Dubai - Desert Dinner Safari Recommendations

Desert Dinner Safari's

Has anyone used any of these companies for a Desert Dinner Safari in Dubai. We are looking at 3 companies.

Platinum Heritage Tours - seems like a more authentic experience with falconry and my DH likes the fact they use 1950's open land rovers. This needs to be paid in advance and is 495 AED (Approx $135.00 USD per person). They use a private camp and only take a maximum of 40 people, but said most nights there are more like 20 people. The meal might be too traditional with little my DH will eat.

Dubai Private Tours - Desert Dinner Safari by private car. This is $299.00 for up to 6 people and they use a Toyota land Rover. If we found 2 more people it would only be $75.00 each, but if not, $150.00 each. I don't know what camp they use but they have belly dancing and Egyptian folk dance and a BBQ. (This sounds like it could be the same camp used by Arabian Adventures?)

Arabian Adventures (owned by Emirates Airlines). We were going to use them a couple of years ago before our trip was canceled. They are 360 AED (approx. $100.00 USD per person), group departure. They have some negative reviews on trip advisor, but mainly regarding missed connections. Thy told me their prices are going up and to contact them in October. One positive is that they have a tour desk in our hotel.

Has anyone used any of these companies, and would you recommend the experience? The prices are close enough that they are not a deciding factor.

Thanks.

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Platinum Heritage Safari

Heritage Dinner Safari

495 AED (Approx $135 USD) paid in advance fully refundable up until 48 hours.

"Take a step back in time and experience Dubai as it was 50 years ago. Your professional guide will escort you on a stunning journey in a museum quality 1950’s Land Rover. These vehicles were extensively used in the 1950’s and since then have become part of the UAE history. No other vehicle offers a more authentic desert experience to spot exotic local wildlife within the pristine Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. Your Bedouin camp, lit with the gentle flames of traditional lamps is nestled inside a private Royal desert retreat. As our guest, we will demonstrate cultural activities such as camel rides, henna, falconry, music, dance, bread making and will provide the opportunity to learn how to prepare a local recipe handed down from generation to generation, before enjoying a scrumptious dinner under the stars. History comes to life in this once in a lifetime heritage event."

Menu

Soups

Lentil

Spiced Shor bat Adas

Salads

Tomato and onion

Fresh Garden

Starters

Harees

Kibbeh

Sambousek

Houmous

Tabouli

Main

Traditional Ouzi

Chicken Kabobs

Vegetable and Ouzi Rice

Dessert

Fruit Salad

Lgeimat

Scrumptious authentic dinner in an exclusive camp set amongst the rolling dunes of a Royal desert retreat

Legendary 1950’s Land Rovers

Wildlife drive through the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve

Falcon demonstration and sunset photo stop amongst the dunes

Camel rides, henna tattoos, aromatic shisha pipes, Arabic coffee and bread making are all available at the camp

Serene setting surrounded by exotic wildlife

Bathrooms facilities

Hotel pick-up in an Air-conditioned van (shared)

A portion of your fee is contributed towards local conservation

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Dubai Private Tours

Desert Safari Dinner With Private Car

Price: USD 299 For up to 6 people

Duaraion: 6 Hours

The desert safari in Dubai is a highlight of any trip to the UAE. This is one fabulous safari that you can never experience in your home town. It is on top priority of every tourist’s travel agenda, as it is indeed an experience of a life time. The Dubai desert safari takes you on a fun filled journey through the Arabian Desert for evening of adventure sports, cultural entertainment, and wholesome delicious food.

Highlights: Desert Dune Bashing, Adventure Dune Driving, Sunset Photography, Photographs wearing UAE’s National Clothing, Camel Riding, Drawing Henna Designs, Outdoor Shisha Bar, Sandboarding, Arabic Coffee and Dates for light refreshments at Tea, The Tanoura Dance, A Barbeque Dinner with Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Dish and Belly Dancing.

