Al Dhafra Resort Desert Tours – Madinat Zayed
Guests staying at Al Dhafra Resort can choose from a selection of private 4×4 desert experiences, ranging from a short morning dune adventure to a full-day Liwa excursion or a sunset tour with BBQ dinner. All tours are operated exclusively for your booking with an experienced desert guide.
Liwa Desert Express (MZ-1)
Duration: 3 hours / 30 km
Timings: 09:00
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS: Camel Farm • 4×4 Dune Driving • Desert Flora & Fauna • Desert Landscapes
Start your day with an unforgettable journey across the golden dunes surrounding Al Dhafra Resort. Visit a local camel farm and learn about the importance of camels in traditional desert life. Your guide will also introduce you to some of the desert’s unique flora and fauna as you travel through the surrounding landscape.
During the excursion, stop at a scenic dune to enjoy Arabic coffee and dates while taking in the peaceful views across the desert, before continuing your 4×4 dune adventure.
Liwa Day Adventure + Lunch (MZ-2)
Duration: 6 hours / 160 km total
Timings: 09:00 – 15:00
Depart from Al Dhafra Resort and travel south towards Mezairaa and the Liwa Oasis along scenic desert roads. Along the way, we pass the impressive Shams Solar Power Station and extensive windbreak plantations that help protect the roads from drifting desert sand.
Liwa Fort
Visit one of the historic Liwa forts, surrounded by the traditional oasis landscape and date palm plantations. The restored fort provides an interesting glimpse into the history and heritage of the Liwa Oasis and offers an excellent photo stop.
Liwa Date Shop
Stop at a local date shop, where you can discover some of the many varieties of dates produced in the UAE, with the opportunity to taste and purchase dates depending on availability.
Camel Farm
Visit a traditional camel farm, where you can learn about the importance of camels to generations of Bedouin families and their role in traditional desert life.
Dune Drive – Into the Empty Quarter
We then leave the tarmac behind and begin our 4×4 desert adventure into the Rub’ al Khali (Empty Quarter). Travel across changing terrain of towering dunes, desert valleys and the flat Sabkha salt plains, with the possibility of occasionally spotting Arabian gazelles or other desert wildlife along the way.
Moreeb Dune & Sand Adventure
Continue towards the famous Moreeb Dune, one of the most impressive landmarks in the Liwa region. Rising dramatically above the surrounding landscape, Moreeb is well known as a meeting place for 4×4 enthusiasts and desert motorsport events and offers an impressive sense of the scale of the Empty Quarter.
Picnic Lunch in the Desert
Stop at a peaceful desert location to enjoy a freshly prepared picnic lunch surrounded by the spectacular landscape of the Empty Quarter. Take some time to relax and enjoy the desert atmosphere before continuing the journey.
Sand Roses & Singing Sands
Depending on the sand conditions, you may experience the remarkable Sand Avalanche, sometimes known as the “Singing Sands.” We also stop at a unique location on the Sabkha salt flats to discover the Sand Roses — remarkable rose-shaped formations of crystallized gypsum that develop naturally beneath the Sabkha over thousands of years.
Liwa Sunset Adventure + BBQ Dinner (MZ-3)
Duration: 4 hours / 30 km
Timings: 15:30 – 19:30
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS: Camel Farm • 4×4 Dune Driving • Sunset • BBQ Dinner • Night Sky
The Liwa Sunset Adventure (MZ-3) follows a similar desert route to the Liwa Desert Express (MZ-1), including a camel farm visit and 4×4 dune driving, before continuing to a secluded desert location for sunset and BBQ dinner. As the afternoon light begins to soften, we arrive at a quiet desert location to enjoy the sunset over the dunes. While you take in the changing colours of the desert, your guide prepares a freshly grilled BBQ dinner, allowing you to relax and enjoy the peaceful surroundings of the Empty Quarter.
Enjoy the golden hour as the soft evening light transforms the colours of the dunes, creating excellent opportunities for desert photography. After sunset, relax as twilight settles over the desert and, depending on visibility and sky conditions, enjoy the night sky away from the city lights.
After enjoying the peaceful desert evening, we begin our night drive back to Al Dhafra Resort, bringing your sunset and BBQ desert adventure to an end.
Included in All Tours
- Private 4×4 desert excursion exclusively for your booking
- Experienced English-speaking desert guide
- Pickup and return from Al Dhafra Resort
- Bottled water and soft drinks
- Sightseeing stops and desert activities according to the selected program
- Picnic lunch for MZ-2
- BBQ dinner for MZ-3
What to Bring
- Mobile phone or camera
- Sunglasses, hat and sunscreen
- Comfortable clothing and closed shoes
- Light jacket or warm clothing during the cooler months
Terms & Conditions
- All tours are subject to availability and advance reservation.
- Advance payment is required to confirm the booking. The required payment amount will be advised at the time of reservation.
- Published rates are in AED; USD amounts are approximate equivalents.
- In case of cancellation after payment, any refund or change of date is at the company’s discretion.
- Rescheduling may be subject to an additional charge depending on circumstances and costs already incurred.
- Routes, timings and activities may be adjusted according to weather, desert conditions, safety requirements or operational circumstances.
- Rub’ Al Khali Desert Tourism LLC reserves the right to postpone, modify or cancel a tour if conditions are considered unsuitable or unsafe.