A dune buggy in Dubai with hotel pickup means adding a transfer to your ride, because no buggy, quad or dirt bike price includes pickup. You can add a sharing transfer at AED 175 per person, a private car at AED 450 per car for 5 to 6 guests, or meet on site at the location emailed after booking.
Key takeaways
- No buggy, quad or dirt bike price includes hotel pickup. The transfer is a separate choice on the booking.
- The sharing transfer is AED 175 per person and runs for two or more guests from one pickup point.
- The private car is AED 450 per car for 5 to 6 guests.
- Pickup is 1 hour before your start time, and starts run every 30 minutes from 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM, daily.
- If you have your own way to get there, you can meet on site. The location is emailed to you after booking.
- The shared and private desert safaris already include hotel pickup, so they need no separate transfer.
Does a dune buggy ride in Dubai include hotel pickup?
No. Every buggy, quad bike and dirt bike on the site is priced for the machine and the ride only. The price covers the buggy, fuel, a helmet and goggles for each rider, a safety briefing, a guide and unlimited mineral water, but it does not cover getting you to the desert.
The transfer is a separate line on the booking. Guests who already have a car, or who are staying with friends who can drive them, can skip it and meet on site instead.
The rides themselves run on private desert terrain outside Dubai. That is all you need to know about the location before you book. Once you choose to meet on site, the exact meeting point arrives by email after your booking is confirmed.
What are the three ways to get to your dune buggy ride?
There are three options, and you pick one when you book. Each one suits a different kind of group, and none of them changes the ride itself. The guide, the briefing, the convoy and the photo stop are the same whichever way you arrive.
Sharing transfer at AED 175 per person
The sharing transfer costs AED 175 per person. It is set up for two or more guests travelling from one pickup point, so it works best for a couple or a pair of friends staying at the same hotel. You are collected 1 hour before your start time.
Because the price is per person, each guest in the vehicle pays the same AED 175. It is a sensible choice when you are a small party and want someone else to handle the driving on the way out and back.
Private car at AED 450 per car
The private car costs AED 450 per car and carries 5 to 6 guests. The car is for your party only, so you are not waiting for other guests at other pickup points. Pickup is still 1 hour before your start time.
This option is priced per car, not per person. It suits a family or a group of friends who want to travel together and keep their own schedule on the day.
Meeting on site at the emailed location
The third option is to make your own way there. After booking, the meeting point is emailed to you. You arrive in time for check-in, ride, and leave when you are done.
Meeting on site suits UAE residents with their own car, visitors who have hired a car, and anyone already planning to be outside the city that day. There is no transfer line on your booking at all in this case.
Transfer options at a glance
| Transfer option | Price | Unit | Who it is set up for | Pickup time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharing transfer | AED 175 | per person | Two or more guests from one pickup point | 1 hour before the start |
| Private car | AED 450 | per car | 5 to 6 guests | 1 hour before the start |
| Meet on site | No transfer | not applicable | Guests with their own transport | Arrive for check-in at the emailed location |
The table shows each price with its own unit. Each one stands alone, and the transfer you choose is added to the booking next to your buggy.
Which transfer suits your group?
The right transfer depends on how many of you are travelling, whether you share one pickup point and how much freedom you want on the day. The notes below describe fit only. Check the booking form for the line that matches your party.
Couples
A couple staying at one hotel fits the sharing transfer well. It is designed for two or more guests from one pickup point, which is exactly the shape of a couple's trip. A 2 seater buggy then carries the driver and one passenger, so one machine covers the pair.
If the couple has a hire car, meeting on site is the simpler choice. You keep your own timing before and after the ride.
Solo riders
The sharing transfer is set up for two or more guests from one pickup point, so a rider travelling alone should plan around that. Meeting on site at the emailed location is the simplest route if you have your own transport.
If you are unsure which applies to your booking, contact the team before you pay. They can tell you what works for a single guest on your chosen date and start time.
Families
Families often travel with a mix of drivers and passengers. Buggy drivers are adults and carry photo ID, while children ride as passengers beside an adult. A 4 seater buggy carries the driver and three passengers for one price per buggy.
