Yes. Buggies, quads and the dirt bike start every 30 minutes from 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM, daily, and December falls inside the October to April main season, so holiday dates follow the normal daily schedule and the listed prices, subject to availability. Fix your date, pick a slot, buggy and transfer, then book online.
Key takeaways
- The normal daily schedule applies over Christmas and New Year: buggies, quads and the dirt bike start every 30 minutes from 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
- Buggies are priced per buggy, not per person. A 2 Seater Polaris Dune Buggy RZR 1000 CC is AED 600 per buggy for 30 min and AED 900 per buggy for 1 hour.
- No buggy, quad or dirt bike price includes pickup. Add a sharing transfer at AED 175 per person, a private car at AED 450 for 5 to 6 guests, or meet on site at the emailed meeting point.
- Safaris include pickup. The Shared Classic Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner is AED 240 per adult and AED 225 per child, and the private evening safari is AED 1,400 per car for up to 6 guests.
- Payment is by Visa or Mastercard in AED, in full when booking online, and the confirmation arrives by email.
- Cancellation fees depend on whether the booking has fewer than 4 guests or 4 or more, so check the scale before you lock in a holiday date.
- A move to another date is free, subject to availability, which helps when festive plans shift.
Is the desert open on Christmas Day and New Year's Day in Dubai?
The ride schedule is listed as daily. Buggies, quads and the dirt bike start every 30 minutes from 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM, and that daily pattern is the one to plan around for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. The prices in this guide are the listed prices, with the unit stated next to each one, and the booking form shows which start times are still open on your date.
The safaris, the camp dinners and the hot air balloon keep their own pickup times, covered further down.
A desert ride is easy to fit around a family lunch or a flight home once you know how long it takes and when the transfer collects you. Every slot is subject to availability, so once your date is firm, book it.
How does a festive-season desert day fit around the normal schedule?
The rides take place on private desert terrain outside Dubai. Without a transfer, the meeting point is emailed to you after booking. With a transfer, the pickup is 1 hour before your start time.
How long should you allow on site?
Plan for about 90 minutes on site for a 30 minute buggy ride. That covers check-in, signing the liability form, fitting the helmet and goggles, the safety briefing, the drive itself and the photo stop on a ridgeline. The briefing and the walkaround of the machine usually take 10 to 15 minutes and cover the controls, hand signals and the convoy order.
A guide rides ahead of the buggies for the whole ride and sets the pace for the least experienced driver, so nobody in the group is sent off alone. That helps a holiday group that mixes confident and first-time drivers.
What does a holiday desert day cost?
The table shows the pieces festive-season visitors most often put together. Each price stands alone with its unit.
| Part of the day | Option | Price and unit |
|---|---|---|
| Morning or afternoon buggy | 2 Seater Polaris Dune Buggy RZR 1000 CC, 30 min | AED 600 per buggy |
| Morning or afternoon buggy | 2 Seater Polaris Dune Buggy RZR 1000 CC, 1 hour | AED 900 per buggy |
| Morning or afternoon buggy | 4 Seater Polaris Dune Buggy RZR 1000 CC, 1 hour | AED 1,200 per buggy |
| Morning or afternoon buggy | 4 Seater Can-Am Maverick X3, 1 hour | AED 1,950 per buggy |
| Transfer to the ride | Sharing transfer, two or more from one pickup point | AED 175 per person |
| Transfer to the ride | Private car for 5 to 6 guests | AED 450 per car |
| Evening safari | Shared Classic Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner | AED 240 per adult (12+), AED 225 per child (5 to 11) |
| Evening safari | Private Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner | AED 1,400 per car for up to 6 guests |
| Camp dinner only | BBQ Dinner + Live Entertainment Shows, Standard Camp | AED 125 per person |
| Camp dinner only | BBQ Dinner + Live Entertainment Shows, Premium Camp | AED 250 per person |
| Buggy with dinner | Dune Buggy & BBQ Dinner Package, 2 Seater Polaris RZR 1000 CC | AED 2,200 per package for 2 people |
The evening safaris include hotel pickup. The buggy prices do not, which is why the transfer rows sit beside them.
Should you book a morning or a late-afternoon slot over the holidays?
Both work in December; the choice depends on what else is in your day.
When does a morning slot make sense?
A morning slot suits a holiday day that already has something fixed later on. If Christmas lunch, a family gathering or a New Year's Eve dinner sits in the afternoon or evening, an early ride gets you back in good time. With a transfer, remember that pickup is 1 hour before your start, so a 7:00 AM ride means a 6:00 AM collection. Add the 90 minutes or so on site for a 30 minute ride, then the drive back.
