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Morning Falconry & Nature Desert Safari with Transfers from Dubai
Badge of ExcellenceDubai, United Arab Emirates
Likely to Sell Out
From $166.07
Select Date and Travelers
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
- 5 hours
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Experience the majesty of the UAE’s falcons and desert on this 5-hour tour from Dubai. Visit a desert retreat for a spectacular falconry display and try flying a falcon yourself as you learn about this ancient Bedouin practice. Afterward, take a wildlife drive through the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve in a vintage Land Rover. Look for rare Arabian oryx, gazelle and other species on route, and finish with snacks and a camel ride. Numbers are limited to 20 for a more personalized experience.
- Interactive falconry experience and wildlife tour in Dubai
- Learn about the ancient tradition of falconry in the UAE and try Falconry yourself with the help of your guide
- Spot wildlife such as Arabian Orxy and Gazelle as you cruise through the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve in a 1950s Land Rover
- Ride a camel through the desert for a quintessential Arabian experience
- Small-group tour limited to 20 people ensures a more personalized experience
What's Included
- Spectacular falcon show with demonstrations of traditional training techniques
- Interactive demonstration with birds of prey like hawks, desert eagle owls and barn owls
- Guided safari drive in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve in Vintage Land Rover
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Start time
05:30 AM
Pickup details
We pick up from any hotel in Dubai. Pickup from a residence or an apartment is possible if booked in a private vehicle. Pick-up times will vary throughout the year based on sunrise times. Please use the following schedule as a guideline when planning your day and preparing for pick-up between 05:30am (or earlier) – 06:30am the following time. A confirmation of your exact pick-up time will be communicated to you via e-mail or a phone call around 17:00h on the day before the excursion.
What To Expect
After pickup from your central Dubai hotel, relax into your air-conditioned vehicle and travel into the surrounding desert. On route, hear about the importance of falconry to the UAE. The practice was first used by indigenous Bedouins to supplement their diets with meat — courtesy of hares and birds caught by trained falcons. Today, the falcon is held in such reverence that it’s the UAE’s national symbol.
After about an hour, arrive at a desert retreat owned by a member of the local royal family, and be treated to an exciting falconry display.
Learn about the ancient and modern techniques used to train the falcons, and then watch transfixed as the falcons fly to collect lures and return to their gloved handlers. Admire the birds’ natural agility and power, and have a go at swinging a lure and flying your own falcon from your hand.
Afterward, board your transport a vintage Land Rover — and take a drive around the Dubai Desert Conversation Reserve. The UAE’s first national park, this pristine desert sanctuary provides a haven for countless species of desert animals, birds and plants.
As you travel, use the supplied binoculars to watch for rare Arabian oryx, as well as desert monitors, gazelles and other species of desert fauna and flora.
Return to the desert retreat and refuel with a tasty local snack such as chebab (Arabic pancake) or ragag (fresh bread). Then, if you wish, finish your visit with a camel ride across the sands.
Your experience concludes with a transfer back to your hotel.
Please note: a portion of your ticket price is donated to local animal conservation, so you can feel extra good about participating in this Dubai experience.
After about an hour, arrive at a desert retreat owned by a member of the local royal family, and be treated to an exciting falconry display.
Learn about the ancient and modern techniques used to train the falcons, and then watch transfixed as the falcons fly to collect lures and return to their gloved handlers. Admire the birds’ natural agility and power, and have a go at swinging a lure and flying your own falcon from your hand.
Afterward, board your transport a vintage Land Rover — and take a drive around the Dubai Desert Conversation Reserve. The UAE’s first national park, this pristine desert sanctuary provides a haven for countless species of desert animals, birds and plants.
As you travel, use the supplied binoculars to watch for rare Arabian oryx, as well as desert monitors, gazelles and other species of desert fauna and flora.
Return to the desert retreat and refuel with a tasty local snack such as chebab (Arabic pancake) or ragag (fresh bread). Then, if you wish, finish your visit with a camel ride across the sands.
Your experience concludes with a transfer back to your hotel.
Please note: a portion of your ticket price is donated to local animal conservation, so you can feel extra good about participating in this Dubai experience.
Dubai
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve
1 hour 15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Dubai
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Please note: Guides in the following languages (German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Italian, Chinese, ) are upon request and availability.
