Dubai is famous for over-the-top luxury experiences, but you don’t need deep pockets to have an unforgettable time. Buggy safaris offer adventure and breathtaking desert scenery without the high price tag. If you’re planning a dune bashing buggy safari dubai, here are 5 tips to make the most of your Arabian desert journey.
1. Dress Appropriately for Desert Conditions
When embarking on a buggy safari through the vast Arabian Desert surrounding Dubai, it’s crucial to dress appropriately for the extreme climate shifts you’ll encounter throughout the day. During daylight hours, temperatures frequently surpass 100°F (38°C), with blazing sun beating down relentlessly. The golden dunes reflect sunlight as well, essentially double-dosing you with heat and sunlight exposure. Such intense daytime conditions mandate lightweight, loose-fitting clothing to allow ventilation to the skin. Fabrics that breathe well, such as cotton or moisture-wicking athletic wear, are best suited to promote air flow and cooling.
As the sun dips below the dunes in the evening, another reality of desert environments becomes abundantly clear – they get cold at night. With no cloud cover or significant vegetation to trap in the accumulated daytime heat, it disappears rapidly at dusk. The plunge in temperatures can be dramatic, dropping as much as 50 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius) once the sun goes down. Thus, packing layers is imperative so you have garments to throw on as the mercury falls.
A light jacket or sweater, pants, cloche hat, and scarf are excellent items to stash in your bag even if you’re wilting in the afternoon sun. Don’t neglect sun protective accessories either. The amplified UV ray intensity mandates strong waterproof sunscreen, wide brim hat for shade, and UV filtering sunglasses. And finally, secure footwear with closed toes will keep shifting sands out while protecting your feet. Taking these desert condition precautions allows you to enjoy the thrills of dune bashing worry-free!
2. Secure Belongings Before Setting Off
Hurtling up and down monumental sandy slopes in an open-air buggy is exhilarating but also hazardous for unsecured belongings. The extreme undulations of the dunes combined with the vehicle’s speed and lack of protection can easily send possessions flying irretrievably into the desert. Cameras, cell phones, sunglasses, hats, and other items you bring along for the dune bashing ride can go airborne when the buggy launches off a steep crest or hits a major dip.
These vertical drops and inclines put immense centrifugal forces in play too. As the buggy veers sideways across ultra-steep slopes, the gravitational pressure seems to multiply significantly. Odds are you’ll be using both hands to brace yourself amidst the intense movements, unable to even attempt to catch an item whisked out of the vehicle.
Thus, properly securing all your gear prior to departing on the safari is hugely important. Stow smaller items in bags, pockets or compartments that latch securely shut. Fasten cameras and sunglasses with a strap around your wrist or neck. Don’t carry anything too fragile or irreplaceable, as crashes and roll-overs are rare but possible.
3. Listen to Your Driver
When rocketing across the sea of dunes in an open-top buggy, placing your trust in the driver is absolutely imperative. These seasoned professionals have spent countless hours navigating the sandy terrain and are intimately familiar with the topography and navigation routes. They know precisely which dunes can be safely ascended given the vehicle’s capabilities and angle of approach. They also recognize areas harbouring potential hazards like rocky outcrops, soft sand, or dangerously steep leeward slopes subject to erosion.
As the buggy approaches technical sections, the driver will provide specific instructions regarding seating position, hand placement, and body movements. For example, when climbing an extreme angle, they may ask you to lean forward and hold onto restraint bars. Or when hitting a downhill straightaway, they’ll cue you to sit back and lift your arms in the air. These directives ensure you’re balanced properly so the vehicle doesn’t tip or spin out. They also enhance safety in case of a rollover, which is highly unlikely but possible.
4. Keep Eyes and Mouth Closed When Hitting Peaks
Cresting peaks in a dune buggy or other off-road vehicle can be an exhilarating experience as you power over sandy ridges, but it comes with the hazard of being blasted in the face with a plume of gritty dust. As your wheels spin and dig into the sandy slope, a wake of fine particles trails behind you. Then, as you hit the peak and go airborne for a few seconds, that wake of dust gets churned up by the wheels and blown upwards right into your face.
Getting a mouthful of sand is unpleasant, to say the least. The tiny grains will stick to your teeth and gums and irritate your throat. Sand in your eyes can be even more dangerous and painful, potentially causing scratches on the corneas. At best it will leave you blinking and squinting for a while until you can flush it all out.
5. Mind Your Head When Climbing Hills
Desert terrain can be full of steep, undulating hills that are tempting to climb in a dune buggy or other recreational off-road vehicle. While charging up sandy slopes and rumbling over rocky ridges may give an adrenaline rush, it also comes with the risk of hitting your head on low overhangs or ceilings.
Dune buggies by definition don’t have roofs over the passenger compartment. That openness gives great views and an exciting sense of exposure as you drive over the desert landscape. However, it also leaves occupants vulnerable if they happen to drive under a cliff edge or rocky outcropping with inadequate clearance. Even small bumps and rises along a hillside trail can hide ledges and cave overhangs that seem to appear out of nowhere right in your path.
Conclusion
So gear up and get ready to ride into an Arabian adventureland filled with sky-high dunes with affordable buggy dubai price, camel sightings and the thrill of desert discovery. A buggy safari through Dubai’s seas of sand delivers all the action, vistas and excitement you could ask for. With these handy tips in mind, you’re sure to have an epic excursion blazing trails across desert majesty.