We have designed a special private tour for a brilliant price of USD $299 for up to six tourists. However a private bespoke tour can also be arranged for a larger group if need be. Please speak with our tour manager or guide in this regard.

Full Itinerary: A bespoken itinerary has been made which will suit any tourist or traveler to the UAE. However, the itinerary can be altered to suit your comfort at any time. Kindly speak with our tour manager or guide to arrange for a tailor-made itinerary for yourself and your family.

Please note that Quad Biking is available for a separate charge of USD $45 for a period of fifteen minutes.

Alcohol is also available at the safari camp for an additional amount.

Dress Code

Casuals and winter clothing required between Nov-Feb

Foot Wear

Covered sports / flat shoes

Meeting You

We will pick you from the lobby of your hotel, airport or where ever may be your place of stay. You shall be taken for the safari on our special air-conditioned luxury vehicle. To ensure that you have a lovely time and enjoy the evening at leisure, we shall come for you late afternoon between 15:00 Hours to 16:00 Hours.

Desert Dune Bashing / Adventure Dune Bashing

Desert Dune Bashing is a way of exploring the glittering sand dunes with a four wheel drive vehicle. This adventure sport is almost like a skilled controlled roller-coaster ride.

Sunset Photography

Beautiful hues across the stunning Arabian evening skyline are a canvas of play for every passionate photographer. And if this is you, you can take all the photographs you like. This golden opportunity must not be missed.

Photographs wearing UAE’s National Clothing

You can have your photographs taken wearing UAE’s national clothing. Ladies wear the Abaya which is a long black cloak and gentlemen wear the Kandura or the dishdash is also a long white cloak.

Camel Riding

Experience a whole new perspective of the Desert Safari by having a lovely camel ride that can be short or extended as you fancy.

Drawing Henna Designs

Henna is a plant whose leaves are dried and powdered. This is then used as a dye for hair, nails, skin, fabric and leather. Henna when drawn on the hands and feet of a lady increases the female hormones in her, and hence is also traditionally used before one’s wedding. Beautiful freehand designs in Henna when drawn on the hands or feet will give you a reddish brown colour that shall last for a maximum time of three weeks. This is a beautiful experience.

Outdoor Shisha Bar

Shisha is a concoction of tobacco that is smoked in a water pipe. A wide range of flavours such as apple, mint, grape etc are available to choose from and you can smoke in style.

Sand Boarding or Sand Skiing

Have great fun sand boarding along the sand dunes, just as you would snow board on a snow mountain. This is an exciting recreational activity in the Arabian deserts.

Arabic Coffee and Dates for light refreshments at Tea

Arabic coffee and dates shall be provided as light refreshments at tea time before dinner. A taste of the local brew shall gear you for the evening ahead.

The Tanoura Dance

This is traditional Egyptian folk dance that is performed by gentlemen is colourful frilled outfits. The rustic musical instruments and music shall certainly entertain you.

A Barbeque Dinner

No outdoor extravaganza can be complete without a delicious traditional Bedouin style barbeque meal by the moonlight. With all the sport getting you famished, a scrummy buffet of vegetarian and non-vegetarian barbeque dishes awaits you.

Belly Dancing

No outdoor extravaganza can be complete without a delicious traditional Bedouin style barbeque meal by the moonlight. With all the sport getting you famished, a scrummy buffet of vegetarian and non-vegetarian barbeque dishes awaits you.

Belly Dancing

While you enjoy and dine in style, enjoy some beautiful dancing by gorgeous professional belly dancers. With good food and entertainment, you have yourself some jolly good pampering.

A Safe Drop Off

As the safari draws to a close, we shall take you to your hotel or other place of stay; and drop you off safely in comfort.

