Desert safari in Abu Dhabi
An Abu Dhabi desert safari heads for the dunes between the capital and Al Ain, such as the Al Khatim desert, about 77 km from the city centre on the E22. Assure books a licensed desert operator and drives you there and back in a private car, from Dubai or, on request, from Abu Dhabi hotels.
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The day, stop by stop
Times are a guide. Your driver keeps to your group's pace.
Afternoon
Pickup at your hotel
Central Abu Dhabi to Al Khatim is 77 km, about 50 minutes without traffic. Downtown Dubai to Al Khatim is 175 km, about 1 hour 45 minutes.
Out along the Al Ain road (E22)
From the city the car takes the E22 inland for about 50 km. From Dubai it runs south on the E11 before turning onto the E22.
Change to the camp's 4x4
Road cars stop at the operator's meeting point. A desert driver takes your group over the dunes in the operator's 4x4.
About 5:35 pm
Sunset at Al Khatim
Mid-December sunset. In mid-February it is about 6:15 pm, and the whole afternoon moves later with it.
Evening
Camp and dinner
Visit Abu Dhabi lists camel trekking, sandboarding, falcon experiences and cultural shows among desert activities. Your quote lists what your camp includes.
Drive back
About 50 minutes to central Abu Dhabi, or about 1 hour 45 minutes to Downtown Dubai, without traffic.
What the trip includes
Included
- Private car and driver between your hotel and the camp's meeting point
- The desert programme of a licensed Abu Dhabi operator, named in your quote
- The drive back to your hotel or home after the camp
Not included
- Quad bikes and dune buggies, unless added to your quote
- Anything the camp sells on the night that your quote does not list
What to bring
- Open shoes or sandals, so sand does not fill closed trainers
- Sunscreen, a hat and a scarf against sun and blown sand
- Water, plus electrolytes if you dehydrate easily
- A light jacket, because the desert cools after dark
Where Abu Dhabi desert safaris go
Visit Abu Dhabi, the emirate’s official tourism site, names the deserts used for safaris. Two sit between the capital and Al Ain, off the E22: Al Khatim and Al Khaznah. Further out are the Liwa desert near the Liwa Oasis in Al Dhafra, and the Empty Quarter (Rub’ Al Khali) beyond it.
| Desert | Where | From central Abu Dhabi | From Downtown Dubai |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Khatim | Off the E22, between Abu Dhabi and Al Ain | 77 km, about 50 min | 175 km, about 1 h 45 |
| Al Khaznah | Further along the E22 towards Al Ain | 90 km, about 55 min | 188 km, about 1 h 50 |
| Liwa (Mezaira’a) | Al Dhafra, at the edge of the Empty Quarter | 219 km, about 2 h 10 | 322 km, about 3 h 10 |
Distances run by road to each locality, without traffic, from OpenStreetMap routing. Each camp lies off the road in the dunes around these points, so allow a little longer. Your quote names the camp and the desert it uses.
What is the closest desert to Abu Dhabi?
For a safari, Al Khatim. It is 77 km from central Abu Dhabi, 78 km from Yas Island and 66 km from Zayed International Airport. From Saadiyat Island it is about 96 km, roughly an hour without traffic.
That makes an evening safari from an Abu Dhabi hotel about as long as one from Dubai to its own dunes. The drive out is under an hour, and the sunset stop sets the rest of the timetable.
Staying in Dubai: is the Abu Dhabi desert worth the drive?
Be honest about the distance first. The Lahbab desert, a regular Dubai safari area, is 48 km from Downtown Dubai. Al Khatim is 175 km. If dunes, sunset and dinner are all you want, the Dubai desert safari is the shorter evening.
The Abu Dhabi desert makes sense when the day is about the capital as well. Three plans that work from Dubai:
- Mosque and dunes: the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the late morning, then the drive inland to the camp. The Abu Dhabi city tour covers the city stops in detail.
- Yas Island and dunes: a few hours at the Yas Island theme parks, then 78 km to Al Khatim for sunset.
- One way into Abu Dhabi: a safari on the way to an Abu Dhabi hotel, with your bags in the boot. For a plain one-way trip, see the Dubai to Abu Dhabi transfer.
The guide to places to visit in Abu Dhabi has a one-day plan from Dubai to build around.
Who drives you: Dubai and Abu Dhabi licences
Where the trip starts decides the car. A car that leaves from Dubai is one of Assure’s own, under our RTA licence. A trip that starts at an Abu Dhabi hotel or at Zayed International needs a car licensed in Abu Dhabi. There, the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), part of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, runs driver and vehicle licensing. We arrange that car through our partner network on request, subject to availability, and confirm it with your quote.
No road car drives on the dunes. At the edge of the sand your group moves into the operator’s 4x4 with a desert driver, and the road car waits for the return. For a car on other days of your Abu Dhabi stay, see our chauffeur service in Abu Dhabi.
Shared camp or a private evening
| Shared seat | Private car and 4x4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting there | A shared pickup run, with other hotels on the way | Your Assure car, from your door |
| On the dunes | Shared 4x4 with other guests | Your group only |
| Timing | Fixed by the operator’s departure | Set around your day, including a Dubai start |
| How it is priced | Per person | Per vehicle |
| At the camp | Shared camp | Shared camp unless a private set-up is quoted |
From Dubai, a private car is the practical choice: the timing follows your day in the capital, not a fixed departure.
