Skip to content
Dune Buggy Dubai

Hot air balloon

Balloon safari Dubai: the Premium desert day

Premium is our complete balloon safari Dubai morning. It begins with the 45-60 minute sunrise flight, continues at a desert camp with breakfast, camels and a falcon, then adds dune bashing in a Land Cruiser 4x4 and a guided 30-minute quad ride. Pickup costs nothing, and you are home again from 10:15 to 11:00 AM.

  • 45-60 min flight
  • Dune bashing
  • 30 min quad
Two hot air balloons drifting above red dunes with a 4x4 convoy on the sand below

Overview

If you only have one morning to spend in the desert, Premium packs the most into it. You start with the same pre-dawn pickup and sunrise flight as our other packages, collect your printed certificate on landing, and sit down at the desert camp to eat before the camels and the falconry. Instead of driving home from there, you carry on into a morning safari.

Your safari vehicle is a Land Cruiser 4x4, and its licensed driver spends around 25 to 30 minutes climbing and sliding over the red sand. Next you take the handlebars of a quad for 30 minutes of guided riding. A briefing comes first and the guide keeps you company all the way, so you need no earlier quad experience. The last transfer reaches your accommodation from 10:15 to 11:00 AM.

At AED 1,399 per person, Premium is the most complete way to combine a flight with a safari. It suits active travellers and groups who would otherwise book a desert safari on a separate day, because one pickup now covers both, and nobody has to set an early alarm twice. If you prefer to stop after breakfast, the Deluxe package ends there.

Plan for a full but rewarding balloon safari Dubai day: you will be up before 4 AM and active until late morning. Keep the afternoon light and enjoy a rest. For the wider picture of balloon seasons and rules, read our hot air balloon overview.

Duration
About 6-7 hours, door to door
Flight time
45-60 minutes, weather dependent
Dune bashing
Approx. 25-30 minutes in a Land Cruiser 4x4
Quad biking
30 minutes, guided, no experience needed
Pickup
No charge, 3:45-4:30 AM, across all of Dubai
Drop-off
10:15-11:00 AM at your accommodation

Highlights

  • Everything from the Deluxe package, flight to falconry
  • A morning dune bashing run behind the wheel of a pro
  • A guided 30-minute quad bike ride on the sand
  • Door-to-door transfers in Dubai at no extra cost
  • Four desert experiences built around one early start
  • The fullest of our three balloon mornings

What happens on the day

  1. 3:45-4:30 AM

    Pickup from your accommodation

    We call at your hotel, home or apartment wherever it is in the city, and confirm the minute by WhatsApp a day ahead.

  2. Arrival at the launch site

    You reach the field before first light, with coffee, tea and water to warm up.

  3. Inflation and safety talk

    Watch the crew raise the balloon, then get a safety briefing before you board.

  4. 45-60 minutes

    Flight at sunrise

    Float above the dunes while the sun climbs over the horizon. The weather on the day sets the exact length.

  5. Certificate on landing

    Everyone is given a printed certificate, and the drinks come round again.

  6. Camp breakfast

    A transfer brings you to the desert camp for a gourmet buffet with hot and cold dishes, juice and infused water.

  7. Camel ride and falconry

    Take a short camel ride and meet a trained falcon with its handler.

  8. Approx. 25-30 minutes

    Dune bashing in a 4x4

    Your licensed driver steers the Land Cruiser up and over the dune crests.

  9. 30 minutes

    Guided quad biking

    Ride your own quad after a safety briefing, following your guide the whole way.

  10. 10:15-11:00 AM

    Drop-off in Dubai

    You are driven back to the address where your morning began.

What's included

Included

  • All of Deluxe, from the flight to the camp breakfast, camels and falcon show
  • Morning desert safari with 25-30 minutes of dune bashing
  • 30 minutes of guided quad biking
  • Drop-off after all activities

Not included

  • Photo or video packages, which we can arrange on request
  • Upgrade to a private, non-shared vehicle
  • Gratuities, which are optional

What to wear and bring

  • Layers: cold before dawn, warm by the quad ride
  • Closed-toe shoes, required for dune bashing and quads
  • Sunscreen and sunglasses for the later part of the morning
  • Your booking confirmation

Timings

Pickup3:45-4:30 AM
Flight duration45-60 min (weather dependent)
Camp breakfast, camel ride and falconryAfter landing
Desert safari, dune bashing and quad bikingMid-morning
Drop-off10:15-11:00 AM

Good to know

  • Premium follows the same pre-dawn schedule as the other balloon packages, with the safari and quad added mid-morning after breakfast.
  • You share the 4x4 with other travellers; booking a car just for your group is not covered by this package.
  • Balloons do not fly from June to August and return on 1 September.
  • Flyers aged 7 to 11 come along with a paying adult, so list the age of each person when you reserve.

Questions, answered

Hot Air Balloon Premium Package: questions

What does Premium add compared with Deluxe?

Premium keeps the whole Deluxe morning, including the flight, the camp breakfast, the camel ride and the falconry display, then adds a morning desert safari. In practice that is a 4x4 dune bashing drive of about 25 to 30 minutes and half an hour on a guided quad. It costs AED 1,399 per person and finishes later, around 10:15 to 11:00 AM.

How long is the Premium morning from pickup to drop-off?

Plan on about six to seven hours door to door. Your car arrives between 3:45 and 4:30 AM, the balloon stays up for 45 to 60 minutes as the weather allows, and breakfast, the safari and the quad fill the hours after. Expect to reach your accommodation again from 10:15 to 11:00 AM.

Do I need quad experience for the Premium package?

No. Before you start, the guide explains the controls, then rides with you for the full 30 minutes, so first-timers can take part comfortably. Wear closed-toe shoes, because they are required for both the quad and the dune bashing. Any doubts about a member of your group? Ask us on WhatsApp before you pay.

Is it too much to do a safari after flying and breakfast?

It depends on your energy, because it is a long morning that starts before 4 AM. The dune bashing is bumpy and the quad ride is physical, so consider how everyone in your group copes with motion and early starts. If you would rather keep things gentle, the Deluxe package ends after breakfast, the camel ride and the falconry.

Can I skip the safari and still book the flight with breakfast?

Yes. If a full balloon safari Dubai day feels like too much, that is exactly what the Deluxe package offers: the same sunrise flight followed by breakfast, camels and the falcon, for AED 1,149 per person, with a 9:30-10:00 AM drop-off. If the flight alone is enough, Standard is AED 1,049 a person and returns you by 9:00 AM.

You may also like

Open every day · booking 24/7

The dunes at Al Badayer are waiting. Pick a time and drive.

Buggies from AED 600, quads from AED 200 and safaris from AED 225, all with published prices and a written confirmation.

  • Open every day, 5 AM to 8 PM
  • Guide, fuel and gear included
  • Written confirmation by email
Riders standing beside a sand-dusted dune buggy at a photo stop on a red dune crest
From AED 600 per buggy · 30 min
Book now