A camel ride in the Dubai desert with Safari Desert Dubai costs AED 150 per person and lasts 20 to 25 minutes. Sandboarding costs AED 50 per person. Both are extras you add on the activities booking form. If you book the shared Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner, a short camel ride is already included.
Key takeaways
- Camel Ride in Desert (20 to 25 min): AED 150 per person, added as an extra on the activities form.
- SandBoarding: AED 50 per person, also an extra on the activities form.
- Evening safari: the shared Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner includes a short camel ride, with adult (12+) at AED 240 and child (5 to 11) at AED 225, pickup included.
- Pickup: buggy, quad and dirt bike prices do not include pickup. Add a sharing transfer at AED 175 per person, a private car at AED 450, or meet at the location that is emailed to you.
- Timing: rides start on the hour from 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM, daily, and October to March is the season the site names as best.
- Changes: no cancellation fee 96 hours or more before the tour, and refunds are made less a 5% processing fee.
What is a camel ride in the Dubai desert?
A camel ride is a slow, seated ride on a camel across the sand. It is the calmest activity in the desert outside Dubai: no engine, no steering and nothing to learn before you start. You sit on a saddle on the camel's back and let the animal walk.
Most first-time riders notice two moments. The first is when the camel stands up. Camels usually kneel for riders to climb on, then rise in stages, so you tip forward and then back before the ride settles. Holding the saddle grip and leaning back slightly as it rises makes this easy. The second is the rhythm. A camel walks with a long, rolling stride, and the sway takes a minute or two to get used to.
At Safari Desert Dubai the camel ride sits alongside faster activities: self-drive dune buggies, quad bikes, the KTM 450 CC dirt bike and Land Cruiser safaris. It is the quiet part of a busy desert visit.
For a wider view of everything the team runs in the desert, the Desert Safari Dubai page lists the morning, evening and private safari options in one place.
How much is a camel ride in Dubai?
The camel ride costs AED 150 per person. That is the price for one rider on the Camel Ride in Desert (20 to 25 min). It is listed with sandboarding as an extra on the activities form, so you add it when you book your desert activities.
The price is per person, not per camel. Each rider on the booking is one camel ride at AED 150.
Camel ride and sandboarding prices at a glance
| Product | What it is | Price | Unit | Pickup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camel Ride in Desert (20 to 25 min) | Extra on the activities form | AED 150 | per person | Not in buggy, quad or dirt bike prices: transfer AED 175 per person sharing, AED 450 per private car, or emailed meeting point |
| SandBoarding | Extra on the activities form | AED 50 | per person | As above |
| Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner (shared) | Includes a short camel ride, dune bashing in a 4x4 and a BBQ dinner with shows | Adult (12+) AED 240, child (5 to 11) AED 225 | per person | Included |
| Morning Desert Safari With Land Cruiser 4X4 (shared) | About four hours in a Land Cruiser 4x4, with water and soft drinks | Adult AED 225, child AED 210 | per person | Included |
| Private Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner Land Cruiser 4x4 | Private car with the BBQ dinner | AED 1,400 | per car for up to 6 guests | Included |
| Private Hot Air Balloon | Private pickup, buffet breakfast, falcon photo, camel or horse ride, edited flight video | AED 12,500 for 2 to 5 persons | per booking | Private pickup included |
Each price in the table stands on its own with its own unit. The safari prices already include pickup. The camel ride and sandboarding prices cover the activity itself.
How long is a camel ride in the desert?
The Camel Ride in Desert runs for 20 to 25 minutes. That is long enough to get past the first wobbly minutes, settle into the camel's rhythm and take photos from the saddle, without becoming tiring for first-time riders.
The short camel ride included in the Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner is a separate thing. The facts describe it as a short camel ride, part of a longer evening that also includes dune bashing and dinner. If a longer ride matters to you, the 20 to 25 minute camel ride on the activities form is the clearer choice.
Is a camel ride included in a desert safari?
It depends on which safari you book. Here is how the camel ride fits with each option.
Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner
Yes. The shared evening safari includes pickup, dune bashing in a 4x4, a short camel ride and a BBQ dinner with belly dance, tanoura and fire shows. Adults are 12 and over at AED 240 per person, children 5 to 11 at AED 225 per person. The site gives about 5 to 6 hours for the evening safari. You can see the full programme on the Classic Evening Desert Safari with BBQ Dinner page.
