Dune bashing is the part of a desert safari that some people book it for and others quietly dread. If you are in the second group, you do not have to skip the safari. You can book exactly the same trip with a calm drive to the camp instead, and it is a request we handle every week.
Key takeaways
- Yes, you can book a desert safari with no dune bashing. Just say so when you book
- You keep the camp, the dinner, the camel ride, sandboarding and the shows
- The usual reasons are motion sickness, pregnancy, back and neck problems, or young children
- It costs the same. There is no surcharge and no discount for skipping it
Yes, and it is a normal request
Dune bashing is the part of a Dubai desert safari where a driver takes a 4x4 up and down the red dunes at speed. Plenty of people love it. A meaningful number do not, and asking to skip it is a completely normal request that we get every week.
Tell us when you book and the driver takes a calmer route to the camp instead. Nothing else about the trip changes, and the price is exactly the same. There is no surcharge for the request and no discount for skipping it, because the cost of the safari sits in the vehicle, the driver, the camp and the dinner rather than in the forty minutes on the dunes.
The one thing that matters is telling us before the day. Asking the driver at the moment the tyres are being deflated is too late to change the plan properly.
Who should ask for the calmer route
Anyone who gets motion sick. Dune bashing is the single most common trigger on any Dubai tour. If car journeys on winding roads are a problem for you, this will be worse.
Pregnancy. We do not recommend dune bashing during pregnancy. A calm route to the camp is the right version of this trip.
Back, neck or heart conditions, or recent surgery. The impacts are heavier than they look from outside the vehicle.
Very young children and older guests. Not a firm rule, and plenty of both love it. But if you are unsure about someone in your group, the calm route removes the question.
People who just do not want it. This is a completely sufficient reason and you do not have to justify it.
What you still get
Everything except the dunes at speed. A shared evening safari without dune bashing still includes:
- Free hotel pickup and drop-off inside Dubai
- The drive out to the desert, at a normal pace
- A sunset stop for photos
- Camel ride
- Sandboarding
- Henna and Arabic coffee at the Bedouin camp
- Halal BBQ dinner, with vegetarian options
- Belly dance, tanoura and fire show
In practice the camp is what most people remember afterwards anyway. Dinner under lights in the desert with the shows running is the part that ends up in the photos.
Exactly what to say when you book
Send us a message with these four things and we will set it up:
- Your date
- How many guests, and their ages
- Your hotel or pickup area
- The line: please no dune bashing, a calm route to the camp
That is enough. We flag it on the booking, the driver knows before he collects you, and nobody has to have an awkward conversation in the vehicle.
If only part of your group wants to skip it, tell us that too. On a private safari the driver simply adjusts. On a shared safari we may put you in a different vehicle from the rest of your group for the dune section and reunite you at the camp, which usually works fine.
Consider a private safari instead
If avoiding the dunes matters a lot to you, a private safari is worth pricing. On a shared safari you are in a Land Cruiser with other guests, and their preferences are in the mix too. On a private safari the vehicle is yours and the driver works entirely to your pace.
Private safaris are priced per vehicle rather than per person, which flips the maths for a family or a group. Four or more people often pay less in total than the same number of shared seats. Our full list is on the desert safari page, and every card says which basis it uses.
If nobody in your group wants to drive at all, the safari is the right choice. If some do, a dune buggy or quad for them plus a safari for everyone else is a combination we run constantly, and the whole group meets at the camp for dinner.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really do a desert safari without dune bashing?
Yes. Say so when you book and the driver takes a calm route to the camp. You keep the camel ride, sandboarding, dinner and the shows. It is a normal request and there is no surcharge.
Does it cost less if I skip the dune bashing?
No, the price is the same. The cost sits in the vehicle, the driver, the camp and the dinner rather than in the time on the dunes.
What if only some of my group want to skip it?
Tell us and we will plan for it. On a private safari the driver just adjusts. On a shared safari we may split you across vehicles for that section and reunite you at the camp.
Is dune bashing safe during pregnancy?
We do not recommend it. Ask for the calm route to the camp, which gives you the whole experience without the impacts.
Can I decide on the day instead?
It is much better to tell us when you book. By the time the vehicle is at the dunes the plan is already set, and changing it there is harder for everyone.
Will I miss the best part?
Most people say the camp is what they remember: dinner under lights, the fire show and the quiet once the music stops. Dune bashing is a thrilling forty minutes, not the whole trip.
Send your date and add the line about no dune bashing, and we will flag it on the booking. See the safari packages or message the team.