UAE Experiences
A sandstone fort with twin towers glowing at sunset in the Liwa region
Experiences

Places worth the drive, across the Emirates

40 experiences, each with the time to allow, the months it is at its best, a realistic note on cost and where to go for the details.

Photo: Riaksharma, CC BY-SA 4.0
Clear

13 of 40 experiences

Flamingos on a lake at Al Qudra, Dubai
Dubai
Slow & Wellness · Adventure

Al Qudra: lakes, cycling and dark skies near Dubai

Birdlife by day, a long cycle loop and the closest dark sky to the city.

Half a dayFree
Rippled red-gold dunes in the UAE desert
Dubai
Adventure · Romance

Hot air ballooning over the UAE desert

A sunrise launch, an hour above the dunes and a desert breakfast.

3.5 to 4.5 hours including transfers$$$$
A circular Bronze Age tomb at Mleiha with the Hajar Mountains behind
Sharjah
Heritage & Culture · Desert & Dunes

Mleiha: archaeology and desert in Sharjah

Tombs, fossils and quiet desert, a short drive from Dubai.

Half a day to a day$$$$
Lanterns and string lights glowing at Khayal Al Sahra camp
Abu Dhabi
Our guide
Desert & Dunes · Romance

Stargazing near Abu Dhabi: a dark-sky guide

Where the sky is actually dark, and when to go.

2 to 3 hours$$$$
Sunset over the dunes at Khayal Al Sahra camp
Abu Dhabi
Our guide
Romance · Coast & Water

The best places to watch the sunset in Abu Dhabi

From the Corniche to the dunes.

1 to 2 hoursFree
Falcons resting on perches on a majlis carpet in the UAE
Abu Dhabi
Our guide
Heritage & Culture · Desert & Dunes

Falconry in the UAE: the tradition and the experiences

A UNESCO-listed heritage practice you can see up close.

1 to 3 hours$$$$
A saddled camel standing on sand in the UAE desert
Abu Dhabi
Our guide
Desert & Dunes · Family

Camel riding in the UAE: what to know first

Rides, ethics and how to choose.

30 minutes to 2 hours$$$$
Two people crossing the crest of a dune in the UAE desert
Dubai
Our guide
Adventure · Desert & Dunes

Sandboarding in the UAE: a beginner's guide

Boards, dunes and what to expect.

1 to 2 hours$$$$
A camel ride during a desert safari tour
Dubai
Our guide
Desert & Dunes · Adventure

Desert safari or a private desert evening?

The shared safari and the private camp are not the same product.

4 to 6 hours$$$$
The arched entrance to a desert camp between palm trees at dusk
Dubai
Our guide
Desert & Dunes · Romance

Glamping in the UAE: choosing the right tier

From domes to desert camps, and what the price buys.

Overnight$$$$
Sunset over the dunes near Liwa, Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Our guide
Desert & Dunes · Adventure

Liwa and the Empty Quarter: a desert guide

The tallest dunes, the Liwa oasis and how to plan the long drive.

1 to 2 days$$$$
A private desert dinner laid out at Khayal Al Sahra
Abu Dhabi
Our guide
Romance · Desert & Dunes

A luxury desert dinner in Abu Dhabi

What a private dinner on the dunes involves.

3 to 4 hours$$$$
Khayal Al Sahra camp at dusk with lit tents on the dunes
Abu Dhabi
Our guide
Romance · Food & Markets

Romantic things to do in Abu Dhabi

Date nights that are not just dinner.

An evening$$$$
Make it private

Want a private version of this?

We run a private desert camp at Al Khatim, 50 minutes from Abu Dhabi city and 90 from Dubai. One booking a day, nobody else on the dunes. Tell us the occasion and the number of guests and we will send a proposal within a working day.

Plan it with us WhatsApp us
  • 4.9 from 60 Google reviewsGuests, wedding parties and corporate planners.
  • 500+ events since 2012Our own licensed camp at Khayal Al Sahra. See the camp
  • A proposal in one working dayItemised, with a real figure, not a brochure.