play this month. In August it is a race against the sun; in October the early hours are the best air of the day.
What to wear in October
- Light clothes for the afternoon, one layer for later. You will be collected in 36°C and eating in 24°C. A shirt you can put on after sunset covers the whole day.
- Closed shoes for the drive, bare feet at the camp. By October the sand cools quickly once the sun is down, which is a pleasure rather than a problem.
- Sunglasses that actually work. The low October sun sits straight in your eyes on the drive out.
- A change of clothes. Sandboarding does what it always does.
- You will not need a jacket. Save that for November onwards.
The full list, including what to bring for children, is on the what to wear page.
What an October safari costs
Prices do not move with the season. October costs the same as January or July — what changes with the calendar is the pickup time, not the bill.
| How you travel | Price | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Self-drive to the camp | AED 35 | per person |
| Shared bus from Al Wahda or Mazyad Mall | AED 50 | per person |
| Hotel pickup, shared vehicle | AED 100 | per person |
| Private car, up to seven guests | AED 599 | per car |
| Private Land Cruiser | AED 800 | per car |
| Morning safari, private | AED 799 | per car |
Add-ons at the camp: quad bike AED 100 single or 150 double, VIP majlis seating AED 50 per person, falcon photo AED 30, extra dune bashing AED 150 per vehicle.
No deposit and no card details. You pay on arrival, cash or card, and you can cancel free up to twelve hours before pickup — so holding a late-October weekend costs you nothing while you make up your mind.
Who October suits, and who should wait
Book October if you want warm nights with a clear sky, the stars matter to you, you would rather not share the dunes with peak-season crowds, or you are travelling with children who would find August unbearable and December a bit cold.
Choose another month if the daytime heat is your main worry — 36.6°C at three in the afternoon is still hot, and November or December will suit you better. Also wait if you want the desert entirely to yourself, because that is September, or if you want a proper campfire night with a jacket on, which is December and January.
If we had to grade the month honestly: a good B in the opening days, climbing to a clear A by the last week. Very few months improve as much from start to finish as this one.
October questions we get on WhatsApp
Is October a good month for a desert safari in Abu Dhabi?
It is the month the season reopens, and it improves all the way through. Official normals put October at 36.6°C by day and 23.7°C at night, with effectively no rain. The daytime is still hot, so the evening trip is the right choice, but the camp after dark is comfortable for the first time since spring.
How hot is Abu Dhabi in October?
The average daytime high is 36.6°C and the average overnight low is 23.7°C. That is a little over four degrees down on September on both figures. Out at Al Khatim, about 85 km inland, the air is far drier than on the coast, so it feels easier than the same reading in the city.
What time is sunset in Abu Dhabi in October?
It moves from about 6:10 PM on the 1st to about 5:44 PM on the 31st — twenty-seven minutes across the month. That is why full darkness arrives while you are still at the camp rather than on the drive home. Pickup stays at 3:00 to 3:30 PM.
Is October good for stargazing in the desert?
It is the opening month of the clear-sky window that runs to March, and it is the warmest month in that window. Nights average 23.7°C against 19.6°C in November and 13.8°C in January, so October is the one month you can lie back on the sand without a jacket and still see the stars properly.
Should I book October or November?
October if you want warm nights, clear skies and fewer people. November if daytime comfort matters most — it drops to 31.0°C by day — and you do not mind a busier camp and bringing a layer for the evening. The two months share almost the same sunset time; what differs is the air.
Is the desert safari more expensive in October?
No. Prices are the same every day of the year: AED 35 per person if you drive yourself to the camp, AED 50 on the shared bus, AED 100 with hotel pickup, or AED 599 for a private car holding up to seven. No deposit, and free cancellation up to twelve hours before pickup.
Is October busy at the camp?
Early October is still quiet and you will have space on the carpets. Demand builds noticeably through the month, and by the last week weekends fill in advance. If you want the desert close to empty, come in the first ten days.
Is there a sandstorm season in October?
No. The dusty windy spells belong to early summer and are finished well before October. The air has been clear since September, which is why this month gives some of the cleanest horizons of the year.
Is October too hot for children?
Not for the evening trip. You reach the dunes late in the afternoon, sunset is around six, and the camp settles to about 24°C. What we would still avoid is anything strenuous in the middle of the day for the first couple of weeks.
The month either side
The September guide covers the turn out of summer, and the November guide covers the month everything works at once. All twelve months are compared on the best time to go page. Every package and pickup time is on the price and timings page.
Tell us your October date and we will tell you what to expect
Send the date, the package and how many of you there are. A real person replies, usually within a few minutes. If the first week is hotter than you want, we will say so and point you at the last one.
Al Khatim Desert · Abu Dhabi | Pay on arrival · Free cancellation · No deposit