United Arab Emirates off-road trip: itinerary, GPS tracks, must-sees
All the information you need to plan your road trip to the United Arab Emirates
Hello! We're Olivia & Victor, authors of the OunTravela guides.
Over the years, our passion for adventure has led us to create original travel guides sold in over 70 countries worldwide. Our mission is to spread a travel philosophy based on adventure, freedom, improvisation and exploration. Our guides inspire travellers to explore the world's forgotten paths, encountering wilderness and civilization.
We hope you find this article, based on our own experience, useful.
Enjoy your reading!
Why visit the United Arab Emirates?
Outside the megalopolises of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates offer wide-open spaces for exploration. For lovers of sand-driving and desert landscapes! Almost the entire territory is sandy desert, with a mountainous region to the north and a few oases such as Al-Ain and Liwa. Sunsets in the Rub Al-Khali desert offer magnificent light. What’s more, you’ll be able to admire the Milky Way without light pollution, and you may even be lucky enough to spot an Arabian Oryx. Don’t forget to watch a camel race!
On the map below, we’ve mapped out our 12-day itinerary. Of course, this is not the ideal itinerary, as only the improvised route is ideal! We took our inspiration from the UAE Off Road road book.
Our itinerary inspired by the book UAE OFF-ROAD
We recommend you purchase the book UAE Off ROAD to plan your itinerary. Not every trail is worth taking, but it’s a good basis on which to build your road-trip. It’s best to avoid the outskirts of big cities, which are often polluted and dotted with industry.
If you want to get off the beaten track, it’s essential to have a powerful 4×4 (see article on which 4×4 rental to choose). We also recommend that you have a good command of sand-driving or that you set off with two cars (which will enable you to get out of the sand quickly).
The desert climate makes it essential to plan your trip between October and May, as outside these months temperatures can reach 50ยฐC.
Our GPS tracks in the United Arab Emirates
Before you leave for the United Arab Emirates
Spoken languages
Arabic and English
Tip: carry a small glossary with you.
Visa
No visa required for stays of less than 90 days.
Airline tickets
300-400โฌ Return (from Paris)
Best season: October to May. Outside this period, temperatures can exceed 50ยฐC.
Cost of living
– Food: โฌ5-10 for a restaurant meal
– Accommodation in Dubai: โฌ50 per night
– Wilderness camping permitted throughout the country
– Petrol: โฌ0.5/L
4x4 rental
– Price: โฌ60 to โฌ130/day
We recommend you take a look at the Rental Car comparator to find your 4×4 rental!
Motorcycle rental
We tried to rent a motocross bike (and even a buggy) by sending e-mails to various agencies around the country. It was impossible to find one at a reasonable price.
However, you can hire a buggy (4 people) by the hour on certain sites (โฌ80/hour).
Budget for a 2-week road-trip to the Emirates
For a 15-day road trip to the United Arab Emirates in 2025 for 2 peopleyou need to budget approximate budget of 1684โฌ per person. This road-trip consists of 12 days in a rental 4ร4 with roof tent (Toyota Land Cruiser) and two nights in an Airbnb apartment in Dubai. The budget calculation is based on our personal experience!
Our favorites in the Emirates
The Rub Al-Khali desert
Pure desert! Rub Al Khali is the world’s largest desert, crossing part of the country, and it’s in this area that we found it most unspoilt. Discover it for the pleasure of waking up in the middle of the dunes, enjoying a blazing sunset or a starry sky. Make sure you know how to drive on sand and/or take two vehicles (for faster desanding).
Off-Road between Liwa and Al-Ain
A “secret” track runs from Liwa to Al Ain along the borders with Saudi Arabia and Oman. Peach-colored dunes, a real playground for sand-driving. We were also lucky enough to observe wildlife that is hard to find elsewhere in the Emirates (Arabian Oryx). Before setting off on this trail, remember to stock up on enough water (at least 4 liters per person per day).
Stairway to Heaven
A hike through the mountains in the north of the country, with over 1,500 meters of ascent in 15 km: a great challenge rewarded by astonishing rocky landscapes and a breathtaking view of the canyon! What a change from the desert that covers most of the country! Good physical condition required.
Camel race
Between September and March, the races take place three or four times a week, early in the morning around 7:30 (by 8:30 the show is already over). Hundreds of camels gallop along the tracks at breakneck speed. They carry tiny, remote-controlled robot jockeys on their backs. Races are moments of intense release. The animal owners drive in 4X4s, following their camels along parallel tracks, honking and yelling to encourage them.
If you have any questions(4×4 rental, itinerary, camping recommendations, etc.) you can leave a comment at the bottom of this page or join our facebook group dedicated to exploring the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Don’t forget to download our GPS tracks and sand driving guide before you set off.
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