If you have been browsing safari tour options on our site, you have probably noticed two popular choices sitting at different price points. The desert safari bus package at 60 AED and the special desert safari at 120 AED, which includes pickup and drop off directly from your hotel or home address. The price difference is reasonable, but it is enough to make most people pause and consider which option makes more sense for them.
This post gives you an honest answer.
What You Get With the Bus Package at 60 AED
The bus safari is a shared transport experience. You make your way to the nearest meeting point in Dubai or Sharjah and board a comfortable bus with other guests heading to the same destination.
Here is what is included:
- Shared bus pickup and drop off from central locations
- Dune bashing with a licensed desert driver
- Sandboarding on the golden dunes
- Sunset photo stop in the open desert
- Camel ride at the traditional Arabian camp
- BBQ dinner with grilled meats, bread, salads, and soft drinks
- Live belly dance, tanoura, and fire show performances
- Full evening of around 6 to 7 hours
What You Get With the Special Safari at 120 AED
The special desert safari includes everything in the bus package plus direct pickup and drop off from your home, hotel, or apartment address anywhere in Dubai or Sharjah. You do not need to go anywhere. The vehicle comes to your door, takes you to the desert, and brings you back when the evening is done.
The desert activities, camp experience, dinner, and entertainment are the same as the bus package. The key difference is the convenience of door-to-door transport.
So What Is the Real Difference?
When you strip it back, you are essentially paying an extra 60 AED for the comfort of not having to leave your building. The desert experience itself is the same. Same dunes, same camp, same food, same shows.
The question is whether that 60 AED convenience is worth it for your situation.
When the Bus Package Makes More Sense
You are staying near a pickup point: If your hotel or apartment is close to any of the eight pickup locations across Dubai and Sharjah, getting to the meeting point takes very little effort. A short taxi or metro ride and you are there. Paying double for home pickup in that situation is hard to justify.
You are traveling in a group: The savings add up fast in a group. Four people on the bus package costs 240 AED total. The same four people on the special safari costs 480 AED. That is 240 AED saved for the same desert evening.
You are a budget traveler or backpacker: When every dirham counts, the bus package gives you the full desert experience without stretching your budget. The quality of the safari itself does not change based on how you got there.
You are based in Sharjah: The bus package has dedicated pickup points across Sharjah, which makes it very convenient for residents and visitors staying there. The special safari covers Sharjah too, but the bus option keeps costs lower for the same journey.
When the Special Safari Makes More Sense
You are staying far from any pickup point: If your accommodation is in an area not close to any of the meeting points, getting to the bus pickup might cost you time and money in taxi fares. At that point, the extra 60 AED for home pickup starts to make a lot of sense.
You are traveling with elderly guests or young children: Managing a journey to a pickup point with elderly family members or very young kids can be tiring before the safari even begins. Home pickup removes that stress completely and lets everyone start the evening in a relaxed mood.
You want maximum convenience: Sometimes, you just want someone to knock on your door and take care of everything. That is exactly what the special safari offers, and for 120 AED it is still a very good value compared to what you would pay with other operators.
The Verdict
Both packages offer the same quality desert experience. The choice really comes down to your location and how much convenience matters to you.
If you are within easy reach of a pickup point, the bus package at 60 AED is genuinely hard to beat. You get the full evening, all the activities, dinner, and entertainment for half the price.
If getting to a meeting point is inconvenient or you simply prefer a door-to-door service, the special safari at 120 AED is worth every extra dirham.
Either way, you are getting a great evening in the desert. The dunes look just as good from both packages.
Not sure which one suits you? Check both options and pick what works best for your location and group size.