Yes, children can join a Dubai desert safari. Children aged 5 to 11 pay AED 225 per child on the shared evening safari and AED 210 per child on the morning safari. For quad biking, the Yamaha Quad Bike 90 CC is only for ages 9 to 12, in a fenced area, from AED 150 per quad bike.
Key takeaways
- Shared safari prices split into adults (12 and over) and children (5 to 11). Pickup is included in every safari price.
- The Yamaha Quad Bike 90 CC Single Seater is only for children aged 9 to 12 and rides only in a fenced area: AED 150 for 30 minutes, AED 250 for 1 hour and AED 400 for 2 hours, per quad bike.
- The Yamaha Quad Bike 220 CC Single Seater is recommended for ages 14 to 17 and also rides only in a fenced area: AED 200, AED 250 and AED 400 per quad bike.
- Every quad and buggy rider wears a helmet. Goggles and gloves are provided too, and the guide gives a safety briefing before each ride.
- Quad and buggy prices do not include pickup. Add a sharing transfer at AED 175 per person, a private car at AED 450 for 5 to 6 people, or meet at the emailed location.
- For any age not covered below, such as children under 5 on a safari or a young buggy passenger, confirm the age with the team when you book.
Can kids go on a desert safari in Dubai?
Yes. Safari Desert Dubai runs shared morning and evening desert safaris in a Land Cruiser 4x4, and both have a separate child price. On these safaris an adult is anyone aged 12 and over, and a child is aged 5 to 11. Children do not drive anything on a safari. A driver takes the whole group out in the 4x4, and the family rides together.
The two shared safaris are quite different days out for a child:
- Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner. It includes pickup, dune bashing in a 4x4, a short camel ride and a BBQ dinner with belly dance, tanoura and fire shows. The site gives about 5 to 6 hours for the evening safari.
- Morning Desert Safari With Land Cruiser 4X4. It runs in a Land Cruiser 4x4 and lasts about four hours, with water and soft drinks.
The morning trip is shorter, which can suit younger children who tire quickly. The evening trip is longer and ends with dinner and shows, which many families treat as the main event of the day. You can compare both on the desert safari tours page.
What age counts as a child on a Dubai desert safari?
For the shared safaris, a child is 5 to 11 years old and pays the child price. From 12, a guest pays the adult price. The listed prices do not set a child price for under 5s, so if you are travelling with a toddler or a baby, ask the team before you book what applies to your child.
Is dune bashing suitable for children?
Dune bashing is part of the evening safari: a driver takes the 4x4 over the dunes while guests sit as passengers. Whether it suits your child is a decision for you as a parent. Safari Desert Dubai gives no medical advice, and nobody should treat a ride as right for a health condition. If your child, or anyone in your group, has a medical condition, check with a doctor and tell the team before booking.
What does a desert safari with kids cost?
These are the shared and private safari prices for families, exactly as Safari Desert Dubai lists them. Each price stands alone with its own unit.
| Safari | Adult price (12 and over) | Child price (5 to 11) | Pickup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner (shared) | AED 240 per adult | AED 225 per child | Included |
| Morning Desert Safari With Land Cruiser 4X4 (shared) | AED 225 per adult | AED 210 per child | Included |
| Evening Desert Safari + 30 Min ATV Quad Bike (shared) | AED 375 per adult | AED 340 per child | Included |
| Morning Desert Safari + 30 Min ATV Quad Bike (shared) | AED 290 per adult | AED 285 per child | Included |
| Private Morning Desert Safari With Land Cruiser 4X4 | AED 799 per car, up to 6 guests | Same car price | Included |
| Private Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner Land Cruiser 4x4 | AED 1,400 per car, up to 6 guests | Same car price | Included |
Shared or private: which works better for a family?
On a shared safari you pay per adult and per child, and you travel with other guests. On a private safari you pay one price per car, AED 799 for the private morning safari or AED 1,400 for the private evening safari with the BBQ dinner, and the car takes up to 6 guests.
