The Best Luxury Desert Safari in Dubai
A review of Platinum Heritage
So you’re going to Dubai and you’re searching the internet for Dubai desert safaris. I was doing it too and you’ve probably come to realise just how many options you have. On google and Instagram, you’ve very likely come across a company called Platinum Heritage in your research because it’s considered the most premium and luxurious of all Dubai safaris.
What I learnt quickly about Dubai is that nothing is very cheap, and that’s ok. It’s Dubai.
When coming across Platinum Heritage I initially felt like it was unaffordable for us to consider but upon researching further and getting an idea of costs in general in Dubai, I started to realise its value is GREAT. I have also found it very difficult to come across a bad review of a Platinum Heritage tour and when you’re wanting to experience something new in a country you may not visit again anytime soon, you want to make sure that you pick an experience that isn’t going to let you down.
One of the best activities you can do in Dubai besides base jumping off extremely tall buildings and shopping in the world's largest mall is the desert safari. I highly recommend it. It’s a must-do!
The desert is a special piece of natural nature and in Dubai, it’s just what you need after exploring the world's most man-made city. This special part of the Al Maha desert is a conservation site, so it’s very well taken care of and respected. It’s beautiful.
Platinum Heritage tours are run on the conservation part of the desert and during our tour, we learnt that they are the only company allowed to run safaris on this part of the desert. This particular site is owned by the Royal Family and Platinum Heritage is their chosen company. I mean, if it’s good enough for the Royal Family, it’s good enough for me!
The Heritage Safari
Platinum Heritage has quite a few packages on offer from morning safaris, evening safaris, hot air balloon rides, and even a chance to spend the night in the desert. All of these then come at varying levels of luxury and price. The most premium of them all is the private platinum safari where you are looking at £3000 for a private experience for up to 4 people. If your group is bigger the price starts to go up.
We opted for their most popular safari – The Heritage Safari. The cost is around £160pp which includes a pick-up and drop-off from any hotel in Dubai, a 60-minute nature safari in a vintage land rover or on a camel, a falconry performance, and an amazing Emirati dinner under the stars along with some entertainment and stargazing. It was a great experience and in our opinion good value for the price. This is a very special and unforgettable experience.
The tour starts from the moment of pick up, you will be collected from your hotel at the time they confirm by a fabulous guide who is extremely informative and will tell you all about Dubai and the desert on the drive to pick up any other guests before the final journey to the conservation site.
When you arrive at the Al Maha desert, you will be greeted by rows of beautiful vintage land rovers, one of which will be for you and your group. Before jumping in, you’ll have an opportunity to use the bathroom, and pick up your free headscarf to keep the sand out of your hair and your free Platinum Heritage water bottle. You’ll also be able to take this opportunity to take photos of the amazing cars!
Once you’re safely in the vehicle, you’ll begin a one-hour tour via land rover of the conservation site. If you’re lucky you’ll see some wild Arabian Oryx on your journey through the dunes! Incredible.
You’ll make a stop for a view of the dunes and continue driving through them whilst the sun starts to go down. It is such a special experience.
After your tour, you’ll make your way to a falconry performance where hot tea awaits you. I wasn’t sure what this would be like, but we enjoyed it. The host and owner of the falcon just seemed to love the Falcon so much. It didn’t feel cruel, but I know some people may find these kinds of things difficult. It was amazing to learn more about these incredible birds.
You’ll have the opportunity to watch the sunset before jumping back in your land rover and heading to the beautiful camp where you’ll be having dinner.
You’ll have a guided tour of the camp where you can see them making all the bread from scratch! You’ll also be able to get henna tattoos or take a quick camel ride if you wish.
The food really is incredible and feels very authentic. It starts with the fresh thin flat bread they’ve been making in front of you. Absolutely delicious! Followed by a whole table of starters, dips, and bread. The final course is set up like a buffet and you can have to go up to get your meal. They have many options and cater to dietary needs. It’s all followed by dessert, tea, and coffee.
There is no alcohol of course. You will, however, have the opportunity to try camel milk so, who needs alcohol when you can have camel milk?
After dinner, there’s some entertainment and stargazing before heading back to your hotel. You won’t be able to head back to your hotel until your entire group is in agreement so depending on who your companions are you could be in for a late one! You’ll normally be back no later than 11 pm.
We highly recommend this tour and thought a little bit of an explanation of it might help you make your decisions. When in Dubai, a desert safari is a must-do! It was the best part of our trip.
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