9 Exciting Morning Desert Safari Dubai Tours For Adventurers

Located on the Arabian Peninsula, sits Dubai. This wealthy and modern city is known for its luxury tourism. It also caters amazingly well to travellers looking for an action-packed vacation. Desert safaris are one of the most popular activities that entice visitors to the city and offer an unforgettable experience.

A morning desert safari Dubai is one of the best opportunities to marvel at the natural beauty of the desert. It provides a quintessential Arabian experience that allows you to better appreciate the unspoiled beauty of the Middle East. 

You’ll find a safari tour operator that’s suitable for all interests and groups sizes, from large parties to solo travellers and from camel riding to quad bikes. Whichever type of tour you choose to take it will be a unique experience.

Top Morning Desert Safari Dubai Tours

Dubai offers an exciting mix of morning desert safaris. The rural desert dunes of the United Arab Emirates are only a short distance from the capital city. So booking a safari is an obvious activity to add to any Dubai itinerary.

Convenient round-trip transport from Dubai is included in all tour options. All you need to do is choose what desert delights you’d like to experience. This list contains all sorts of options, from camel trekking to hot air balloon rides.

Although most are centred around adventure, there are also some more leisurely options included. Here are the top morning desert safaris from Dubai.

1. Morning Desert Safari with Sand Boarding

A desert safari with sandboarding tour is perfect for active travellers. Travel 30-45 minutes into the Red Dune Desert on a 4×4 Land Cruiser.

Start your excursion by dune bashing with your skilled driver. This is where your local tour guide drives your group on a thrilling ride up and down the dunes. It is quite the roller coaster ride!

Afterwards, hop on a  sandboard and glide down the dunes. This is one of the most exciting sporting adventures the desert offers. The safari is three hours long, so you’ll have plenty of time to get back to the city and explore Dubai’s other highlights.

⇒ Book Your Morning Adventure with Sand Boarding

2. Morning Desert Safari with Sandboarding & Camel Ride

A sandboarding and camel ride safari offers a classic desert experience. Spend your morning enjoying a range of activities in the beautiful Arabian Desert. Get your adrenalin flowing with sandboarding, marvel at the landscape and the morning sun while dune bashing, and enjoy a scenic camel ride.

Guests will also visit an old fashioned desert camp and indulge in Arabian coffee, sweets, dry fruits, soft drinks and a full breakfast. After four hours of fun, you’ll be transported back to your hotel.

⇒ Book Your Safari with Sandboarding & Camel Ride

3. Hot Air Balloon Ride & Wildlife Morning Desert Safari

For the ultimate adventure, book this hot air balloon ride morning desert safari. See the enchanting desert landscape from a different perspective and experience a different kind of adrenaline rush.

Hotel pick-up is at 4:30 am, so you’ll have plenty of time to be in the air for sunrise. Gaze onto the Hajar Mountains and keep your eyes peeled for desert animals below. From the air, you’ll also see a falconry demonstration.

Once on the ground again, you’ll enjoy a gourmet breakfast at a private reserve. For one final activity, hop on board a vintage Land Rover and cruise through the desert on a wildlife safari in these luxury land cruisers. 

⇒ Book Your Hot Air Balloon Ride & Wildlife Morning Desert Safari Package

4. Red Dunes and Camel Safari with Overnight Camp

How does an overnight safari combined with a morning safari sound? With this sleepover camel safari, you’ll experience the best of both worlds. You’ll be picked up from your hotel in the evening and start your evening desert safari with a whole host of activities. These include dune bashing, sandboarding, and quad-biking.

After the sun sets, feast on a barbecue dinner, vegetarian and non-vegetarian options are both available. Then, enjoy classic Arab entertainment, like shisha smoking, henna painting, and belly dancing.

Stay overnight in a typical Bedouin tent and sleep on a Nawar Bed. You will truly experience the magic of the Arabian desert! When you wake up in the morning, you’ll depart on a magical sunrise camel caravan. Afterwards, enjoy a freshly cooked Arabian breakfast before heading back to the city. This Dubai safari is the total package.