When does a late-afternoon slot make sense?
A late-afternoon slot suits a day that starts slowly, which is common after a late Christmas Eve or a New Year's Eve that ran past midnight. It also lets you ride in the softer light that comes before dusk. Timing the start around the light is its own topic, and the sunset dune buggy ride guide covers start times and transfers for that slot in detail, so it is not repeated here.
For dinner in the desert after an afternoon ride, see the camp dinner and the packages below.
Which buggy suits a holiday group?
Every buggy is self-drive and priced per buggy, not per person. A 2 seater carries the driver and one passenger, and a 4 seater carries the driver and three passengers, all for the one price. The buggies are automatic, so there is no clutch and no gears to change. Each buggy has a roll cage and harnesses.
What do the main buggy models cost?
| Buggy (self-drive) | 30 min | 1 hour | 2 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Seater Polaris Dune Buggy RZR 1000 CC | AED 600 per buggy | AED 900 per buggy | AED 1,750 per buggy |
| 4 Seater Polaris Dune Buggy RZR 1000 CC | AED 800 per buggy | AED 1,200 per buggy | AED 2,200 per buggy |
| 2 Seater Can-Am Maverick X3 | AED 999 per buggy | AED 1,499 per buggy | AED 2,800 per buggy |
| 4 Seater Can-Am Maverick X3 | AED 1,200 per buggy | AED 1,950 per buggy | AED 3,800 per buggy |
How should couples and small families choose?
A couple on a holiday break usually needs only a 2 seater. The Polaris RZR 1000 CC is the entry point, and the Polaris Turbo and Can-Am models, including the Can-Am Maverick X3 RS TURBO RR, step up from there. For a parent and two children, or two couples travelling together, a 4 seater keeps everyone in one machine for one price.
Buggy drivers are adults and carry photo ID. Children ride as passengers beside an adult. If a child in the family wants to drive something of their own, the Kids Quad Bike Single Seater (90 CC) suits ages 9 to 12 and runs in the fenced area only, at AED 150 per quad bike for 30 min. The COBRA Single Seater Quad Bike (220 CC) suits ages 14 to 17, also in the fenced area only, at AED 200 per quad bike for 30 min.
How long a ride should a holiday group book?
Thirty minutes gives a first taste and keeps a busy holiday day short. One hour gives drivers time to settle in, and two hours suits a group making the desert the main event.
What if some of the group would rather ride a quad or a dirt bike?
Quads are an option for riders who want their own machine, such as the Kymco Single Seater Quad Bike (shown on the site as the Single Seater Quad Bike) at AED 250 per quad bike for 30 min, or the Yamaha Quad Bike (shown on the site as the Yamaha Grizzly Quad Bike) at AED 450 per quad bike for 30 min. Quad riders also get gloves.
The guided KTM Dirt Bike 450 CC is AED 850 per dirt bike for 1 hour and suits riders with some two-wheel experience; complete beginners are pointed to a buggy or a quad.
No driving permit is needed for a buggy or a quad, because the rides run on private desert terrain, not public roads.
How do you add an evening safari or a camp dinner to a buggy day?
There are three ways to add an evening meal with entertainment, each priced on its own terms.
Shared or private evening safari
The Shared Classic Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner is AED 240 per adult (12+) and AED 225 per child (5 to 11), with hotel pickup included, a BBQ dinner and shows. The show acts are belly dance, fire show and tanoura. Evening safaris pick up from Dubai hotels and from Sharjah too.
For a family or a group of friends who would rather keep the car to themselves, the Private Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner is AED 1,400 per car for up to 6 guests, pickup included, with the BBQ dinner and shows. If part of the group wants some time on a quad, the shared evening safari + 30 Min ATV Quad Bike is AED 375 per adult (12+) and AED 340 per child (5 to 11), pickup included.
The desert safari Dubai page lists the morning and evening safaris side by side. Keep in mind that dune bashing is a rough ride, so anyone with a back or neck condition, recent surgery or a pregnancy should not take part and should tell the team when booking.
Standard Camp or Premium Camp dinner without a safari drive
If your group has already had its time in the dunes on a buggy and simply wants the evening meal, the BBQ Dinner + Live Entertainment Shows is AED 125 per person at the Standard Camp and AED 250 per person at the Premium Camp. There is no safari drive with it, and a private transfer (AED 450 per car for 5 to 6 guests) must be booked with it. The camp dinner without a safari guide explains how that evening runs.
