Liwa Desert Safari Tours

Yes, particularly if you want a genuine desert experience rather than a busy city-edge outing. Liwa sits on the edge of the Empty Quarter with some of the world's tallest sand dunes, very few crowds, and access to Qasr Al Sarab, one of the finest desert resorts on earth. The drive is long from Dubai (around 3 hours 30 minutes) but the scale of the landscape is unlike anything near the city.

Liwa (Tal Moreeb) is around 242 km from Abu Dhabi, approximately 2 hours 25 minutes by road. From Dubai it is around 362 km, approximately 3 hours 30 minutes. Arabiers collects you from your hotel or airport in any emirate and handles the return journey.

Yes. Arabiers runs a Liwa Day Tour from Dubai that includes return transfers. The drive is around 3 hours 30 minutes each way, so the full door-to-door day is typically 12 to 14 hours. Many guests who have the time choose the overnight camping option to make the most of the journey and experience the desert after dark.

October to April is the best window. Winter months from December to February offer the most comfortable temperatures for dune driving and overnight camping. Summer heat in the Liwa dunes can exceed 45 degrees Celsius and is not suitable for extended outdoor activity. Weekdays are quieter than the Thursday to Saturday local weekend.

A typical Liwa day tour includes dune bashing in a private Land Cruiser, a visit to Moreeb Dune (the UAE's tallest driveable dune at around 300 metres), photography stops, and a BBQ meal. Luxury tours add lunch or dinner at Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort. Overnight tours include a desert campfire, stargazing, and breakfast at sunrise. All tours include return transfers.

The Liwa Moreeb Dune Festival is an annual motorsport and heritage event held each winter (usually January) at Tal Moreeb. The centrepiece is the hill-climb race up the face of the 300-metre Moreeb Dune. Other events include drag racing, camel and horse racing, motocross and freestyle drifting. The Liwa Dates Festival, held in summer, is a completely separate agricultural and heritage event run by the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority.

All Arabiers Liwa safari products carry free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. Desert weather is unpredictable and plans change. For tours that include a Qasr Al Sarab resort element, the hotel's own cancellation policy may also apply. Check your booking voucher for the terms specific to your tour.

Choose Dubai if you want convenience: 30 to 45 minutes from the city, BBQ camp shows, quad bikes and a classic evening safari. Choose Liwa if you want genuine Empty Quarter scenery, much taller dunes, silence, and no crowds. Liwa tours are priced per private vehicle, which makes them particularly good value for families and groups of four or more.

Yes, when booked with a licensed operator. Liwa dune driving is more demanding than city-edge safaris because the sand is deeper and the dunes are much higher. Arabiers drivers hold the permits required for Empty Quarter access, carry recovery and first-aid equipment, and are trained to handle the specific conditions. Self-drive in the deep dunes without experience, proper tyres and recovery equipment is not recommended.