There is also a shared Evening Desert Safari + 30 Min ATV Quad Bike, at AED 375 per adult (12+) and AED 340 per child (5 to 11), pickup included. It adds a 30 minute quad session to the evening.
Morning Desert Safari With Land Cruiser 4X4
The shared morning safari runs in a Land Cruiser 4x4 and lasts about four hours, with water and soft drinks. It costs AED 225 per adult and AED 210 per child, pickup included. The site's facts for the morning safari do not list a camel ride, so if you want one in the morning, ask the team when you book whether it can be added.
Private safaris
The Private Morning Desert Safari With Land Cruiser 4X4 costs AED 799 per car, and the Private Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner Land Cruiser 4x4 costs AED 1,400 per car. Each private car takes up to 6 guests and includes pickup. If a camel ride is important to your group, confirm it with the team at booking rather than assuming it.
Standard Camp and Premium Camp
The camp-only options are a BBQ dinner with live entertainment shows and no safari drive: Standard Camp at AED 125 per person and Premium Camp at AED 250 per person. A private transfer at AED 450 per car for 5 to 6 must be booked with them. The facts do not list a camel ride for the camp-only dinners, so ask before you book if you want one.
Private Hot Air Balloon
The Private Hot Air Balloon includes a camel or horse ride, along with private pickup, a buffet breakfast, a falcon photo and an edited flight video. It costs AED 12,500 per booking for 2 to 5 persons and AED 20,500 per booking for 15 to 20 persons.
What is sandboarding and how much does it cost?
Sandboarding is sliding down a sand dune on a board, much like snowboarding on sand. Beginners often start sitting or kneeling on the board before they try standing. You then climb back up the slope and go again.
SandBoarding at Safari Desert Dubai costs AED 50 per person. Like the camel ride, it is an extra on the activities form.
Each run ends with a walk back up the sand, so pace yourself.
Is sandboarding included with a buggy or quad?
No. Buggy, quad and dirt bike prices never include sandboarding. If you want it, add it to your booking as an extra at AED 50 per person. The same goes for the camel ride at AED 150 per person.
Combining a camel ride and sandboarding with a buggy or quad
The camel ride and sandboarding work well as the slower half of a desert visit built around a self-drive ride. A common plan is a buggy or quad session first, then sandboarding, then the camel ride as a calm finish.
The self-drive rides are priced by the vehicle, not by the rider, while the camel ride and sandboarding are priced per person:
- Dune buggies are priced per buggy. For example, the 2 Seater Polaris Dune Buggy RZR 1000 CC costs AED 600 for 30 min, AED 900 for 1 hour and AED 1,750 for 2 hours, per buggy.
- Quad bikes are priced per quad bike. For example, the Yamaha Quad Bike 400 CC Single Seater costs AED 250 for 30 min, AED 350 for 1 hour and AED 600 for 2 hours, per quad bike.
- The KTM Dirt Bike 450 CC is priced per dirt bike, for one rider aged 18 or older: AED 850 for 1 hour, AED 1,250 for 2 hours and AED 1,450 for 3 hours.
Keep each price separate when you plan. The vehicle price covers the vehicle for the time you choose, and each person who wants the camel ride or sandboarding adds that extra at its own per person price.
Buggy and quad tours include a self-drive tour with an experienced tour guide, a helmet, goggles and gloves, and refreshments or mineral water. Before every buggy and quad ride the guide gives a safety briefing on how to drive the vehicle, the safety gear and what to do in an emergency. Every rider wears a helmet.
If someone in your group does not want to drive, the camel ride gives them a desert activity of their own. A non-driver can also sit as a passenger in a 2 or 4 seater buggy, since a 2 seater carries two people and a 4 seater four. Confirm ages for drivers and passengers when booking.
Getting there: pickup and the meeting point
This is the part that most often catches people out. No buggy, quad or KTM price includes pickup. When you book the camel ride and sandboarding as extras with a ride, you choose how to reach the desert:
- Sharing transfer: AED 175 per person, for two or more guests from one pickup point.
- Private car: AED 450 for 5 to 6 guests.
- Meet on site: drive yourself to the location, which is emailed to you after booking.
A transfer picks you up 1 hour before the start time. Rides run in the desert outside Dubai, and the exact meeting point comes by email.
The shared and private safaris are different: their prices include pickup. If the short camel ride on the evening safari is enough for you, you will not need to arrange a transfer at all.