Regular Menu

On arrival: Kahwa & Dates

Salads: Hummus, Tabouleh, Moutabel, Cucumber-Tomato-Lettuce

Main Course: Vegetable Mix Curry, Chicken Aloo Gravy, Basmati Rice, Biryani And Yellow Dal

Live BBQ: Chicken Drumstick, Chicken Tikka And Lamb Chops

Bread: Arabic Bread

Dessert: Fresh Cut Fruits And Arabic Sweets

Cafe: Tea, Coffee, Soft Drinks And Mineral Water

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Arabian Adventure (Emirates Airlines)

Dune Dinner Safari

AED 360 (Approx USD $100.00) paid in advance, group pick-up

The mysterious desert is the ideal venue for a magical and memorable evening. Leaving behind the hustle and bustle of the city, trained safari guides driving 4x4 vehicles lead the thrilling journey - over the sand dunes, and through the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve - deep into the heart of the desert. A feast under the stars includes a Middle Eastern selection of grilled meats, fresh salads, delectable sweets and hand-picked beverages at our traditional Bedouin-style camp.

This tour also includes:

Dune driving through the desert with falcon viewing and sunset photo stop.

Camel rides, henna hand painting and aromatic shisha available at the camp.

Belly dancing.

Belly Danci

While you enjoy and dine in style, enjoy some beautiful dancing by gorgeous professional belly dancers. With good food and entertainment, you have yourself some jolly good pampering.

A Safe Drop Off

As the safari draws to a close, we shall take you to your hotel or other place of stay; and drop you off safely in comfort.

Regular Menu

On arrival: Kahwa & Dates

Salads: Hummus, Tabouleh, Moutabel, Cucumber-Tomato-Lettuce

Main Course: Vegetable Mix Curry, Chicken Aloo Gravy, Basmati Rice, Biryani And Yellow Dal

Live BBQ: Chicken Drumstick, Chicken Tikka And Lamb Chops

Bread: Arabic Bread

Dessert: Fresh Cut Fruits And Arabic Sweets

Cafe: Tea, Coffee, Soft Drinks And Mineral Water

I posted this twice by mistake, but this is the correct information for Arabian Adventures.

Arabian Adventure (Emirates Airlines)

Dune Dinner Safari

AED 360 (Approx USD $100.00) paid in advance, group pick-up

The mysterious desert is the ideal venue for a magical and memorable evening. Leaving behind the hustle and bustle of the city, trained safari guides driving 4x4 vehicles lead the thrilling journey - over the sand dunes, and through the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve - deep into the heart of the desert. A feast under the stars includes a Middle Eastern selection of grilled meats, fresh salads, delectable sweets and hand-picked beverages at our traditional Bedouin-style camp.

Various activities included in the safari:

** Pick up and drop off from major hotel in Dubai

** Dune driving in a branded 4x4

** Photo stop during Sunset. (Depending on the weather)

** Camel Riding included

** Bedouin style camp set-up

** Henna Painting

** Hubbly Bubbly (Shisha – Water pipe)

** Belly Dance Show

** Buffet Barbeque Dinner

** Alcoholic Drinks (Beer & Wine / Till stocks last)

** Soft Drinks / Water

** Digital Photography (Payment to be settled directly at the campsite)

** Falcon Demonstration

Important Safaris Information:

ü Safaris are conducted in English only.

ü Our safaris involve off-road driving through rugged terrain. For this reason we regret we are unable to accept passengers with heart and back conditions,expectant mothers and passengers aged under six years or over 65 years. Special arrangements can be made for the Dune Dinner Safari. Please speak to your representative for further information.

ü There is a seating for six guests + one driver. The seats are as follows: one next to the driver, three in the middle row and two in the back row.

ü Seats cannot be pre-allocated and we operate a ‘seat rotation’ policy during all stops.

ü Water and soft drinks are complementary.

Jade..I have been corresponding with Dubai Private tours for months now with all the changes etc for our 5 day stay in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. All I can say is that at this point they have been VERY good about getting right back to me, making changes, etc to the point that we started with 1 day in

Abu Dhabi and 1 day in Dubai and we have added 3 extra days with them for the end of our tour as we have been so impressed with their communications! Muhamed and Sunil both seem VERY nice and thorough!

