Can Children Go Camel Riding In Dubai?
Are you planning a desert safari in Dubai and want to know whether children can go camel riding?
When you are visiting Dubai, one thing you should include in your itinerary is a desert safari. After spending days in a busy city, surrounded by skyscrapers, shops, and cars, it is nice to unwind in a quiet desert.
It is especially enjoyable for children. You can book an organized tour with pick-up from your accommodation and choose activities you like. One of them is camel riding.
If you have children, riding camels will be a dream come true for them and will remind them of famous fairytales.
Maybe you are asking whether children can go camel riding, how old they have to be, and if is it safe. I will answer all your questions in this article.
Can Children Go Camel Riding In Dubai?
Yes, children aged 5 and older can go camel riding in Dubai. You can choose a camel ride on the beach or you can go for a desert safari. I will tell you about the desert safari as I went on a desert safari tour twice in Dubai.
What is a desert safari in Dubai?
First of all, let’s have a look at what exactly is a desert safari in Dubai, for those who have never heard about it. Desert Safari is an organized tour to the desert of Dubai by a tour agency.
You will be picked up by a car that takes you to the outskirts of the city. There, you will need to change to the 4×4 vehicle. This car will take you through desert dunes to the camp with a stop for picture taking during sunset.
Most of the time, dune bashing is included, which is not allowed for children under 3 years old, however, if you are not interested in going through an adrenalin ride over dunes, you can get the option without it.
Once you arrive at the camp, there are several activities available, depending on the tour you choose.
For example, henna painting, sandboarding, taking pictures with Falcon or in traditional clothes, quad biking, having traditional dinner and shisha, watching tanura dance or belly dance show, and fakir show.
Camel riding can be short for about 5 minutes with the possibility to repeat or longer for about 45 minutes.
There are options for morning, evening, or overnight desert safaris to choose from.
Can Children Ride A Camel?
Throughout history, camels were the main transportation between cities in the Arabian countries. They can store a large amount of water and food in their bodies and, therefore are capable of going on long journeys.
If you have children, camel riding will be one of the most exciting experiences in the desert. It will make them feel they are in a fairytale. But can children ride a camel? Isn’t it dangerous?
Camels are very calm and cooperative animals. Nevertheless, the way the camels get up from their front legs and also go down afterward can be a little bit scary and demanding as you have to hold very strongly. Also, camels are quite high animals.
Therefore children under 5 are not allowed to go camel riding, but at least they can take a picture with a camel.
There are options for short camel rides around the camp that can be repeated. Some other tours offer long camel rides through the desert that can take 45 minutes.
If you have smaller children I recommend the short rides as sitting on a camel is not very comfortable.
What else can children do on desert safari?
Desert safari is fun for children of all ages as they can run around the camp on the sand, and eat lovely food and Arabic sweets while watching the dance or fakir show.
They can take pictures with a Falcon and camel. For older children the option of sandboarding is available. Sometimes it is just going down the small hill, so it is safe to try.
When you choose the tours with quad bikes, children over 12 years old can ride the bike.
Where can I book a desert safari and how much does it cost?
There are many tour operators in Dubai that you can choose from. I do recommend GetYourGuide as they have many tours available and you can choose the activities you prefer. Moreover, you can read the reviews from other people and choose one that is recommended.
Pickup and drop-off are available from your hotel in Dubai. Free cancelation up to 24 hours in advance is included.
The price of the tours varies depending on length and activities. Can go from about $30 to $200 per person.
Here are some recommended Dubai Desert Safari Tours.
➡️Book a longer 45 minutes camel ride in Dubai
➡️Book a shorter camel ride in Dubai
➡️Book a premium Red Dunes with a short camel ride
What to bring with you for a desert safari in Dubai
There is no strict dress code for a desert safari in Dubai. You should wear what you will feel comfortable in. I usually wear shorts and trainers or flip-flops.
- You can also wear hin long trousers made of cotton
- If you are not going for sports activities, you can also wear a long dress or skirt
- Sunglasses
- Sunscream
- Sunhat
- For quad biking bring a scarf that you can put over your head and face to protect you from the sand
- A camera to capture the unforgettable memories of a lifetime
- Don’t bring large luggage like suitcases as they will not accept you on the tour
Other than that, just bring your good mood and smile, and get ready for the experience.
Conclusion: Can Children Go Camel Riding In Dubai?
Desert safari with camel riding is one of the best things to do in Dubai and definitely worth it. It is an authentic experience for adults and primarily for children. I did it twice and I would do it again.
As it is important to consider the safety of children who want to go camel riding, only children above 5 years old can ride camels. However, younger children can participate in desert safari and take pictures with camel.
The children will surely enjoy it and will have many stories and pictures to share with their friends back home.
