Desert Safari Abu Dhabi — Prices and Timings
All fifteen packages, all nine camp add-ons and every pickup window, published in full. VAT included. No card surcharge. Nothing changes at the camp.
- 15 packages
- 9 add-ons priced
- VAT included
- Pay on arrival
- Free cancellation 24h
Same camp, only the transfer changes
These four are the same evening. Same dune drive, same camp, same eighteen inclusions, same BBQ buffet, same shows. The only thing you are choosing is how you get to the sand.
| Package | What it is | Price | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-Drive Safari | You drive to the camp | AED 40 | per person |
| Sharing Bus Pickup | From Al Wahda, Mazyad or Safeer Mall | AED 60 | per person |
| Sharing 4×4 Pickup | Land Cruiser from your hotel | AED 150 | per person |
| Private Car | Whole car, up to 6 guests | AED 700 | total |
Children under five come free sharing an adult seat. From five, everyone pays the standard rate.
Standalone activity sessions
Longer, dedicated sessions rather than the short version included in a safari package.
| Package | What it is | Price | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quad Bike Tour | Single rider, by duration | AED 100 – 400 | per bike |
| Sandboarding Tour | Standalone session on the slope | AED 350 | per person |
| Camel Trek | Extended trek, not the short camp ride | AED 390 | per person |
| Dune Buggy Tour | Two-seater, open frame, roll cage | AED 800 | per buggy |
Quad bike pricing runs AED 100 for 10 minutes, AED 200 for 20, AED 300 for 30 and AED 400 for an hour.
Every extra, priced before you leave home
Of the eight Abu Dhabi safari operators we checked in August 2026, only two publish their add-on prices at all. This is the whole list, and it is the number you will be asked for at the camp.
| Add-on | What it is | Price | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| VIP majlis seating | Front row by the live grill | AED 80 | per seat |
| Sheesha at your table | Flavours on request | AED 100 | each |
| Quad bike, single | One rider on the marked track | AED 100 | per bike |
| Quad bike, double | Two riders, up to 20 minutes | AED 200 | per bike |
| Long camel ride | 15 minutes, up to two people | AED 150 | each |
| Long dune bashing | About 30 minutes, private Land Cruiser | AED 150 | per car |
| Falcon photography | Hold the falcon, keep the photo | AED 30 | per person |
| Professional photography | Cameraman at the camp | from AED 50 | — |
| Souvenir photo | Printed at the camp | AED 30 – 50 | each |
The promise: nobody at the camp will quote you a different number to the ones on this page, and there is no service charge added at the end. If it ever happens, message us from the camp and we will sort it there and then.
When we collect you, when you are back
Pickup windows shift across the year because sunrise and sunset move. We confirm your exact time on WhatsApp the day before.
| Tour | Pickup | Back by | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evening Safari | 2:30–3:30 PM | 9:00–10:15 PM | about 6 hours |
| Morning Safari | 5:45–7:00 AM | 10:15–11:30 AM | about 5 hours |
| Sunrise Safari | 3:50–5:30 AM | 8:20–9:45 AM | about 4 hours |
| Sundowner Safari | 3:00–3:30 PM | 6:30–7:00 PM | about 3.5 hours |
| Overnight Safari | 2:30–3:30 PM | 9:30–10:00 AM next day | about 19 hours |
| Camel Trek | 4:30–5:00 PM | 7:30–8:00 PM | about 3 hours |
| Quad / Buggy session | by arrangement | same day | 10 min – 1 hour |
Pickup points
Shared bus
Al Wahda Mall
Mazyad Mall
Safeer Mall, Shabiya
You make your own way to the mall. The coach leaves on a fixed schedule.
Shared 4×4 and private
Your hotel lobby, apartment building or villa — anywhere in Abu Dhabi city and the islands. The driver messages when he is outside.
Self-drive
You drive to the camp yourself. We send a location pin and a voice note describing the turn the day before. The track is graded and any saloon car handles it.
Pickup from outside Abu Dhabi city — Al Ain, Ruwais, Yas or Saadiyat — is possible on private packages. Message us with the address for a quote.
Why four prices for the same evening
Most desert safari websites list six or seven packages with different names and leave you to work out what the difference is. Usually there is no clean answer, because the packages overlap and the names are marketing rather than description.
Ours works on one rule, and once you know it the whole price list makes sense:
The camp and every activity are identical across the standard packages. The only thing that changes is how you get to the desert.
