Your own vehicle · your own timing
Private desert safari in Abu Dhabi
A Land Cruiser for your group alone, a driver who works to your schedule, and dune bashing at whatever intensity your family can actually handle. AED 599 for the whole car, up to seven people — and we will tell you plainly when private is not worth your money.
- AED 599 for up to 7
- Land Cruiser AED 800
- Your own timing
- Dune bashing on your terms
- No deposit
The camp itself is shared. We say so up front, because nobody else does.
Straight answer
What “private” buys you — and what it does not
The word gets used to mean three different things in this market, and operators rarely say which one they are selling. Here is exactly what you are buying from us.
| What people mean by private | Do you get it? | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| A private vehicle | Yes | A Land Cruiser for your group alone. Nobody you have not met is in the car. |
| A private driver and schedule | Yes | Your pickup time, your route, your pace of dune bashing, and you leave the camp when you want to. |
| A private camp | No | The Al Khatim camp is shared with other guests. We do not run a private camp and we are not going to imply that we do. |
If a private camp is what you want
It exists in this region, mostly in Dubai, and it costs several times what we charge. Ask us and we will tell you honestly what is out there rather than sell you a shared camp with the word private on the invoice.
The maths
The exact group size where private gets cheaper
Nobody publishes this because it tells most people not to buy the expensive option. Here it is anyway: the AED 599 private car divided by however many of you there are, set against AED 100 a head for the shared Land Cruiser. Both columns are per person, so you are comparing like with like.
| Group size | Private car, per person | Shared 4×4, per person | Which is cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 people | AED 300 | AED 100 | Shared |
| 3 people | AED 200 | AED 100 | Shared |
| 4 people | AED 150 | AED 100 | Shared |
| 5 people | AED 120 | AED 100 | Shared |
| 6 people | AED 100 | AED 100 | Level |
| 7 people | AED 86 | AED 100 | Private |
Under six of you? The shared car is cheaper.
We would rather say it than have you find out afterwards. Up to five people the shared Land Cruiser costs less, and it is the same camp, the same dinner and the same shows. At six you are level. At seven the private car finally wins on money as well.
So below six, what AED 599 actually buys is privacy: your pickup time instead of ours, a dune drive turned up or down to suit your family, and nobody else in the back row. That is worth real money to some families and nothing at all to others — you know which you are.
Against the AED 50 shared coach, private never wins on price at any group size. If money is the only consideration, the coach is the answer and we would rather you booked that than felt sold to.
Options
Three private packages
Private evening safari
Up to seven people in your own vehicle. Collected from your door at a time that suits you, dune bashing at your pace, the full camp with the BBQ buffet and the shows, home when you decide.
Private morning safari
Same vehicle, same camp, but out early. Cooler, quieter, and back in the city before noon. This is the one to take with small children or older parents.
Private evening, luxury Land Cruiser
The newer vehicle, more room in the back, and a smoother drive out. Worth it if the transfer comfort matters to you or if you are six adults rather than four.
Two vehicles
A Land Cruiser seats six passengers plus the driver. At seven or more we send a second car and keep you together the whole way — same departure, same table at the camp. Message us with the exact number and we will price it.
Every price is for the vehicle, not per person, and includes the same camp entry, the same buffet and the same activities as every other package on this site.
Children
Car seats, toddlers, and what the law actually says
This is the single most common thing families ask and almost no operator website in Abu Dhabi answers it. The rule in the UAE is not a guideline:
- Under 4 years oldA child safety seat is mandatory. The fine falls on the driver, and it is AED 400 plus black points on his licence. There is no tour exemption.
- Front seatNobody under 10 years old, and nobody under 145 cm, regardless of age.
- What to doTell us your children’s ages when you book and we will confirm what we can fit. You are also very welcome to bring your own seat — a lot of families travelling with a toddler already have one.
- Babies under oneWe would gently steer you away. Even the graded access track out to the camp is rutted, and it is a long evening for an infant. The morning safari is the kinder version if you are set on going.
- Car sicknessReal, and common. On a private car say so at the start and the driver keeps the drive gentle. On a shared car you get whatever the group wants.
Access
Older parents, back trouble, or a wheelchair
Most operators answer this with a flat no and an age limit. That is easier than thinking about it. The honest answer is that some of the evening works well and some of it does not, and a private car is what lets you take the parts that do.
The drive out and the camp
We can take the graded track the whole way and skip the dune bashing entirely. At the camp there is seating, shade, the buffet, the shows and the fire. A great many older guests have a lovely evening doing exactly this.
