Yes, a Dubai desert safari works well for an Indian family, vegetarians and grandparents included. The BBQ buffet has vegetarian options every night, Jain food can be arranged on Premium if you ask when booking, and our drivers and camp staff usually speak Hindi or Urdu.
For most families we suggest the evening desert safari: hotel pickup in the afternoon, dune bashing, a sunset stop, camel ride and dinner at the camp, then back at the hotel by about 10:30 PM. If you need Jain food or sofa seating for elders, look at the Premium desert safari instead. The rest of this page covers what families ask us about most: food, timings, kids, grandparents and what you'll actually pay for.
If you want the general family overview first, our family-friendly desert safari guide covers that. This page is the version for Indian families.
Is there enough vegetarian food at the desert camp?
The dinner is an Arabic-style BBQ buffet with veg and non-veg options on it every night. Alongside the grilled meats you'll find salads, hummus, rice, Arabic bread and desserts. Premium guests get a wider spread and a sweets platter, and they don't queue at the buffet.
This is a desert camp buffet, not an Indian restaurant, so don't expect your usual home-style thali. If separate preparation matters to anyone in your group, or someone needs to know whether a dessert has egg in it, message us before you book. We'd rather answer you straight than have you find out at the table.
Alcohol isn't served at the camp. Soft drinks, water, tea and coffee are unlimited, and you'll get Arabic coffee and dates when you arrive.
Can we get Jain food at the camp?
Yes, but only on Premium. Jain food is arranged on request for Premium guests, and you need to ask for it when you book. Tell us exactly what your family avoids (onion, garlic, root vegetables, whatever applies) so the camp knows what to prepare. On the Regular evening safari you get the buffet's normal vegetarian options and nothing made separately. Our Standard vs Premium comparison explains the other differences between the two.
What are the safari timings, from hotel pickup to drop-off?
The evening safari takes about 7 hours door to door. Here's how a typical winter evening runs. In summer (April to September) everything shifts about 30 minutes later.
| Time (winter, Oct to Mar) | What happens | Family note |
|---|---|---|
| 2:30 to 3:30 PM | Hotel pickup | Give kids an early lunch. Summer pickup is 3:00 to 4:00 PM. |
| 3:45 to 4:15 PM | Stop at the Lahbab meeting point | Shop and toilets here. Everyone should go, as there are none out on the dunes. |
| After the stop | Dune bashing, 25 to 30 min (30 to 45 on Premium) | Tyres are let down first. This is the bumpy part. |
| About 20 min before sunset | Sunset photo stop on a high dune | Good time for the family photo. |
| About 6:00 PM | Arrive at camp: camel ride, sandboarding, henna | The camp has clean toilets. |
| 7:00 to 7:30 PM | BBQ dinner opens, three shows during dinner | The shared camp gets busy around 7 PM. |
| 9:00 to 9:30 PM | Leave the camp | Small kids may well fall asleep on the way back. |
| 10:00 to 10:30 PM | Back at your hotel | In summer, about 30 minutes later. |
We message you on WhatsApp the evening before, or early on the morning of the tour, with your exact pickup time. The drive from the city to Lahbab takes about 45 minutes. Pickup is included from hotels in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman. If you're comparing tours by length, our guide to how long a desert safari lasts covers every one of them.
Is 10:30 PM too late for a toddler? For some families, yes. The morning desert safari is about 4 hours and you're back at the hotel between 10:00 and 11:00 AM. The catch is the start: usual pickup is 6 to 7 AM in winter and 5 to 6 AM in summer. Morning tours are private, though, so you can ask for a different pickup time that suits your kids. You do give up the dinner and the shows.
Can we bring small kids and babies?
Yes. The safari itself has no minimum age: dune bashing and the camel ride are open to kids of any age. Infants ride on a parent's lap during dune bashing, and small children ride the camel with a parent. The add-on rides are different. Full-size quads are 16+ and the small kids' quads start at 6. On a dune buggy the driver has to be 16+ and passengers 6+.
On the evening safari, infants aged 0 to 3 go free on both Regular and Premium, with a maximum of one infant per booking. Children aged 4 to 12 are booked as children.
Child car seats are available on request. Mention it when you book, along with your children's ages, and say so if you have two under-4s, since only one infant goes free per booking. For the full breakdown by activity, see our desert safari age limits guide.
Will a big family travel in the same car?
Each Land Cruiser or Nissan Patrol seats up to 6 guests. The evening safari is shared, and so is Premium, so a family of four may share the car with another small group. If there are ten or twelve of you with cousins, you'll be split across two or more vehicles.
If you'd rather have a car that's only yours, the morning tours are private: up to 6 people in one 4x4. There's also a Private Desert Safari if you want the evening programme without sharing.
Can grandparents come along comfortably?
They can, but think about two things first: the dune bashing and where they'll sit at the camp.
Dune bashing. We don't advise it for anyone with back or heart problems, or for pregnant guests. If you have a medical worry about an elder, or someone uses a wheelchair or a walker (the camp is on sand), message us before you book and we'll talk it through honestly.