⇒ Book Your Overnight Camel Safari

5. Dune Buggy Morning Desert Safari

This dune buggy safari is a fun and exciting way to explore the desert. Hop on a twin-seater buggy and follow your guide on an off-road exploration tour. Drive over the desert’s majestic dunes and valleys on a thrilling adventure.

For your comfort and safety, the buggies are equipped with a full roll cage and a harness. Three morning start times are offered: 7:00, 8:00, and 9:00.

⇒ Book Your Dune Buggy Desert Safari

6. Quad Bike Morning Desert Safari

Nothing will kickstart your morning better than a quad biking desert safari. Get your heart pumping as you journey through the arid landscape on your own private quad bike. Follow your guide up and down the dunes.

You’ll have plenty of photo opportunities along the way. Refreshing drinks are also provided. 

⇒ Book Your Quad Bike Desert Safari

7. Morning Desert Safari with Camel Ride and Jet Ski Ride

This desert safari and jet ski tour is the best combo for thrill-seekers. Your action-packed morning starts with 40-minutes of off-road dune bashing. Next, glide over the desert floor while sandboarding. Continue your adventure by going on a slow-paced camel ride where you’ll have the chance to take incredible desert photos.

Cap off this eventful safari with a jet ski excursion along Dubai’s coastline, in the Jumeirah neighbourhood. This five-hour tour will fly by as you experience all of the wonders of the desert terrain.

⇒ Book Your Desert Safari with Camel Ride and Jet Ski Ride

8. Falconry & Wildlife Morning Desert Safari

This falconry and wildlife desert safari is perfect for travellers interested in the desert’s wildlife species. Start your day by visiting a desert retreat and learning about the ancient Bedouin practice of falconry. Watch a live demonstration and have a go at flying a falcon yourself.

Then climb aboard a vintage Land Rover and drive through the Dubai Desert Conservation. See if you can spot rare Arabian oryx, gazelle and other species on your journey. End your morning with snacks and a camel ride through the desert.

⇒ Book Your Falconry & Wildlife Morning Desert Safari

9. Sunrise Early Morning Desert Safari

This sunrise morning desert safari is perfect for early birds or travellers short on time. Following a 3:30 am pickup, you’ll be taken on a guided 4WD dune bash. Race over the dunes as the very first beams of morning light touch the desert floor.

Watch a mesmerizing sunrise over the rural terrain before heading back to your accommodation.

            ⇒ Book Your Sunrise Early Morning Desert Safari

Where to Stay in Dubai

A huge part of enjoying your trip is choosing the right accommodation. To help you out, here are four incredible hotels that are perfect for your desert vacation.

1. Burj Al Arab Jumeirah

The luxurious Burj Al Arab hotel is located on its own island. All of the suites overlook the Arabian Gulf and feature floor to ceiling windows. They also include state of the art amenities, including an iPad, a 21-inch iMac, and a widescreen interactive HD TV.

There are nine on-site restaurants as well as a sky bar suspended above the sea. Guests can pamper themselves at the full-service spa and relax at the private beach area or outdoor swimming pool.

⇒  Check Prices and Availability for Burj Al Arab Jumeira

If you’re looking for amazing deals on fantastic hotels in Dubai, make sure you check out Secret Escapes.

2. Jumeirah Emirates Towers

Jumeirah Emirates Towers is an award-winning hotel close to The Dubai Mall. Guests enjoy a complimentary shuttle bus to several popular Dubai destinations, including The Dubai Mall.

There are 400 rooms and suites as well as 11 dining and nightlife venues. The rooms are spacious and stylishly, they include a seating area with a sofa, city views, and luxurious bathrooms.