Dune bashing, quads, sandboarding
None of these are advisable with back, neck or heart trouble, and we will say so rather than take your money and let you find out on a dune face.
Wheelchairs
The camp core is firm underfoot and manageable. Loose sand beyond it defeats any chair, including a powered one. Tell us before you book and we will be straight with you about what the evening will actually look like rather than guessing.
“Nobody over 65”
You will see that on booking sites. It is a blanket rule written by a legal department, not a medical assessment. A fit 72-year-old skipping the dune drive is fine. Talk to us instead of reading a checkbox.
Food and prayer
Tell us 24 hours ahead and it is handled
- HalalThe meat at the camp is halal. Alcohol is not served, and it is a family camp.
- Vegetarian and veganVegetarian is always on the buffet. For strict vegan, Jain or gluten-free, tell us the day before and it gets arranged rather than improvised.
- AllergiesGive us the specifics on WhatsApp at least 24 hours ahead. Nut and shellfish are the ones worth flagging early. If we cannot be sure, we will say so.
- PrayerThere is space and a direction at the camp. If your timing needs the drive to pause for maghrib, say so and the driver will stop — on a private car that costs nothing.
- RamadanTimings shift and the camp works around iftar. Ask us for the actual schedule for your date rather than assuming the usual one.
FAQs
Private desert safari — your questions
How much is a private desert safari in Abu Dhabi?
AED 599 for the whole vehicle, up to seven people, in the evening. The private morning drive is AED 799 and the luxury Land Cruiser evening is AED 800. Those are whole-car prices, not per-person prices.
Is private worth it for two people?
Honestly, no, on price. Two people on the shared Land Cruiser is AED 200 against AED 599 private. Book private as a couple only if you want the timing flexibility or a gentler dune drive.
At what group size does private become cheaper?
Seven. At six you are level — AED 100 a head either way — and at seven the private car works out at about AED 86 each against AED 100 shared. Below six the shared Land Cruiser is cheaper, so if the only question is money, book that.
Does private mean we get our camp?
No, and we would rather say so on this page than have you find out in the desert. The vehicle, the driver and the schedule are yours. The Al Khatim camp is shared with other guests.
How many people fit in one vehicle?
Six passengers plus the driver. At seven or more we send a second Land Cruiser and keep the group together from pickup to drop-off.
Can we choose our own pickup time?
Yes, that is most of what you are paying for. Tell us the time that suits you and the driver works to it, including leaving the camp early if the children have had enough.
Do you provide child car seats?
Under-4s must be in a safety seat by UAE law and the fine falls on the driver, so this matters. Tell us the ages when you book and we will confirm what we can fit. You are welcome to bring your own.
Can a child sit in the front?
Not under 10 years old and not under 145 cm, whatever their age. That is the law here, not our policy.
Can we skip the dune bashing?
Yes. On a private car, say so and we take the graded track the whole way. You still get the camp, the food and everything else.
Can we make the dune bashing gentler rather than skip it?
Yes, and this is the main reason families book private. Tell the driver at the start, and again during if it is too much. On a shared car you get whatever the loudest person in the group wants.
Is it suitable for my parents in their seventies?
Often yes, if they skip the dune drive, the quads and the sandboarding. Booking sites publish blanket age bans written by legal departments. Talk to us instead and we will be straight with you.
Can a wheelchair user come?
The camp core is firm and manageable, and loose sand beyond it is not, for any chair. Dune bashing, sandboarding and camel riding are out. Tell us before booking and we will describe the evening honestly.
Is the food halal?
Yes. Alcohol is not served and it is a family camp. Vegetarian is always available; vegan, Jain and gluten-free need 24 hours notice.
Can you handle a nut or shellfish allergy?
Tell us at least 24 hours ahead with the specifics. If we cannot be confident about it we will say so rather than take the risk.
Can we stop for prayer?
Yes. On a private car the driver will stop, and there is space and a direction at the camp.
Do we pay a deposit?
No. Nothing is charged on this website. Cash or card at the camp on the day, VAT included, free cancellation up to 24 hours before pickup.
Can we upgrade from shared to private after booking?
Yes, if a vehicle is free. Message us and we will tell you straight away rather than making you rebook.
Which month for a private car
Privacy is worth most when the camp is full, which means December, January and February. In June the dunes are quiet enough that a shared vehicle already feels private. All twelve months on the best time to go page.The vehicles we use
Your car, your timing, your pace
Send us the date, how many of you there are and the ages of any children. We will tell you whether private is actually the right call for your group — including when it is not.
More to read: Cheaper options · Evening Safari · Morning Safari · All prices