The desert is not a beach, and the difference between a comfortable evening and a miserable one usually comes down to two decisions: your shoes, and whether you brought a layer. Here is what actually works, by season, and what people most often wish they had done differently.
Key takeaways
- Closed shoes, always. Sandals are the single most common regret
- Winter evenings get genuinely cold once the sun drops. Bring a layer
- Loose, light and covering beats tight and minimal, in both seasons
- If you are driving a buggy or quad rather than riding along, cover your legs
The short answer
Loose, light clothing that covers you, and closed shoes. That is most of it.
The desert is not a beach. Sand at the camp is cool and soft in the evening but it gets into everything, and the ground around the camp and the dune faces is not something you want to walk on in sandals. Closed shoes are the one thing people most often wish they had brought.
Everything else depends on the season, and the difference between a June evening and a January one is much bigger than visitors expect.
Summer, roughly May to September
Evenings are still warm when a safari starts. Aim for loose cotton or linen: a long sleeved shirt and light trousers will keep you cooler than a t-shirt and shorts, because they keep the sun off and let air move.
- Loose long sleeves rather than bare arms
- Light trousers or a long skirt
- Closed shoes, trainers are fine
- Sunglasses, and a hat for the sunset stop
- Water, though it is provided too
If you are booking a quad or buggy in summer, the morning session is a far better idea than the afternoon. It is the same desert with a third of the heat.
Winter, roughly November to March
This is where people get caught out. Daytime is beautiful. Once the sun drops, the desert cools fast, and by the time the camp dinner is being served in December or January it is genuinely cold, particularly with any wind.
- Everything from the summer list, plus a jacket or fleece
- A scarf is more useful than it sounds, for the wind rather than the temperature
- Socks, not bare feet in trainers
Nearly every guest who is uncomfortable at a winter camp is uncomfortable because they dressed for a Dubai afternoon rather than a desert evening. Bring the layer even if you cannot imagine needing it when you leave the hotel.
If you are driving rather than riding along
A safari is a passenger experience, so normal clothes are fine. Driving a quad or a buggy is different, and quads are the most demanding of the three.
On a quad, sand is thrown up constantly and your legs take most of it. Long trousers are close to essential rather than merely advisable. Closed shoes are required.
In a buggy, you sit inside a cage with a harness so there is less spray, but the dust still finds you. Sunglasses or goggles are worth having, particularly if you wear contact lenses.
Helmets are provided, fitted and checked on every ride, so you do not need to bring one. If you own your own goggles and gloves, bring them, since they will fit better than anything loaned.
What to leave at the hotel
- Sandals and flip flops. The most common regret by a distance.
- Anything you would be upset to get dusty. Desert dust is fine and gets into fabric.
- Loose jewellery and hats without a strap. Both disappear on the dunes.
- White trousers. They will not stay white.
Bring a bag for your phone and camera. Dune bashing and quad riding both throw sand around, and phones do not enjoy it. Most guests take photos at the stops rather than while moving anyway, because the moving parts are too rough to hold anything steady.
On modesty and comfort
The camps are relaxed and there is no dress code as such. That said, covering shoulders and knees is both the respectful default in the UAE and, in practice, the more comfortable choice in the desert. Long and loose beats short and tight in the sun and in the evening chill alike.
If you plan to try sandboarding, wear something you can sit down in the sand in, because you will.
Frequently asked questions
What should I wear to a desert safari in Dubai?
Loose, light clothing that covers you, and closed shoes. In winter add a jacket, because the desert gets genuinely cold after sunset. Sunglasses for the sunset stop.
Can I wear sandals?
We would advise against it. Sand gets into everything and the ground around the camp is not comfortable in open shoes. Closed shoes are the single most common thing guests wish they had brought.
Is it cold in the desert at night?
In winter, yes, noticeably. From November to March bring a jacket or fleece. Guests who dress for a Dubai afternoon are usually the ones who are cold at the camp.
What should I wear for quad biking rather than a safari?
Long trousers and closed shoes. Quads throw up far more sand than a safari vehicle does, and your legs take most of it. Helmets are provided.
Is there a dress code at the camp?
No formal dress code. Covering shoulders and knees is the respectful default in the UAE and it is also more comfortable in the sun and the evening chill.
Should I bring a camera?
Yes, and something to keep it in. Sand gets everywhere. Most photos happen at the sunset stop and at the camp rather than while the vehicle is moving.
Not sure what the evenings are doing for your date? Message us and we will tell you. Safari packages are here when you are ready to book.