For a family of 5 or 6, the private car fits naturally because it is one vehicle for the whole party. Smaller families staying at one hotel can also look at the sharing transfer, which is priced per person.
Groups of 5 to 6
The private car was built for this size. At AED 450 per car for 5 to 6 guests, the group travels together from one pickup point and arrives together for the briefing.
Groups of this size often split across two buggies, for example two 4 seaters or a 4 seater and a 2 seater. The transfer stays the same either way, because it is chosen for the people travelling, not for the machines.
How does timing work on the day?
Timing is simple once you know the three numbers: when the pickup comes, when the ride starts and how long you spend on site. Planning around them keeps the day calm.
Pickup comes 1 hour before your start time
If you booked a sharing transfer or a private car, pickup is 1 hour before the start time you chose. For example, a 4:00 PM start means a 3:00 PM pickup. Be ready in the lobby a few minutes early with your shoes on and your ID in your pocket.
Your booking confirmation arrives by email, and it is worth keeping it on your phone for the day. If anything about the pickup is unclear, call or email the team in advance rather than on the morning itself.
Start times every 30 minutes from 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Buggies, quads and the dirt bike start every 30 minutes from 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM, daily. That gives a wide choice of slots, from early morning to evening.
October to April is the main season. In summer the site points riders to the earliest morning slots, so if you are visiting in the warmer months, pick an early start and work your pickup back 1 hour from it.
About 90 minutes on site for a 30 minute ride
Plan for about 90 minutes on site for a 30 minute buggy ride. That time covers check-in, signing the liability form, fitting the helmet and goggles, the safety briefing, the drive itself and the photo stop.
The briefing on the controls, hand signals and convoy order, together with the walkaround of the machine, usually takes 10 to 15 minutes. A guide rides ahead of the buggies for the whole ride and sets the pace for the least experienced driver. The convoy stops on a ridgeline for photos before heading back.
Add the pickup hour before your start to that on-site time, and you have a fair picture of how much of your day the ride will take. Longer rides of 1 hour or 2 hours simply add more time on the sand.
What should you have ready before pickup?
A little preparation keeps the start of the ride smooth, whether the car is collecting you or you are driving yourself.
Closed-toe shoes
Closed-toe shoes are required for every rider. Sandals and flip-flops are not allowed. Trainers work well, and it helps to wear them from the hotel rather than packing them, so you are ready the moment you arrive.
Photo ID for drivers
Buggy drivers are adults and carry photo ID. Each person who will drive should have their ID with them at pickup. Passengers, including children riding beside an adult, travel as passengers only.
Your booking email
Keep the booking confirmation email handy. If you are meeting on site, the same email holds the meeting point. If you booked a transfer, it confirms your start time, which tells you the pickup time.
Comfortable clothing
Wear clothes you are happy to get a little sandy. Each rider gets a helmet and goggles at the site, and quad riders also get gloves. Unlimited mineral water is included, so you do not need to carry a large supply.
Health and comfort
Dune driving is physical. Riders with back or neck conditions, recent surgery or a pregnancy should not drive a buggy. If you have any health concern, see a doctor and declare the condition when booking.
Buggy prices for context
The transfer sits next to the ride on your booking, so it helps to see the buggy prices too. 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.
| Buggy | 2 Seater, 30 min | 4 Seater, 30 min | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polaris Dune Buggy RZR 1000 CC | AED 600 | AED 800 | per buggy |
| Polaris Dune Buggy RZR 1000 CC Turbo | AED 900 | AED 1,200 | per buggy |
| Can-Am Maverick X3 | AED 999 | AED 1,200 | per buggy |
| Can-Am Maverick X3 RS TURBO RR | AED 1,200 | AED 1,400 | per buggy |
Each buggy also comes in 1 hour and 2 hour versions. For the Polaris Dune Buggy RZR 1000 CC, the 2 Seater is AED 900 for 1 hour and AED 1,750 for 2 hours, and the 4 Seater is AED 1,200 and AED 2,200. The full list for every model is on the dune buggy Dubai page.
None of these buggy prices includes pickup. The transfer is always its own line, at AED 175 per person sharing or AED 450 per private car, unless you meet on site.
Which trips already include hotel pickup?