For a fuller explanation of the transfer choices, read how transfers work for dune buggy bookings.
When to go: start times and season
Buggies, quads and the KTM start on the hour from 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM, daily. If you add a camel ride and sandboarding to one of these, pick the start hour that suits your day and remember the transfer picks up 1 hour earlier.
The site names October to March as the best season for desert activities.
The evening safari takes about 5 to 6 hours and the morning safari about four, so plan either as the main activity of that day. Whichever time you choose, build in some slack for photos at the camel ride. It is the moment most guests want to stop and record.
Who a camel ride suits
The camel ride suits almost anyone who wants to see the desert without driving: couples who want a slower activity between faster ones, friends where one person does not want to ride a quad, and families looking for something gentle to share.
If you are travelling with children, our guide to desert safari options with kids, including quad ages and child prices covers the family angle in detail. For the camel ride itself, confirm any age questions with the team when you book.
Health and comfort
A camel ride involves a rocking motion and a tilt as the camel stands up and kneels down. Sandboarding involves falls onto sand and walking up slopes. Dune bashing on a safari involves strong movement in the 4x4. If you are pregnant or have a back, neck or heart condition, check with a doctor and tell the team before booking. Safari Desert Dubai does not give medical advice, and neither does this guide.
What to wear and bring
Loose, comfortable clothing works well on a camel, since you sit astride a saddle. Long trousers are more comfortable than shorts for that reason. Sunglasses and a hat help in the open desert.
If you combine the camel ride with a buggy or quad, wear closed-toe shoes, which the site asks for on the self-drive rides, and bring a passport or a national ID. Helmets, goggles and gloves come with buggy and quad tours.
For a complete packing list, see what to wear on a desert safari in Dubai, buggy or quad.
Booking, payment and changes
You add the camel ride and sandboarding on the activities booking form. Payment is by Visa or Mastercard in AED, in full online when booking, with no card fee. The booking confirmation arrives by email within 48 hours of payment.
On changes, the refund policy is clear. For bookings of up to 3 guests, there is no cancellation fee 96 hours or more before the tour, a 50% fee from 24 to 96 hours, and 100% under 24 hours or for a no-show. Refunds are less a 5% processing fee. Rescheduling is free, subject to availability, and you cancel or change by email only.
If Safari Desert Dubai cancels a tour, for example for weather, you choose between a refund less the 5% fee or a new date at no charge. Once a tour has started, it is not refunded.
Which option fits you?
A few common situations and the option that matches each:
You want the full desert evening with a little camel time
Book the shared Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner. Pickup, dune bashing in a 4x4, a short camel ride and the BBQ dinner with belly dance, tanoura and fire shows are all in it, at AED 240 per adult (12+) and AED 225 per child (5 to 11).
You want a proper camel ride, not just a short one
Add the Camel Ride in Desert (20 to 25 min) at AED 150 per person on the activities form. Plan your transfer at AED 175 per person sharing or AED 450 per private car, or use the emailed meeting point.
You want to drive and also ride a camel
Book a buggy, quad or the KTM, then add the camel ride at AED 150 per person and, if you like, sandboarding at AED 50 per person. Arrange the transfer separately, since the vehicle price does not include pickup.
Planning checklist
Before you book, run through these points:
- Decide whether the short camel ride on the evening safari is enough, or whether you want the 20 to 25 minute ride.
- Note the unit of every price: per person for the camel ride, sandboarding and shared safaris, per buggy, per quad bike or per dirt bike for the vehicles, per car for private safaris and transfers.
- Choose how you will reach the desert: sharing transfer, private car or the emailed meeting point.
- Pick a start hour between 5:00 AM and 8:00 PM, remembering the transfer comes 1 hour before.
- Confirm ages with the team for anyone under 18.
- Check with a doctor first if you have a health condition that the movement could affect, and tell the team.
- Pack closed-toe shoes and a passport or national ID if a buggy or quad is part of the plan.
In short
A camel ride in the Dubai desert with Safari Desert Dubai is a 20 to 25 minute ride at AED 150 per person, and sandboarding adds AED 50 per person. Both are extras on the activities form. The shared evening safari already includes a short camel ride, with pickup, dune bashing and a BBQ dinner.
To plan your day, book your desert adventure on the activities form, or call the team on +971 52 447 2719.