Seating. On the Regular safari, you sit in the main shared section of the camp, which gets busy and loud around 7 PM. Premium has sofa seating in a separate, quieter area, a camp host, and no queuing at the buffet, so nobody has to stand in a line holding a plate. For a family with grandparents, that's often what decides it.
A few other things to know before you go:
- There are toilets at the meeting point and clean toilets at the camp.
- Our drivers and camp staff usually speak Hindi or Urdu, which helps elders who are less comfortable in English.
- Premium is still a shared 4x4, not a private car. Most of the upgrade is at the camp, plus longer dune bashing.
Is the camp suitable for a whole family evening?
It's lively, and there's no alcohol, if that matters to your family. There are three shows during dinner: a tanoura (the spinning skirt dance), a fire show and a belly dance in the traditional style, which lasts about 15 minutes. Premium gets an extra performance. We mention it because some families like to know in advance.
You will get dusty, and sand ends up in shoes, bags and hair. And the shared camp is at its loudest around 7 PM when dinner opens.
For photos, there's a free costume corner where everyone can dress up in traditional clothing. No professional photographer is included on any safari, so bring your own phone. The sunset stop is when you'll get your best shots.
What does the price include, and what costs extra?
The evening safari starts from AED 120 per person and Premium from AED 240 per person. Hotel pickup and drop-off, dune bashing, sandboarding, the camel ride, henna, shisha, the BBQ dinner, soft drinks and all the shows are included.
Things that cost extra:
- Quad bike and dune buggy rides at the meeting point (paid add-ons)
- Horse riding and falcon photos at the camp
- A professional photo or video session (not included on any safari)
- Tips, which are optional
The morning safari is priced per vehicle rather than per person, from AED 600, and up to 6 people share one private 4x4. For a group of five or six it's worth comparing against the evening price per head.
You can pay online by card when you book, or in cash on the tour day. There's no deposit. You can cancel or reschedule up to 24 hours before.
Which month is best for an Indian family trip?
October to March is the cooler season and the best time for the evening safari. If you're travelling in the summer months, it will be hot. The evening safari still runs, but the morning safari is cooler and easier on small kids and grandparents.
Evening safaris can be booked for the same day until 12 noon Dubai time. With a large group, though, it's easier to book a day or two ahead so the cars can be planned.
So which safari should your family book?
If everyone is happy with a normal veg buffet and the busy main camp, book the evening desert safari on Regular. If anyone needs Jain food, or you're bringing grandparents who'd be happier on a sofa in a quieter corner, choose Premium. If you have a toddler who can't stay up late, want a car to yourselves, or you're visiting in peak summer, the morning safari is the easier day. Still unsure? Send your family's ages and numbers on WhatsApp and we'll tell you which one fits.
Quick answers
Is there vegetarian food on the Dubai desert safari?
Yes. The BBQ buffet has veg and non-veg options every night, including salads, hummus, rice, Arabic bread and desserts. It's a camp buffet, not an Indian restaurant. Jain food is available on Premium only, on request when you book.
Is Jain food available on the desert safari?
Yes, on Premium only. Ask for it when you book. The Regular safari has the buffet's normal vegetarian options.
Do the drivers speak Hindi?
Our drivers and camp staff usually speak Hindi or Urdu, though we can't promise it on every vehicle.
Is alcohol served at the camp?
No. Alcohol isn't served at the camp. Soft drinks, water, tea and coffee are included.
Do we pay for a 2-year-old?
No. On the evening safari, infants aged 0 to 3 go free on Regular and Premium, with one infant per booking. Children aged 4 to 12 are booked as children.
Can we get a child car seat?
Yes, child car seats are available on request. Mention it when you book and tell us your children's ages.
What time are we back at the hotel after the evening safari?
You leave the camp at 9:00 to 9:30 PM and you're back at the hotel around 10:00 to 10:30 PM in winter. In summer it's about 30 minutes later.
Frequently asked questions
Is there vegetarian food on the Dubai desert safari?
Yes. The BBQ buffet has veg and non-veg options every night, including salads, hummus, rice, Arabic bread and desserts. It's a camp buffet, not an Indian restaurant. Jain food is available on Premium only, on request when you book.
Is Jain food available on the desert safari?
Yes, on Premium only. Ask for it when you book. The Regular safari has the buffet's normal vegetarian options.
Do the drivers speak Hindi?
Our drivers and camp staff usually speak Hindi or Urdu, though we can't promise it on every vehicle.
Is alcohol served at the camp?
No. Alcohol isn't served at the camp. Soft drinks, water, tea and coffee are included.
Do we pay for a 2-year-old?
No. On the evening safari, infants aged 0 to 3 go free on Regular and Premium, with one infant per booking. Children aged 4 to 12 are booked as children.
Can we get a child car seat?
Yes, child car seats are available on request. Mention it when you book and tell us your children's ages.
What time are we back at the hotel after the evening safari?
You leave the camp at 9:00 to 9:30 PM and you're back at the hotel around 10:00 to 10:30 PM in winter. In summer it's about 30 minutes later.