The desert safaris are different from the self-drive rides. The shared and private safaris include hotel pickup in their price, so you do not add a transfer to them.
The Shared Classic Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner is AED 240 per adult (12+) and AED 225 per child (5 to 11). The Morning Desert Safari With Land Cruiser 4X4 is AED 225 per adult and AED 210 per child. The Private Morning Desert Safari With Land Cruiser 4X4 is AED 799 per car for up to 6 guests, and the Private Evening Desert Safari With BBQ Dinner is AED 1,400 per car for up to 6 guests. All of them pick up from Dubai hotels, and the evening safaris pick up from Sharjah too.
If a ride with pickup built in matters more to you than driving the buggy yourself, look at the desert safari Dubai page. If you want the buggy, the self-drive ride with a separate transfer is the route. The dune buggy safari guide explains how the buggy ride itself works.
What about the BBQ Dinner camp-only option?
The BBQ Dinner + Live Entertainment Shows option has no safari drive. It comes as a Standard Camp at AED 125 per person or a Premium Camp at AED 250 per person, with belly dance, fire show and tanoura.
Because there is no safari vehicle, this option needs a private transfer booked with it. That transfer is the private car at AED 450 per car for 5 to 6 guests. Keep that in mind if you are planning an evening at the camp after a daytime buggy ride, and choose it on the booking form at the same time.
How do you book the transfer?
You book the transfer on the same form as the buggy. Choose your buggy, your ride length and your start time, then pick the transfer that fits: the sharing transfer, the private car, or no transfer if you will meet on site.
Payment is by Visa or Mastercard in AED, in full when booking online, with no card processing fee. The booking confirmation arrives by email. If you meet on site, that is where you will find the meeting point.
For a step by step walk through the form, the guide on how to book a dune buggy in Dubai covers each field. A few practical points help with the transfer part:
- Have your hotel name and pickup address ready when you fill in the form.
- If your group is staying in more than one place, contact the team before booking, since the sharing transfer is set up for one pickup point.
- Choose your start time first, then work out the pickup time by counting back 1 hour.
- Check the transfer line on the confirmation email before the day.
What are the cancellation rules?
The cancellation terms depend on the size of the booking. They apply to the whole booking, and the cancellation policy page gives the full wording.
Bookings of fewer than 4 guests
Cancel 96 hours or more before departure and there is no cancellation fee; the booking is refunded less a 5% processing fee. Cancel at least 48 hours before departure and the fee is 50%. Cancel under 24 hours before departure and the fee is 100%.
Bookings of 4 or more guests
Cancel 7 days before departure for a 50% fee. Cancel 5 days or less before departure and the fee is 100%. Refunds go to the original card within 7 to 10 business days.
How to cancel or change a date
Cancellations are by email only, and the time the email arrives sets the fee. Moving to another date carries no charge, subject to availability. If the team cancels a ride for weather, guests get a refund less 5% or a new date.
Practical planning tips for a ride with pickup
A few habits make the transfer side of the day easy.
- Pick the start time with the pickup in mind. An 8:00 AM start means a 7:00 AM pickup. In summer, the earliest slots are the ones the site points riders to.
- Keep the day open around the ride. With pickup 1 hour before the start and about 90 minutes on site for a 30 minute ride, avoid booking a tight dinner reservation straight after.
- Choose the transfer for the people, not the buggies. Two buggies for one group still means one transfer choice for the group.
- Bring shoes and ID from the start. Closed-toe shoes are required, and drivers need photo ID.
- Use the safari if pickup is the priority. The shared and private safaris include hotel pickup. The self-drive buggy does not.
- Book the camp transfer with the camp. The BBQ Dinner camp-only option needs the private transfer on the same booking.
In short
A self-drive dune buggy in Dubai never includes hotel pickup in its price. Add the sharing transfer at AED 175 per person for two or more guests from one pickup point, the private car at AED 450 per car for 5 to 6 guests, or meet on site at the emailed location. Pickup comes 1 hour before your start, and starts run every 30 minutes from 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
When you are ready, choose your buggy, start time and transfer together on the booking form. For questions about pickup before you book, call +971 52 440 9525 or email [email protected].