- Not recommended for pregnant women in their third trimester
- Most travelers can participate
- A minimum of four guests is required to operate this experience
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
Traveler Photos
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Featured review
amydocking1
Learning more about the culture, the falconry, camel ride and breakfast, driving around the beautiful reserve. Our two daughters had an excellent time and our guide was fantastic. A really great experience and would highly recommend.
Reviews
5.0
235 reviews
amydocking1, Apr 2024
Learning more about the culture, the falconry, camel ride and breakfast, driving around the beautiful reserve. Our two daughters had an excellent time and our guide was fantastic. A really great experience and would highly recommend.
Katherine_W, Apr 2024
Went to Dubai for the weekend and this was by far my favorite day! Our guide was amazing and so informative. The falconers were also incredible, introducing us to so many cool birds. 100% recommend!
Susan_O, Mar 2024
Amazing morning, very personable guide that goes the mile to ensure everyone has a fabulous experience. Best trip in Dubai. Fun, real experience, nature presented at its best with the opportunity to got involved. Great breakfast, presentation outstanding & very tasty. I just wish the other tours I did were even half as good as this one.
ElizabethP_B, Mar 2024
We enjoyed every aspect of this trip. It was well organised and each feature was well planned and very interesting. Mauricio, our guide, the falconer and the men in charge of the camels could not be faulted. We highly recommend this trip
monica_t, Mar 2024
We had a great time! Our guide Jaco was explaining every detail about the desert, history, etc. Learned a lot !! The birds were gorgeous and the handler was knowledgeable and funny! Breakfast was yummy as well! Worth the trip!!!
Eric_G, Mar 2024
If you’re looking to experience the Arabian desert at sunrise and witness the beauty of magnificent raptors, this is the tour you don’t want to pass on. Well communicated pickup times and instructions, excellent door to door service, and a memorable nature experience made this a perfect way to begin a week in Dubai.
Clare_P, Mar 2024
Good trip. Early start from hotel (6am) but had our guide Duncan who made the drive interesting. The falconry part was excellent & the whole trip was an enjoyable way to get out of the city for a bit.
Kimberly_M, Feb 2024
A fun day in the desert. Our guide, Laurenco, was timely, informative and friendly. The falconer is fascinating and we learned a lot. We also enjoyed the drive thru tour in the desert.
Chris_L, Feb 2024
In all honesty there were many things that I didn’t end up liking in Dubai, but this tour was the absolute saving grace as it was an incredible experience.
Our tour guide Jay was absolutely excellent - extremely knowledgeable, witty and the perfect balance of being a professional doing their best work and “a friend showing you around town”. Absolutely top marks, incredible bloke.
The activities as a part of the tour were all amazing.
The falconer was also fantastic in his demonstrations, explanations, knowledge and care, making the demonstrations and interactive sections a wonderful highlight. Was extremely impressed at how much they genuinely care for their birds as well - they aren’t just tools to draw in tourists, but powerful and respected creatures.
The breakfast was excellent, with a mix of traditional food and fruits presented in one of the camps in the area.
We were able to ride camels for about 5-10 minutes around a small area, which while a short trip was a great bite sized go. It doesn’t sound like much time, but it a) means the camels aren’t just slaving away for hours carrying people all day and b) means you don’t get to enjoy the practical side of riding a camel without getting a sore backside after. Again from what it seemed the camels are well looked after and cared for.
Finally a ride around the conservation reserve was really cool and informative, learning about the Oryx’s and other wildlife of the area. It is really impressive how this setup is nature conscious and keen to be as sustainable as possible (despite the 1950s diesel land rovers, there is a lot of work going into using solar energy for power and water in smart ways).
No judgement on anyone who enjoys it, but I think the opulence of Dubai overall isn’t my vibe. This tour however felt like the exact opposite - a real natural salve. Of course you can’t really know what something is like under the surface of what you see as a tourist coming in to any of these kinds of things, but this tour felt genuine, really interesting and full of care, and not a “grab for money” if you like. 100% recommend, the best thing we did in Dubai by a wide margin.
Mary_L, Feb 2024
Falconry exceeded my expectations! Safari was delightful and breakfast was delicious. Raining in Dubai when we left but overcast in desert. Great weather for the tour.
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Morning Falconry & Nature Desert Safari with Transfers from Dubai
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