Sherry & Kimber Smith

Jade..I have been corresponding with Dubai Private tours for months now with all the changes etc for our 5 day stay in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. All I can say is that at this point they have been VERY good about getting right back to me, making changes, etc to the point that we started with 1 day in

Abu Dhabi and 1 day in Dubai and we have added 3 extra days with them for the end of our tour as we have been so impressed with their communications! Muhamed and Sunil both seem VERY nice and thorough!

Sherry & Kimber Smith

Hi, thank you for the reply. Are you doing a dinner Safari?

I did just hear from Mohamed at Dubai Private Tours and they use a camp that is not in the Conservation area and takes up to 150 people.

He said if we wanted a larger camp to book with Arabian Adventure who uses a camp within the conservation area and is much larger. He seems like a nice guy telling me about the competition. I never told him who we had contacted.

Platinum Heritage Safari's said they have a private camp within the conservation area, and they only take a maximum of 40 people, but numbers are usually closer to 20.

Thanks, Jade, we have not yet booked one but just in the talking stage now! This has been a BIG help!!

Sherry

I decided not to use them because of the very large group size, even though we were going to two years ago, but here is further information from Arabian Adventures.

"Further to your query, we are taking guests to Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve where we do our activities and camp is exclusive only for Arabian Adventures guests. Normally we have 150 – 250 guests that we cater per day on the Sundowner safari alone.

Please find below sample menu on our Sundowner dune dinner safari (menu subject to changes)

Starters

Fried Cheese Puff, Fried Spinach Puff, Falafel, Olives, Arabic Bread, Cheese Manakish, Zatar Manakish, Chicken Sherwarma

From the Barbecue

Boneless Chicken Tikka, Fillet of Beef, Lamb Chops w/ BBQ Sauce

From the Buffet

Vegetable Curry, Biriyani Rice, Homous, Tabouleh, Oriental Salad, Potato Salad

Dessert

Baklava, Fresh Fruit Selection, Tea & Coffee, Arabic coffee and fresh dates"

I posted this twice by mistake, but this is the correct information for Arabian Adventures.

 

Arabian Adventure (Emirates Airlines)

 

Dune Dinner Safari

 

AED 360 (Approx USD $100.00) paid in advance, group pick-up

 

The mysterious desert is the ideal venue for a magical and memorable evening. Leaving behind the hustle and bustle of the city, trained safari guides driving 4x4 vehicles lead the thrilling journey - over the sand dunes, and through the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve - deep into the heart of the desert. A feast under the stars includes a Middle Eastern selection of grilled meats, fresh salads, delectable sweets and hand-picked beverages at our traditional Bedouin-style camp.

 

 

Various activities included in the safari:

 

 

 

** Pick up and drop off from major hotel in Dubai

 

** Dune driving in a branded 4x4

 

** Photo stop during Sunset. (Depending on the weather)

 

** Camel Riding included

 

** Bedouin style camp set-up

 

** Henna Painting

 

** Hubbly Bubbly (Shisha – Water pipe)

 

** Belly Dance Show

 

** Buffet Barbeque Dinner

 

** Alcoholic Drinks (Beer & Wine / Till stocks last)

 

** Soft Drinks / Water

 

** Digital Photography (Payment to be settled directly at the campsite)

 

** Falcon Demonstration

 

 

 

Important Safaris Information:

 

 

 

ü Safaris are conducted in English only.

 

ü Our safaris involve off-road driving through rugged terrain. For this reason we regret we are unable to accept passengers with heart and back conditions,expectant mothers and passengers aged under six years or over 65 years. Special arrangements can be made for the Dune Dinner Safari. Please speak to your representative for further information.

 

ü There is a seating for six guests + one driver. The seats are as follows: one next to the driver, three in the middle row and two in the back row.

 

ü Seats cannot be pre-allocated and we operate a ‘seat rotation’ policy during all stops.

 

ü Water and soft drinks are complementary.

OP, I haven't been yet. We will be in Dubai in May, but I have been doing a lot of research.

We will use Heritage Platinum whatever they are called, the one with the landrovers.