A private car can make sense for a family that wants its own pace, its own vehicle and no other guests in the car. A shared safari can make sense for a smaller family or a parent travelling with one child. Choose by how many of you are travelling and how you want to spend the day.
What about the safari packages with a 30 minute ATV?
Safari Desert Dubai sells both safaris with a 30 Min ATV Quad Bike added, and these packages also have a child price for ages 5 to 11: AED 340 per child for the evening version and AED 285 per child for the morning version. The package details do not say which quad a child rides in this package or from what age a child rides alone. Before you book, confirm with the team how the 30 minute ATV works for your child's age. You can see the evening package on the evening safari with 30 min ATV quad bike page.
Can kids ride a quad bike in Dubai?
Yes, two of the eight quad bikes are set aside for younger riders, and both ride only in a fenced area.
The Yamaha Quad Bike 90 CC Single Seater is only for children aged 9 to 12. It is a single seater, so the child rides alone on the quad, in the fenced area, with a helmet, goggles and gloves.
The Yamaha Quad Bike 220 CC Single Seater is recommended for ages 14 to 17. It also rides only in the fenced area. It is a natural step for a teenager who wants to ride their own quad.
| Quad bike | Age | Where it rides | 30 min | 1 hour | 2 hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yamaha Quad Bike 90 CC Single Seater | Only for children aged 9 to 12 | Fenced area only | AED 150 per quad bike | AED 250 per quad bike | AED 400 per quad bike |
| Yamaha Quad Bike 220 CC Single Seater | Recommended for ages 14 to 17 | Fenced area only | AED 200 per quad bike | AED 250 per quad bike | AED 400 per quad bike |
Prices are per quad bike, not per person, and they do not include pickup. You can see every quad, from the Yamaha 90 CC to the Yamaha Raptor 700 CC, on the quad bike tours page.
What about a 13 year old, or a child under 9?
The two youth quads have two age bands: 9 to 12 for the Yamaha 90 CC, and 14 to 17 as the recommended range for the Yamaha 220 CC. No quad is listed for a child of 13 or for a child under 9. If your child falls outside those bands, ask the team when you book which ride, if any, fits that age. The same applies to the larger quads, such as the Yamaha 400 CC, the Yamaha Grizzly or the Sport Quad Bike 625 CC: confirm the rider's age with the team before you book.
Can a parent and child share a quad bike?
Safari Desert Dubai has a Yamaha Quad Bike 400 CC Double Seater, priced at AED 350 for 30 minutes, AED 425 for 1 hour and AED 820 for 2 hours, per quad bike. No passenger age is listed for the double seater, so confirm with the team whether your child can ride as a passenger before you book.
What safety steps are taken for young riders?
Before every quad and buggy ride, the guide gives a safety briefing on how to drive the vehicle, the safety gear and what to do in an emergency. Riders keep a safe gap and follow the guide's path. Every rider wears a helmet, and the tour includes goggles, gloves and refreshments or mineral water. The two youth quads ride only in the fenced area.
As a parent, make sure your child listens to the full briefing and understands they must follow the guide. Dress them in closed-toe shoes, and bring a passport or a national ID for the booking.
Can kids sit in a dune buggy?
Safari Desert Dubai runs eight self-drive dune buggies, each in a 2 seat and a 4 seat version. A buggy is priced per buggy, not per person: a 2 seater carries two people and a 4 seater four. For a family, the 4 seater is the obvious choice. The 4 Seater Polaris Dune Buggy RZR 1000 CC costs AED 800 for 30 minutes, AED 1,200 for 1 hour and AED 2,200 for 2 hours, per buggy.
The buggies have roll cages and seatbelts, and everyone on board wears a helmet. No minimum age is listed for buggy drivers or buggy passengers, so confirm both with the team when you book. Do not assume a young child can ride as a passenger until the team has said so for your date.
Which extras can children try?
Two extras sit on the activities booking form:
- Camel Ride in Desert, about 20 to 25 minutes: AED 150 per person.
- SandBoarding: AED 50 per person.
