By air
Dubai International (DXB), ~45 min by road
Middle East · UAE
Dubai Desert, UAE
Red dunes, falcons and starry camps
Getting there
Best time to visit
November to March — cool desert evenings
Don't miss
The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve
The Al Qudra Lakes
The Big Red dune
Things to do
Dune drives
Camel rides
Sandboarding
A Bedouin-style camp dinner
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Mlewis114 · CC0
What to pack
Layers for the cold desert nights, sunglasses
A quieter corner
Hatta's mountain dam and its kayaks
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time for a desert trip from Dubai?
November to March, when the desert evenings are cool. The nights turn cold, so bring layers — and sunglasses for the day.
What can I do in the Dubai desert?
Dune drives, camel rides and sandboarding, then a Bedouin-style camp dinner with barbecue under the stars.
Which desert spots are worth visiting?
The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, the Al Qudra Lakes and the Big Red dune. The desert is about 45 min by road from Dubai International (DXB).
Is there a change of scene from the dunes?
Head to Hatta's mountain dam and take out one of its kayaks.
About Dubai Desert
- Desert
Where it is
The desert inland from Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, is part of the great Arabian Desert: rolling red-orange dunes and gravel plains running east from the city towards the Hajar Mountains and the border with Oman.
History
For centuries Bedouin families moved through these dunes with their camels and goats, travelling between inland oases and the pearling and fishing towns of the coast. As the city spread, the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve was set aside in the early 2000s to protect the dune habitat, and Arabian oryx and gazelles roam it again.
People
The desert's traditions belong to the Emirati Bedouin: camel breeding and racing, falconry, the saluki hunting dog and Nabati poetry in the Gulf Arabic dialect. Arabic coffee, gahwa, served with dates remains the customary welcome.
Known for
- Dune drives and sandboarding
- Camel rides and Bedouin-style camps
- The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve
- The Al Qudra Lakes and their birdlife
- Falconry displays
Did you know?
At camel races in the UAE the camels are ridden by small robot jockeys, steered by remote control from vehicles driving alongside the track.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.