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Two wheels instead of four
Motorbike Desert Safari Dubaiwith theMX-Academy
A motorbike desert safari Dubai puts you on the handlebars instead of the back seat of a 4x4. See how a guided tour with the MX-Academy runs, how groups are formed, how long you stay out and what to learn first.
Planning your trip from abroad? Motorbike desert safari Dubai on mx-academy.com
A safari on two wheels instead of four
A classic desert safari in Dubai is a passenger trip. A four-wheel drive picks you up in the city, a driver trained in desert driving takes the car over the dunes, and the programme often adds a camel ride and sometimes sandboarding. Evening trips usually end at a desert camp with a barbecue dinner.
On a motorbike desert safari, you swap the back seat for the handlebars. You steer a motocross or enduro bike through the sand yourself, following a guide who has ridden the desert for years. At the MX-Academy this guided tour is called the desert ride. It asks more of you than sitting in a car, but you feel every dune under your wheels and decide for yourself how hard you push.
How a guided desert motorbike tour runs
Every guided tour follows the same pattern, whether you live in Dubai or are here on holiday. It starts with preparation on the training track and ends with you riding through the dunes behind your guide. These are the steps, in the order you will meet them:
- Sand training in Jebel Ali: about three days for newcomers, one day or more for experienced riders
- Bike and protective gear: hire them on site or bring your own
- Groups: the guides sort riders by skill and fitness
- Into the dunes: the guide picks the route and shows you how to read the sand
- Climbs, crests, slides down the slopes and first jumps as your confidence grows
- Back after a few hours or, on a longer tour, at the end of the day
Who a motorcycle desert safari suits
A motorcycle desert safari is for people who want to ride, not watch. You need basic off-road skills in sand, and the training days give you exactly that. If you already ride a track, the dunes add a new challenge. If you are a beginner, you can get there too: many MX-Academy riders have never been on a motocross bike before and still try small jumps after their first day.
Courses on the track are open to every level, from children aged four and beginners to girls and women, advanced riders and racers. The tour into the desert itself is for riders who are ready for the sand, and the guides decide when that is the case. How long you stay out depends on the group, sometimes a few hours and sometimes most of the day, and you can even spend a night in the desert.
Motorbike or 4x4: the two safaris compared
Both trips lead into the same desert, but they feel very different. In a 4x4 you are strapped in and the driver does the work; on a motorbike every decision about balance, steering and line is yours. The points below set the two side by side, so you can decide which one suits you or the people you travel with:
- At the wheel: a trained desert driver in the 4x4, you yourself on the motorbike
- Preparation: none for 4x4 passengers, sand training on the track for riders
- Grip in soft sand: lower tyre pressure on the 4x4, standing technique on the bike
- Protection: a seat belt in the car, complete protective gear on the bike
- Dune bashing in a car is not recommended in pregnancy, for babies or with back or heart problems
- Camel rides, sandboarding and the evening camp belong to the classic safari
What you need for your tour
You do not have to own anything to take part. The MX-Academy has competition motocross bikes for hire and protective gear in all sizes, from helmet to boots, and you are free to turn up with your own bike and kit instead. Light bikes work best in deep sand. Compared with a big travel enduro, a Honda CRF250 of around 110 kg is light, so the dunes are easier and safer to ride. Without coaching, bikes are only rented to intermediate riders or under supervision.
Booking a desert tour from Dubai and the Emirates
Your preparation takes place on the DMX track near Mina Jebel Ali, Exit 13. During the season riders are on the track or in the sand nearly every day, so you can suggest a date that suits you, including weekends. Prices are per rider in AED: group training on the track costs AED 900 for one hour or AED 2,100 for three hours for adults, and riders heading into the desert pay an extra AED 50 daily as a convenience fee. To book a desert ride, write an email or get in touch by phone or WhatsApp; you can ask your questions in Arabic as well.
FAQ: Motorbike Desert Safari Dubai
What is a motorbike desert safari in Dubai?
A guided tour through the dunes on a motorbike that you ride yourself, instead of sitting in a 4x4. A guide who knows the desert well leads the group and shows you how to ride in sand.
Can beginners join a motorcycle desert safari?
Yes, once they have prepared. Newcomers spend about three days on the track first, while riders with off-road practice need one sand day or more.
Is a motorbike desert safari the same as dune bashing?
Not quite. Classic dune bashing is a 4x4 ride in which you are a passenger, while on a motorbike you ride the dunes yourself.
Is it possible to ride my own bike on the tour?
Yes, bring your own bike and kit if you like. You can also hire both at the MX-Academy.
Are there overnight desert motorbike tours?
Yes. Besides day rides of different lengths, the MX-Academy organises tours with a night in the desert.
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