These are separate extras. A quad bike or buggy price does not include sandboarding or a camel ride. The evening safari already includes a short camel ride, so a family on that safari does not need to add one. No age is listed for the camel ride or sandboarding extras, so confirm your child's age with the team when you book.
Can children fly in a hot air balloon?
Yes, within the ages the balloon prices set. Safari Desert Dubai sells three shared sunrise flights, the Standard Flight, the Deluxe Flight and the Premium Flight. Children aged 5 to 11 pay AED 999 for the Standard Flight and AED 1,049 for the Deluxe Flight. The Premium Flight child price is AED 1,149 and is for ages 7 to 11. Adults aged 12 to 80 pay AED 1,049 for the Standard Flight, AED 1,149 for the Deluxe Flight and AED 1,349 for the Premium Flight, per person.
Flights last 45 to 60 minutes depending on the weather. Pickup is between 3:45 and 4:30 AM, with the exact time sent the day before, and the shared pickup is free. That early start matters with children, so plan an early bedtime the evening before. Details are on the hot air balloon page.
How do you plan a desert day with children?
Pick the right time of year and day
Safari Desert Dubai names October to March as the best season. Buggies, quads and the KTM start on the hour from 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM, daily. With children, an early slot or a morning safari often fits better around naps and meals, while the evening safari suits families who want dinner and the shows.
Sort out transport before you book
Safaris include pickup. Quad bike and buggy prices do not. For a ride, you have three choices:
- A sharing transfer at AED 175 per person, for two or more from one pickup point.
- A private car at AED 450 for 5 to 6 people.
- Meeting on site at the location emailed to you after booking.
A transfer picks you up 1 hour before the ride starts. Rides run in the desert outside Dubai.
Pack the right things
- Closed-toe shoes for every rider, adults and children.
- A passport or a national ID.
- Water is provided on rides as refreshments or mineral water, and the morning safari includes water and soft drinks.
The helmet, goggles and gloves come with every buggy and quad tour, so you do not need to bring your own.
Know the booking and refund terms
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.
For bookings of up to 3 guests, there is no cancellation fee if you cancel 96 hours or more before the tour. A 50% fee applies from 24 to 96 hours, and 100% under 24 hours or for a no-show. Refunds are less a 5% processing fee. Larger family bookings follow different terms, so read the refund policy on the site before you pay. Cancellations and changes are made by email only.
If Safari Desert Dubai cancels a tour, for example for weather, you choose a refund less the 5% fee or a new date at no extra charge. Once a tour has started, it is not refunded.
Which option fits your family?
Use the ages of your children as the starting point.
- Children under 5. The shared safari child price starts at 5, so ask the team what applies before you book any safari or ride.
- Children aged 5 to 8. A shared morning safari at AED 210 per child or a shared evening safari at AED 225 per child are the clearest fits. The evening safari includes a short camel ride, and the shows give younger children something to watch after dinner.
- Children aged 9 to 12. This is the age band for the Yamaha Quad Bike 90 CC in the fenced area. Pair a 30 minute or 1 hour session with a safari on another day, or book the quad on its own.
- Teenagers aged 14 to 17. The Yamaha Quad Bike 220 CC is the recommended quad, again in the fenced area. Teenagers aged 12 and over pay the adult price on a safari.
- Mixed ages. A private safari, at AED 799 per car for the morning or AED 1,400 per car for the evening with the BBQ dinner, keeps a family of up to 6 together in one Land Cruiser.
If you are still choosing between a buggy, a quad, a safari and a balloon flight, the guide to how to choose a Dubai desert activity compares the main options.
In short
A Dubai desert safari with kids is simple to plan once you match each activity to your child's age. Shared safaris price children aged 5 to 11 separately and include pickup. The Yamaha 90 CC quad is for ages 9 to 12 and the Yamaha 220 CC is recommended for ages 14 to 17, both in a fenced area, with a helmet, goggles and gloves for every rider. For any age not listed here, confirm with the team when you book.
To book a quad, a buggy or an extra, use the Safari Desert Dubai activities booking form, or call +971 52 447 2719 or email [email protected] with your children's ages and your preferred date.
