Why OceanAir Has the Best Dubai Desert Safaris

Planning a desert safari in Dubai raises two main questions: which Dubai desert safari is the best, and where is the desert located? OceanAir has both covered. With its new Adventure and Heritage Collections, OceanAir brings together its finest Dubai desert safaris, the experiences travellers rate highest in Dubai. Within about 45 minutes of the city lie two very different desert landscapes, the red dunes of Lahbab and Al Aweer and the protected sands of Al Marmoom, and each collection is built around one of them. In this guide, we walk you through both deserts, the five experiences we run there, and how to choose the one that fits your trip.

Two Deserts, Two Collections: Plenty to Choose From

The Adventure Collection: the red dunes of Lahbab and Al Aweer. These dunes are tall, steep and made for speed. Our 4×4s climb them in convoy, quad bikes race across open terrain, and the evening ends at Al Khayma Camp with dinner, live shows and stargazing. The collection brings together the Premium Dubai Safari, Red Dune Quad Biking and the Night Desert Safari.

The Heritage Collection: Al Marmoom. Set inside the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve, this desert moves at a slower pace. The sand is pale, Arabian oryx graze in the early light, and guests travel in restored 1980s Mercedes-Benz G-Class vehicles and by camel caravan. The collection brings together the Evening Heritage Safari and the Morning Heritage Safari.

Dubai: Premium Safari, Camel Ride & Al Khayma Camp 3 Buffets

If you have one evening for the desert, this is the safari to book. The Premium Dubai Safari brings every part of a classic Dubai desert safari together in one booking, with a dedicated guide and fast-track access from start to finish. The evening begins with 30 to 45 minutes of dune bashing on the Lahbab red dunes, followed by sandboarding. At sunset, you set off on Dubai’s longest camel ride, then arrive at Al Khayma Camp for Arabic coffee, dates, camel feeding, henna painting and falcon encounters.

Since 2010, OceanAir has operated in both deserts with its own 4×4 fleet, its own camps, its own kitchens and its own team.

Dinner is a three-cuisine buffet with live BBQ, curated by the Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant. Through the evening, the Arabian Horse Show, the Bedouin Camel Show, the traditional Yowla dance and the Mega Fire Show light up the camp, and on selected evenings the night closes with telescope stargazing under the desert sky.

Highlights: priority access to camel riding, henna and dining · Michelin-curated dinner · OceanAir’s own maintained 4×4 fleet

Arabian Night Desert Experience: Camel Ride, Wildlife & Stargazing

The Arabian Night Desert Experience shows you Dubai’s desert after dark. Over four to five hours, you watch the sun set over the dunes, ride a camel through the oasis by lamplight, walk the oasis at night in search of wildlife, and end the evening at the telescopes under a clear desert sky. Travellers rate it 4.8 from 1,799 verified reviews.

The signature moment of this tour is the moonlight camel ride through the oasis, with every guest holding a traditional, Bedouin style, oil lamp. A guided night walk through the oasis follows, to spot peacocks, flamingos and other desert wildlife. The night sky is the second hightlight in The night sky is the second highlight. In the “Stories & Stars” session, guests look through high-powered telescopes while the guide shows how the Bedouin navigated the desert by the stars, and on clear nights even Saturn’s rings are visible. The experience also includes a sunset dune drive with gazelle and Arabian oryx spotting, a falcon and Arabian horse encounter, and night sandboarding, with a Bedouin BBQ dinner under the stars available as an option.

Evening Heritage Safari in Vintage G-Class at Al Marmoom

The Evening Heritage Safari is the evening and dinner experience of the Heritage Collection, and it holds Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best 2026 award, given to the top 1% of experiences in the world. It takes place at Al Marmoom Oasis, inside the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve, where the desert is quiet, protected and home to native wildlife.

The evening begins with a 30 to 40-minute drive through the golden dunes of Al Marmoom in an open-top vintage Mercedes-Benz G-Class, followed by a camel caravan along the route of traditional Bedouin travel. At the Bedouin-style village, guests are welcomed with Arabic coffee, tea, dates and local sweets, and watch the coffee being brewed live. As the sun sets, a falconer flies the falcons while your guide shares stories of Bedouin culture and Emirati heritage.

Dinner is the heart of the evening: an authentic five-course Bedouin dinner served under the stars by the Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant. Flatbread and traditional luqaimat are prepared live in the desert, and every dish is made to the highest hygiene standards. The night continues with Bedouin cultural entertainment and henna painting, and closes at the telescopes, where guests discover how Bedouin travellers once used the stars to navigate the desert.

Morning Heritage Safari in Vintage G-Class & Bedouin Breakfast at Al Marmoom

The Morning Heritage Safari shows Al Marmoom at its quietest, in the first light of the day. It is made for early risers, photographers and travellers who want to see the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve in its calmest hours, when the air is cool and desert animals are out across the dunes.

The morning begins with a 30 to 40-minute ride through the dunes in an open-air 1980s vintage Mercedes-Benz G-Class, watching for wildlife along the way. Guests then join the longest camel caravan across the desert, while the guide shares the story of Emirati heritage and the traditional Bedouin way of life.

A dedicated expert guide accompanies guests throughout. Hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned vehicle, water and soft drinks are included.