Going for a self-drive desert experience in Dubai comes with an unmatched combination of adventure, personal experience, cultural exploration, and more. While guided tours are something that people traditionally opt for, the self-drive desert safari experience is unique in its own way. This safari allows you to explore the mesmerizing desert dunes at your preferred speed. This helps you connect closely with the wide Arabian Desert.
With that known, let us now move further in this article and try to decode the experience that you are going to have on a self-drive desert safari in Dubai or any other desert landscape. Apart from that, we’ll be reviewing some self-drive packages and figuring out what makes it so unique.
An Overview of self-drive Desert Safari
Unlike traditional desert safari which is mostly a guided tour, the self-drive desert safari gives you the confidence to take on the desert adventure at your own pace. This offers you a sense of freedom and your excitement levels also become manifolds.
When you are on the self-drive exploration of the desert, you will be driving through the expansive golden dunes while witnessing the breathtaking sunsets. Apart from that, you will also get a chance to explore the wildlife. You can stop wherever you want to capture the beauty of nature and explore the desert on your own terms.
Time to review a few Self-drive Desert Safari Packages
By reviewing these packages, we’ll be giving you a glimpse of what experiences you are going to have on your self-arranged desert safari experience. Let’s take a look now:
Desert Safari Dubai Self-Drive Package (Basic) – AED 80
In this package, participants will be invited to drive to a designated meeting point and once they reach, they will be greeted by the transport manager. Following this, the guided activities will begin including the following:
- For 25-30 minutes, you will be bashing the sand dunes.
- Ride a camel for around 5 minutes.
- Go for the sand-boarding sessions.
- You’ll be taking part in the traditional desert camping experience.
- Henna painting, belly dance, shisha smoking, Tanoura show, fire show, etc.
- Buffet BBQ dinner (with both veg and non-veg options).
- Quad bike, horse riding, dune buggy (Optional & Paid activities).
Self-drive 4WD Desert Safari + Dune Bashing experience
For a unique hands-on driving experience, you can choose the self-drive package. In this package, you are provided a 4WD vehicle which you can drive through the desert. However, you’ll be provided necessary guidance by an experienced instructor beforehand:
- You’ll be provided an all-inclusive briefing as well as a training session where you can under the techniques to drive in the desert.
- Get a chance to navigate through the tough and challenging dunes/terrains.
- This turns out to be a great opportunity to build confidence.
- You’ll learn the art of mastering off-road driving skills.
- You can also book a package that comes with the BBQ buffet dinner (veg/non-veg).
- Enjoy cultural performances afterward including belly dance, fire show, tanoura show, etc.
What’s so unique about the self-drive desert safari experience?
If you are wondering what makes the self-drive desert safari experience so distinctive, then I am sure this section of the article will help you understand the same:
- Personalized experience- Since you’ll be driving the vehicle on your own, you’ll have a flexible itinerary. This gives you an opportunity to spend more time at the spots that interest you the most.
- Environmental connection- You’ll have a close connection to nature because you’ll be engaging with the wildlife on your own terms.
- Develop skills- If you are interested in off-road driving, there are some packages that allow you to take part in training sessions. This helps you improve your driving skills and you get a chance to gain confidence in navigating the harsh desert terrain.
Pre-requirements for this experience
While the self-drive desert safari experience is truly worth it, make sure to consider these factors and requirements beforehand:
- Make sure that you have a vehicle that is suitable for this experience.
- If your package does not include a 4WD vehicle, arrange it on your own.
- Ensure that you familiarize yourself with all the required driving techniques.
- Adhere to the safety instructions provided by the instructor.
- Be environmentally responsible which means you’ll have to respect the fragile ecosystem.
- Make sure that you have a valid driving license which is valid in that region.
- Get an apt insurance coverage for taking part in off-road activities.
After carefully going through this article, you’ll be able to decide whether the experience was truly worth it or not.