Dune Buggy & BBQ Dinner Packages
The packages put a buggy ride and a Bedouin BBQ dinner with live shows under one booking, priced per package:
- 2 Seater Polaris RZR 1000 CC: AED 2,200 per package for 2 people
- 4 Seater Polaris RZR 1000 CC: AED 3,200 per package for 4 people
- Can-Am Maverick X3, 2 people: AED 2,799 per package
- Can-Am Maverick X3, 4 people: AED 3,950 per package
For a couple or four friends wanting a desert evening, a package is the simplest single booking.
Can you fit a sunrise hot air balloon flight into the holiday week?
Yes, as long as the early start suits your group. Balloon pickup is between 3:45 and 4:30 AM, and the sharing pickup is free. The flights are priced per person:
| Flight | Adults (12 to 80) | Children (7 to 11) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Flight | AED 1,049 per person | AED 999 per person |
| Deluxe Flight | AED 1,149 per person | AED 1,049 per person |
| Premium Flight | AED 1,349 per person | AED 1,149 per person |
Because the pickup is so early, it makes sense to keep the balloon for a morning that has nothing fixed afterwards. You can put it on a different day from the buggy or ride the same day. The balloon and dune buggy on the same day guide walks through how that works.
How do transfers work over Christmas and New Year?
No buggy, quad or dirt bike price includes pickup, so you choose one of three options:
- A sharing transfer at AED 175 per person, for two or more guests from one pickup point.
- A private car at AED 450 for 5 to 6 guests.
- Meeting on site, with the location emailed after booking.
Pickup is 1 hour before your start time. If you choose a 9:00 AM ride, expect collection at 8:00 AM. Safaris are different: they include pickup, so you do not add a transfer to a safari booking.
A holiday group of 5 to 6 in one hotel fits a private car, while two travellers from one pickup point can use the sharing transfer. The hotel pickup and transfers explainer covers how the collection works.
When should you book a Christmas or New Year desert day?
Book once your dates are fixed. Every slot is subject to availability, and a holiday trip has fewer flexible days, so settling the date early in your trip leaves more start times to choose from.
Booking is online. Payment is by Visa or Mastercard in AED, in full when booking, with no card processing fee. The booking confirmation arrives by email, along with the meeting point if you have not added a transfer.
When you book, tell the team about anything that affects the ride: a back or neck condition, recent surgery or a pregnancy. Dune driving is physical, and riders with those conditions should not drive a buggy. If you are unsure, see a doctor before you travel and declare the condition when booking.
A short checklist before you pay:
- Choose the date and the start time.
- Choose the buggy model, the seats and the ride length.
- Decide on a sharing transfer, a private car or the emailed meeting point.
- Add an evening safari, a camp dinner or a package if you want the evening in the desert too.
- Check the cancellation scale for your group size.
What happens if your holiday plans change?
Festive plans change. The cancellation terms depend on the size of the booking, so read them before you pay.
For bookings of fewer than 4 guests, cancel 96 hours or more before departure for no fee, refunded less a 5% processing fee. Cancel at least 48 hours before and the fee is 50%. Under 24 hours, the fee is 100%.
For bookings of 4 or more guests, cancel 7 days before departure for a 50% fee. At 5 days or less before departure, the fee is 100%.
Refunds go to the original card within 7 to 10 business days. Cancellation is by email only, and the time the email arrives sets the fee. The cancellation policy page has the full wording.
There is an easier route when the trip is still on but the day changes. A move to another date is free, subject to availability. For a holiday group of 4 or more, where the cancellation fees start earlier, asking to move the date is often the better first step.
If the team cancels a ride because of the weather, you get a refund less 5% or a new date.
What should you wear for a December dune buggy ride?
Closed-toe shoes are required. Sandals and flip-flops are not allowed, so pack trainers even if the rest of your holiday wardrobe is beachwear. Wear clothes you do not mind getting sandy.
Every buggy ride includes a helmet and goggles for each rider, fuel, a safety briefing, a guide and unlimited mineral water. Quad riders also get gloves. Every rider wears a helmet for the whole ride.
Bring photo ID for each driver, your booking confirmation and a phone for the photo stop.
In short
A dune buggy ride over Christmas and New Year runs on the normal daily schedule, with starts every 30 minutes from 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM and the listed prices per buggy. Pick your date, choose a morning or late-afternoon slot, add a transfer or use the emailed meeting point, and add an evening safari or camp dinner if you want the night in the desert. Check the cancellation scale for your group size, and remember a date move is free, subject to availability. When your holiday dates are firm, book your desert day online, or call +971 52 440 9525 or email [email protected] with any questions.