At the camp: activities and add-ons
Visit Abu Dhabi lists the desert activities its tour operators run. They include dune bashing, sandboarding, quad biking, falcon experiences, camel trekking, camel farm visits and cultural shows. No camp runs every one of them, so your quote lists what yours includes.
Quad bikes and dune buggies are add-ons with their own price, machines and minimum ages. Send the age of every rider with the enquiry, and tell us about vegetarian or allergy needs so the camp knows before you arrive.
Age, health and dress
- Dune drive: the 4x4 tips and drops over the crests. Tell us before you book if anyone is pregnant or has back, neck or heart problems. The operator decides who joins the dune drive, and we confirm it in writing.
- Child seats: UAE traffic rules require a child seat for children under 4. Children aged 10 or under, or shorter than 145 cm, may not ride in the front.
- Dress: Visit Abu Dhabi advises open shoes, sunscreen, a hat and a scarf, and water for the ride. The desert cools after dark, so bring a layer from November to March.
What sets the price of an Abu Dhabi desert safari
| Factor | Example |
|---|---|
| Pickup emirate | An Abu Dhabi hotel, 77 km from Al Khatim, or Downtown Dubai, 175 km |
| Who supplies the car | Assure’s own car from Dubai, or a partner car licensed in Abu Dhabi |
| Group size and car | Two guests in a sedan, or a family of 6 in a Cadillac Escalade |
| Desert | Al Khatim or Al Khaznah for an evening; Liwa as a longer trip |
| Extras | Quad bike, dune buggy or a private camp set-up |
| Date | A December weekend, against a weekday in March |
Landing at Zayed International
Zayed International is 66 km from Al Khatim, about 48 minutes without traffic, so an afternoon landing can go straight to the desert. Your chauffeur meets you in arrivals with your name on a board; because the pickup starts in Abu Dhabi, the car comes from our partner network on request. The Zayed International airport page explains where the driver waits.
To keep one car and driver for the whole day, with the desert as the last stop, book a car with driver by the hour.
How to book
- Send the date, the number of adults and children with ages, and your hotel on WhatsApp to +971 56 684 8148 or in the trip form.
- Say whether you start in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, and add any quad bike or buggy riders.
- The quote names the operator, the desert, the car, the pickup time and the cancellation terms. Accept it with a reply in the same WhatsApp thread.
To compare it with the Dubai version, see Abu Dhabi vs Dubai desert safari. The Dubai to Abu Dhabi guide explains the road.
Add an airport transfer
Landing the same day? The same booking can include your pickup from any UAE airport, with your name on a board in arrivals.
More trips from Abu Dhabi
Questions and answers
What is the closest desert to Abu Dhabi?
Of the safari deserts Visit Abu Dhabi names, Al Khatim is the nearest to the city. It lies between Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, about 77 km by road from central Abu Dhabi and 66 km from Zayed International Airport, roughly 50 minutes without traffic. Al Khaznah, further along the same E22 road, is about 90 km. The Liwa desert is much further, at about 219 km.
How much is the ticket for desert safari?
Assure does not publish safari prices, because each quote depends on the trip. A shared seat at a camp is priced per person, while a private car is priced per vehicle. Where you are picked up matters most in Abu Dhabi: an Abu Dhabi hotel is 77 km from Al Khatim, Downtown Dubai 175 km. Send your date, group size and hotel on WhatsApp for a quote.
Can I do an Abu Dhabi desert safari from Dubai?
Yes. The car collects you in Dubai in the early afternoon and drives about 175 km to the Al Khatim area, about 1 hour 45 minutes without traffic. It is a long day for dunes alone, since the Lahbab desert near Dubai is only 48 km from Downtown. It works best paired with something in the capital, such as the Grand Mosque in the morning.
Can you pick me up from my hotel in Abu Dhabi?
On request. Trips that start in Dubai run in Assure's own cars under our RTA licence. A pickup at an Abu Dhabi hotel or at Zayed International starts inside Abu Dhabi, so it needs a car licensed there. We arrange that through our partner network, subject to availability. Send your hotel and date, and the quote confirms the car.
Can I add a quad bike or dune buggy in Abu Dhabi?
Yes, as a paid add-on. Visit Abu Dhabi lists quad biking among the desert activities run by the emirate's tour operators. Machines, session lengths and minimum ages are set by each operator, so send the age of every rider with your enquiry. The quote then names the machine, the riding time and the operator's safety rules.
Is a Liwa desert safari possible in one day?
It is a long one. Mezaira'a in Liwa is about 219 km from central Abu Dhabi, about 2 hours 10 minutes without traffic, and about 322 km from Downtown Dubai. Visit Abu Dhabi puts the most accessible part of the Empty Quarter about 2 hours from central Abu Dhabi. A night in Liwa makes the drive easier, so ask us for a quote that includes one.
What should I wear on an Abu Dhabi desert safari?
Loose, light clothes for the afternoon and a jacket for after dark, because the desert cools quickly once the sun sets. Visit Abu Dhabi suggests open shoes, so sand does not fill closed trainers, plus sunscreen, a hat and a scarf. Carry water, and electrolytes if you need them. Nothing formal is needed at the camp.