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Abu Dhabi Desert Safari with BBQ and Tanoura Shows

Top rated
4.7
Activity provider: Emirates Tours & Safari
Abu Dhabi Desert Safari with BBQ and Tanoura Shows
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The full Abu Dhabi desert evening: dune driving, sunset, a camp with dinner, and the shows that go with it.

Highlights

  • Higher, emptier dunes than the Dubai side of the desert
  • Dune driving, sandboarding, a camel ride and sunset over the sand
  • Barbecue dinner with belly dance and tanoura performances at the camp
  • A sky dark enough to actually see something in
  • ⚠️ bring a jacket November to February; the camps are open-sided

Abu Dhabi Desert Safari with BBQ and Tanoura Shows: Key Facts

PriceFrom $105 per person
DurationFlexible
LanguagesEnglish
Tour typeGuided Tour
BookingDirect with the local operator — no OTA markup

Full description

The full Abu Dhabi desert evening: dune driving, sunset, a camp with dinner, and the shows that go with it.

Abu Dhabi's dunes run higher and considerably emptier than the ones outside Dubai. A Dubai evening safari in season can put several hundred vehicles across one dune field; the Abu Dhabi equivalent is a fraction of that, and it is the single best reason to do the safari from this side.

The afternoon: pickup by 4x4, tyres down at the dune line, dune driving, sandboarding, a camel ride, and the sunset over the sand.

The evening: a barbecue dinner at the camp, belly dance and tanoura performances, shisha, and a sky dark enough to see something in.

⚠️ Dune driving is deliberately rough. Anyone pregnant, with back or neck trouble, or prone to motion sickness should say so at booking — the driver will take a gentler line and nobody is obliged to do the hard version.

And between November and February the desert gets properly cold once the sun goes. The camps are open-sided. A jacket is the difference between enjoying the last two hours and enduring them.

Includes

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Desert camp on sharing basis
  • Dune bashing and desert drive
  • Camel farm pass by
  • Photo opportunity in the desert and dunes
  • Short camel riding
  • Sandboarding
  • Traditional attire
  • BBQ buffet dinner
  • Shisha experience
  • Henna painting
  • Picture taking with falcon (subject to availability)

Excludes

  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Quad biking
  • Souvenir photographs
  • Belly dance is unavailable during Ramadan

Important information

Meeting point

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included. The operator confirms your exact pickup time and place after your booking is confirmed.

Weather

This runs outdoors, so the operator can call it off for rain, wind or sea conditions, and that decision is usually made on the day. If they cancel, you choose: another date, or your money back in full. We do not keep a booking fee on a tour that did not run.

Know before you go

  • Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more
Duration Flexible
Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide
English
Wheelchair accessible

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Main Tour Price
Starting from $105
$105
Need a custom booking or have a larger group?Contact Support via WhatsApp
Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off are included. Your pickup time and place are confirmed by the operator after you book, and the collection window is usually a little wider than a fixed minute because the driver is working a route around several hotels.
The price does not cover alcoholic beverages, quad biking, souvenir photographs, belly dance is unavailable during ramadan. Everything the price does cover is listed in full on this page, so if something is not on that list you should budget for it separately.
It is a controlled drive by an experienced driver, but it is genuinely rough. It is not advised in pregnancy, or with back, neck or heart conditions, and it is a common cause of motion sickness. You can ask your driver for a gentler drive, and that request is normal rather than awkward.
We confirm your booking with the operator before we take it as final, and we need at least one day's notice for anything outside India. Once it is confirmed you get the meeting point, the time and a contact number for the day. If the operator cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.
Hotel pickup and drop-off, Desert camp on sharing basis, Dune bashing and desert drive, Camel farm pass by, Photo opportunity in the desert and dunes, Short camel riding, Sandboarding, Traditional attire, BBQ buffet dinner, Shisha experience, Henna painting, Picture taking with falcon (subject to availability)
The duration of the Abu Dhabi Desert Safari with BBQ and Tanoura Shows is typically Flexible. We recommend arriving 15 minutes before the scheduled start time for a smooth check-in. Your guide will meet you at the designated meeting point and ensure the experience runs on schedule while remaining flexible to your pace.
For most experiences, we highly recommend an early morning start. This allows you to avoid the midday heat, bypass the largest crowds, and capture the best lighting for photography. Your guide can advise on the optimal timing based on the season and specific attractions included.
Yes, once your booking is completed via our secure payment gateway, you will receive an instant confirmation email with your tour details, meeting point address, guide's name, and direct contact information. You can also view and manage your booking through your AsiaByLocals account dashboard.
Yes! All our private tours are fully customizable. Whether you want to add extra stops, skip certain locations, change the pace, or adjust the start time — simply let your guide know in advance or on the day. We aim to create a personalized experience tailored to your interests and energy level.
We offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time for a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours may be subject to a partial charge depending on the tour type. Weather-related cancellations for outdoor and boat tours are handled on a case-by-case basis, with full refunds or free rebooking offered when safety is a concern.
Most of our experiences are family-friendly and suitable for children of all ages. However, some tours involving extensive walking, water activities, or early morning starts may be better suited for children aged 5 and above. Please check the specific tour description for age recommendations, or contact us for personalized family itinerary advice.
After booking, you will receive detailed meeting point instructions via email. Most tours include complimentary hotel pickup within the central area. For tours without pickup, your confirmation email will include the exact address, Google Maps pin, and your guide's phone number for easy coordination. Guides typically arrive 10 minutes early and will message you on WhatsApp.
We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), PayPal, Apple Pay, and Razorpay for Indian cards. All payments are processed through a PCI-compliant secure gateway with 256-bit encryption. You can also pay in multiple currencies — the price is automatically converted to your local currency at checkout.
Yes, all AsiaByLocals guides are licensed professionals who have been rigorously vetted through background checks, skill assessments, and customer reviews. Many hold government-issued tourism licenses, university degrees in history or cultural studies, and have years of experience leading tours for international travelers. Every guide maintains a minimum 4.5-star rating to remain active on our platform.
Starting from$105