United Arab Emirates / Dubai / Dubai Desert (Al Marmoom)Dubai Desert (Al Marmoom)
Dunes, Camps and a Night under the Stars
The sand sea south-east of Dubai, round the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve, the Al Qudra lakes and the red dunes towards Lahbab. Most visitors come on an evening safari from the city (4x4 dune drive, camel ride, sandboarding and a barbecue dinner at a camp, with hotel pickup), but staying the night is the better trip: an overnight camp, or a desert resort, for the silence, the stars and a sunrise balloon flight. The safari season is October to April; in summer the overnight camps mostly close and evening trips start late.
Highlights
- 4x4 dune drive at sunset
- Camel ride and sandboarding
- Barbecue dinner in a Bedouin-style camp
- Overnight under the stars
- Sunrise hot-air balloon
- Al Qudra lakes and their birds
- Oryx and gazelle in Al Marmoom
- Falconry display
Things to do
- Sunset dune drive, camels & sandboardingAfternoon · 3h
- Camp barbecue dinner, henna & tanoura showEvening · 3h
- Sunrise hot-air balloon over the dunesMorning · 4h
- Al Qudra lakes & wildlife driveMorning · 2h
- Stargazing at the campEvening · 1h 30m
Tours & tickets
Tourisma may earn a small commission if you book — it never changes your price.
When to go
Best time: October – April
Worth knowing
Flight Disruptions Since the 2026 Regional War
Since the war in the region began in February 2026, Gulf airspace has closed at times and UAE flights have been cancelled at short notice; in October 2026 Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports are open with occasional cancellations. Book changeable fares, buy travel insurance that covers disruption, and check your government's advice (the US rates the UAE "Reconsider travel") and your airline before you fly.
Worth knowing
Summer Heat: Outdoor Trips Limited
⚠️ June to September is dangerously hot away from the coast (often 45 °C and more inland): dune drives, hikes, kayaking and fort visits are only possible at dawn or after sunset, and heatstroke is a real risk. Carry far more water than you think, never walk into the desert or a wadi at midday, and consider coming back between November and March.
Worth knowing
Most Overnight Desert Camps Close for Summer
Many overnight desert camps close from about June to September, and sunrise balloon flights are reduced. Evening safaris still run, starting later in the afternoon. The safari season proper is October to April.
Heads up
Ramadan (expected 8 Feb – 9 Mar 2027)
During Ramadan, do not eat, drink or smoke in public in daylight (hotels and many restaurants serve discreetly), dress conservatively, and keep music down. Museums and offices keep shorter hours, live entertainment is quieter, and bars may open only after sunset. Evenings are lively with iftars and late-opening malls, and hotel prices dip.
- Ramadan — The fasting month, expected to run from about 8 February to 9 March 2027. Visitors are not expected to fast, but eat, drink and smoke discreetly in public in daylight; many restaurants stay open (some behind screens), malls open late, and the evenings come alive with iftar tents and Ramadan night markets. Office and museum hours are shorter; desert-camp shows may be quieter. A good, cheaper time to visit if you plan around it.
- Eid al-Fitr — The three-day holiday ending Ramadan (expected about 9-10 March 2027): fireworks in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, crowded malls and beaches, and the UAE's residents travelling, so flights home to India and hotels in Hatta, Ras Al Khaimah and the east coast are busy and dear.
- Eid al-Adha — Four-day public holiday (expected about 16 May 2027). Flights between the UAE and India are at their dearest around it, and resort towns fill with residents.
- UAE National Day (Eid Al Etihad) · 2 Dec — A long public-holiday weekend around 2 December: fireworks, parades and flag-draped cars. Hatta, Jebel Jais, Fujairah and the desert camps fill with residents; book early and expect slow traffic on the roads out of Dubai.
Part of a longer route
Dubai Desert (Al Marmoom) is a stop on a curated circuit through the UAE.