About us
A small Dubai team running its own desert camp, its own fleet and its own booking line. Twelve years in, we still answer every message ourselves.
Desert Safari Dubai was founded in 2013 by Ahmed Al Mansouri, a born-and-raised Emirati who grew up driving the Lahbab dunes long before they became a tourist landmark. What started as a single Land Cruiser and a handful of weekend bookings is now a fleet of 28 vehicles, two Bedouin camps and a 40-person team — but we have deliberately stayed small enough that the person who confirms your booking is the same person who will check on your group at the camp.
Most of the "operators" you find online in Dubai are resellers. They take your booking, mark it up, and pass you to a wholesaler who passes you to whichever driver happens to be free. That is why so many guests arrive at the camp to be upsold on quad bikes, photos and dinner add-ons that were never mentioned at booking. We do not do that. We own the vehicles, we employ the drivers, we cook the dinner, and the price you see is the price you pay.
By the numbers
- 12+ years operating in the Lahbab desert (since 2013)
- 28 Land Cruisers and 4 Hummer H2s in our own fleet
- 2 Bedouin camps — one shared, one premium/private-use
- 40+ team members: drivers, camp staff, chefs, coordinators
- 180,000+ guests hosted across all packages
- 4.9/5 average across Google, TripAdvisor and direct reviews
Licensing and safety
- Registered with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) as a licensed inbound tour operator.
- Full passenger transport insurance covering every guest on every vehicle.
- Every 4x4 is serviced every 5,000 km with certified mechanics and fitted with 4-point harnesses (driver) and 3-point belts (guests).
- Every driver holds a UAE Desert Driving Permit and completes annual re-training on dune safety, first aid and guest service.
- Camps carry certified first-aid kits, defibrillator and satellite phones for remote-area medical response.
Responsible desert tourism
The Lahbab dunes are a living ecosystem — home to the Arabian sand gazelle, sand fox and countless reptiles and birds. We stick to established off-road tracks rather than cutting fresh ones, our camps use solar-powered lanterns and LED lighting, and we separate waste on site for recycling in Dubai. Camels are owned by local Bedouin families, work short shifts with long rest periods, and are inspected by Dubai Municipality vets.
Why we exist
Dubai's desert is one of the most photographed landscapes in the world, and it deserves a tour operator that takes it seriously. We are here to show guests the real Lahbab — not a theme park version of it — and to make sure their first memory of Arabia is one they would actually recommend to a friend. If we ever fall short of that, message Ahmed directly on the contact page.