Self-drive at AED 40 and private car at AED 700 sit down to the same dinner, watch the same shows, ride the same camel and do the same dune drive. Nobody is sold a cheaper evening. What AED 660 buys is a Land Cruiser and driver dedicated to your booking instead of your own car.
Where per-person stops and per-car starts
Anything marked per person is exactly that. Anything marked total is the whole vehicle, whether one person travels in it or six. This trips people up on the sunrise safari in particular — AED 1,000 sounds high against a AED 199 shared seat, until you divide it by six and get AED 167.
What is always included in the price
- 5% VAT — already in every number
- Fuel, vehicle and driver
- All camp activities listed for that package
- Food and unlimited soft drinks
- Camp entry — there is no gate fee
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
What we do not do
There is no permanent discount running here, and there is no countdown timer telling you the price expires tonight. Several operators in this market run a “25% off” banner beside a clock that resets every time you reload the page. The price you see on this page is simply the price, on any day of the week.
There is also no card surcharge, no booking fee and no service charge at the end. One operator we checked adds 5% VAT on top of the displayed price and another adds 5% for paying by card — between them that is a tenth of the bill appearing after you have decided.
Nothing is charged until you are standing at the camp
No deposit, ever
We do not take a deposit, a card number or an online payment. You book on WhatsApp, we confirm your pickup, and you pay when you arrive. There is nothing to charge back because nothing has been charged.
Cash or card at the camp
Dirhams in cash, or card at the camp office. Same price either way — there is no surcharge for paying by card, and VAT is already included in the number you were quoted.
Free cancellation, 24 hours
Cancel or move your date free up to 24 hours before pickup. Rescheduling is free too, subject to space. If we cancel for weather, you pick a new date or take a full refund.
Group of ten or more? Message us and we will quote a group rate rather than charging the list price per head.
Prices and timings — FAQ
How much does a desert safari cost in Abu Dhabi?
From AED 40 per person if you drive yourself to the camp, AED 60 on the shared bus from a city mall, or AED 150 in a shared Land Cruiser with hotel pickup. A private car for up to six is AED 700 in total. Every one of those includes the same camp evening.
Are your prices per person or per car?
Both are shown in the tables above. Anything marked per person is exactly that. Anything marked total is the whole vehicle, whether one guest travels or six.
Is VAT included?
Yes, 5% VAT is already in every number on this page. Nothing is added at the end.
Is there a card surcharge?
No. Cash or card at the camp, same price either way.
Do I have to pay a deposit?
No. There is no deposit, no card number taken and no online payment. You pay when you arrive at the camp.
What is the cheapest desert safari in Abu Dhabi?
Our self-drive evening safari at AED 40 per person, which includes all eighteen camp inclusions, the dune drive and the full BBQ buffet. The only thing it does not include is the transfer.
Why is the sunrise safari AED 1,000 when others charge AED 199?
Because ours is for the whole car and theirs is per person. AED 1,000 across six guests is AED 167 each. From three guests upward the private car is the cheaper option.
Do children pay full price?
Under-fives come free sharing an adult seat. From five, everyone pays the standard rate. We do not run a separate child price.
Do you offer group rates?
Yes, from ten people. Message us with the numbers and dates and we will quote rather than charging the list price per head.
What time are the pickups?
Evening 2:30 to 3:30 PM, morning 5:45 to 7:00 AM, sunrise 3:50 to 5:30 AM depending on the month. The full table is above and we confirm your exact time the day before.
Where do you pick up from?
Shared bus from Al Wahda Mall, Mazyad Mall or Safeer Mall in Shabiya. Shared 4×4 and private packages collect from your hotel, apartment or villa anywhere in Abu Dhabi city and the islands.
Can you collect from outside Abu Dhabi city?
On private packages, yes — Al Ain, Ruwais, Yas and Saadiyat included. Send us the address and we will quote.
What is your cancellation policy?
Free cancellation and free rescheduling up to 24 hours before pickup. Since nothing is paid in advance, it costs you nothing. If we cancel for weather you choose a new date or take a full refund.
Are the camp extras expensive?
They are all listed above with the exact price. VIP seating AED 80, quad from AED 100, long camel ride AED 150, sheesha AED 100, falcon photograph AED 30. Nothing on that list changes at the camp.
Not sure which one fits?
Tell us how many of you there are, roughly what you want to spend and which day — we will tell you which package makes sense, including when the cheaper one is the better one. Nothing to pay until you arrive.
Al Khatim Desert · Abu Dhabi | VAT included · No card surcharge · Pay on arrival