⇒ Check Prices and Availability for Jumeirah Emirates Tower

3. Five Palm Jumeirah Dubai

Five Palm Jumeirah Dubai is perfect for a carefree vacation. The property boasts a private beach and five outdoor swimming pools. One of the pools runs through the middle of the resort.

The 470 guest rooms and suites include a coffee machine, a minibar, a large smart TV and smart devices to control the room settings. They also have balconies, some of which feature Gulf views. There are also three restaurants, two cafes, and three bars that cater to all of your dining needs.

 ⇒ Check Prices and Availability for Five Palm Jumeira

4. Voco Hotel

For a more boutique (albeit this is a hotel chain) option check out the Voco hotel. This hotel feels glamourous but it is definitely more in the boutique direction vs the over the top mega Dubai 5 star option. 

It has a fantastic location on Dubai’s main street and is about halfway between New and old Dubai. And it is just a 5 minute walk to the metro station.

I ended up getting an upgrade to a stunning suite at the Voco Hotel as there was an error when I was checking in. The room was absolutely huge and the views were jaw dropping.

The highlight for me was the amazing views of Dubai from the shower and the bathtub. There are also some good views from the rooftop infinity pool.

I also enjoyed an excellent modern Indian lunch at Tresind, one of the restaurants at the Voco Hotel and one of Dubai’s hot restaurants. The food was outstanding and served with quite the flourish – Japanese grills, dry ice – it was a very full-on lunch! 

⇒ Check Prices and Availability for Voco

Getting to Dubai and Getting Around 

Dubai airport is one of the biggest and busiest airports in the world. It is possible to fly virtually to and from anywhere in the world. It is also the home hub for Emirates Airlines – don’t miss my Emirates Business Class Review post.

⇒ Book your flight to Dubai

If you’ve arrived at Dubai Airport at an odd time, say in the early morning, taking a taxi can be one of your best travel options as they run 24 hours a day. You’ll be in good hands because the marked cream taxis parked outside the airport exits are registered under the Dubai Taxi Corporation.

If, however, you arrive at a reasonable time the most affordable option is to hop on the Metro which is located directly outside the airport. For an extra bit of money, you can opt for a VIP ticket. A perk of this ticket is that the first-class carriages feature glass roofs, providing better viewing of the incredible skyscrapers.

To reach downtown Dubai, take the red line from the airport terminal 1 or 3. A lot of the major hotels, like the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and Emirates Grand Hotel, are found along this line. I found the Dubai metro very easy to use.

The city’s main forms of public transportation are all managed by the RTA. They all use the NOL card, so you don’t need to worry about buying a different ticket for whatever option you choose. This also includes the ferry and water taxi.

Road taxis are also available. Although they are more expensive than public transportation, they are well regulated by the government. This means you won’t experience a huge fluctuation in the prices. I used Uber quite a bit to get around and this worked well. 

I have become a big fan of using e-sims. They are so easy to set up, no messing around with sim cards, and best of all, you will still get messages on your “usual” number. I use Airalo.

Dubai also has a hop-on-hop-off sightseeing bus with six routes around the city. This classic red bus offers 46 well-placed departure points that follow a time table. Guests can hop-on or hop-off the bus at any stop they want.

Pre-recorded commentary (available in multiple languages) is also provided, so you can learn more about each major sight you pass.

Morning Desert Safari Dubai: Final Thoughts

There is no better way to enjoy the rugged natural beauty of the desert than on a morning safari. Each one of these options will provide an experience unlike any other. These tours are hassle-free and take care of all of the planning for you. All you have to decide on are the activities you’d like the experience. And it’s also easy to take desert safaris from Sharjah if that is where you’re staying. 

If you’d like to explore another stunning Middle Eastern desert, this Jordan itinerary will help you discover all of its natural wonders.

Who Paid for What in this Morning Desert Safari Dubai Post? 

I covered all of the costs related to writing this post. However, this morning desert safari Dubai post includes affiliate links. That means if you click through and end up making a purchase I will receive a small commission. I wanted to make sure you were aware of this.