As I understood it, they do more a safari where you go looking for wildlife etc, while the other ones are more of the dunebashing variety (something we are not interested in at all).

I, personally, also prefer the smaller camp size.

OP, I haven't been yet. We will be in Dubai in May, but I have been doing a lot of research.

 

We will use Heritage Platinum whatever they are called, the one with the landrovers.

As I understood it, they do more a safari where you go looking for wildlife etc, while the other ones are more of the dunebashing variety (something we are not interested in at all).

I, personally, also prefer the smaller camp size.

We are planning on using them as well after much research. Btw, I read on-line as a new company they have coupon codes for discounts.

Have you found any of those codes?

No, I haven't found any coupons yet, but I haven't searched for them either :)

No, I haven't found any coupons yet, but I haven't searched for them either :)

What is a Disney Jungle cruise? I saw it listed in your history.

Hi,

We are sailing on the Nautica and would like to do the desert safari while in Abu Dhabi on April 27. Are you doing a desert safari? It sounds like you'll be staying on after the cruise.

Ginny Reeves

Our desert safari in Dubai was arranged through Desert Safari Dubai http://www.desertsafaridubai.com/desert-safari-dubai.html.

The tour, in 2009, consisted of 25 or 30 people in Lexus AWD-SUV vehicles and included: Desert Dune Bashing, Camel Rides, Belly Dancing, Henna Painting and a Buffet Style B.B.Q. Dinner at a Bedouin Camp. It was great fun! I’m sure all of the companies pretty much use similar facilities for the Bedouin experience.

Click on http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=19853920&postcount=53 for information on viewing a video of this excursion and other sites in Dubai.

Ron

Just wanted to say thanks for all the information on this thread - I went looking for any info I could find on the different desert safaris, found this thread & made a decision based on the information here. We were in Dubai the second weekend in June of this year.

We chose Platinum Heritage, and it was in a word - AWESOME!

I would highly recommend this company. The driver, Yemen, was incredible, he was funny, courteous, entertaining & told us quite a bit about life in Dubai. We had arranged a private drive to the group dinner - I was a little worried that I may take up too much room on the Land Rover seats, the private car worked out great, yet we still had the company of about 30 other people at the dinner. Which was delicious - best chicken skewers I have ever had, yumm, I must get that recipe for the yogurt marinade.

We really enjoyed the falconry show, those cute little guys sure can fly and swoop!

Platinum Heritage is a definitely a top-notch company!

Just wanted to say thanks for all the information on this thread - I went looking for any info I could find on the different desert safaris, found this thread & made a decision based on the information here. We were in Dubai the second weekend in June of this year.

 

We chose Platinum Heritage, and it was in a word - AWESOME!

 

I would highly recommend this company. The driver, Yemen, was incredible, he was funny, courteous, entertaining & told us quite a bit about life in Dubai. We had arranged a private drive to the group dinner - I was a little worried that I may take up too much room on the Land Rover seats, the private car worked out great, yet we still had the company of about 30 other people at the dinner. Which was delicious - best chicken skewers I have ever had, yumm, I must get that recipe for the yogurt marinade.

 

We really enjoyed the falconry show, those cute little guys sure can fly and swoop!

 

Platinum Heritage is a definitely a top-notch company!

Great to hear since I started the thread, researched the differant companies, and decided to use Platinum Heritage. Thank you for coming back and telling us about your experience.

We were going to do it in Dubai but then decided not to. we were set with Dubai Private Excursions who took us all over and we loved them. We had heard such negative things about the Dune Bashing of ALL the tours..that if you were NOt in the front seat your head could hit the roof, you would get car sick etc. Dubai Private excursions said they would not do the dune bashing if we did not want to but by then we had decided to go watch the dancing fountains at the Burj Khalifa. One day though we had our guide take us out to the desert just so we could see it and walk around some.

That worked for us.

PS..we LOVED Dubai and SO glad we stayed 3 extra days at end of cruise.

Sherry