For schools in Abu Dhabi · 50 to 2,000 students · Pay on the day
School Trip Desert Safari in Abu Dhabi, Built Around the School Day
A school trip desert safari Abu Dhabi students remember: a morning in the dunes at our own Al Khatim camp, 45 to 55 minutes from Abu Dhabi, with students collected from the school gate and back the same day. No belly dance and no shisha on any school programme, and a written price for your group.
- Tell us your numbersstudents, adults and year groups
- Pick the programmemorning, or evening with a BBQ dinner
- Get a written quotewith transport from your school if needed
For the trip coordinator
How a School Desert Trip With Us Works
Royal Arabian Safari takes school groups of 50 to 2,000 students from Abu Dhabi into the dunes at Al Khatim, 45 to 55 minutes from the city. We advise the morning programme for schools: students are collected from the school gate in our 4x4s and are back about 4 to 5 hours later. An evening programme with a BBQ dinner is also possible, in a private area of the camp for larger groups. Neither programme includes belly dance or shisha. Every school gets its own written price, worked out from its numbers and needs.
Choose the programme
Morning or Evening: Which Suits Your Students
Both run at the same camp with the same drivers. The difference is the clock, the meal and what happens on the stage.
| Morning (advised) | Evening | |
|---|---|---|
| Fits the school day | Yes, about 4 to 5 hours door to door | No, about 3 PM to 10:30 PM |
| Pickup | School gate, in our 4x4s | School gate in our transport, or your own buses |
| In the dunes | Dune drive, sandboarding, photo stops | Dune drive, camel ride, sandboarding, henna |
| On stage | No shows | Tanoura and fire show; no belly dance |
| Food | No meal; students bring a snack | Halal BBQ buffet with vegetarian dishes |
| Best for | Any year group, KG upward | Older students, end-of-year trips |
| Price | Written quote for your group | Written quote for your group |
Timetable
The Day, Step by Step
Copy these straight into your trip plan and parent letter. We confirm exact clock times in writing once your date is set.
Morning programme
- Pickup at the school gateBetween 5 AM and 8 AM, set by the month: earlier in the hot months, later in winter.
- Drive to Al Khatim45 to 55 minutes on the highway, seatbelt on in every seat.
- Safety talk, then the dunesA short dune drive for students who want it. It can be skipped, or driven gently for younger classes.
- Sandboarding and photosStudents climb, slide and take class pictures on the open sand.
- Optional quad or buggyOnly if the school books it in advance, with helmets and a briefing.
- Back at schoolAbout 4 to 5 hours after pickup, dropped at the same gate.
Evening programme
- Pickup about 3 PMAbout 4 PM in summer. Our transport from school, or your buses straight to camp.
- Dune drive, or a road routeThe drive is optional; anyone who skips it goes to camp by road.
- Camp activitiesA short camel ride, sandboarding, henna and Arabic dress for photos.
- Sunset over the dunesThe best moment of the trip for a whole-group photo.
- BBQ dinner and the stageHalal buffet, then the tanoura and fire show. No belly dance, no shisha.
- Home by about 10:30 PMAbout 10 PM in summer. Larger groups get their own area of the camp.
Budget
How Your School Price Is Worked Out
School trips are priced one school at a time, because no two groups need the same day. Your quote comes in writing, with up to 30% off already applied.
The number of students and adults sets the number of vehicles, staff and seats at camp.
A morning in the dunes, or an evening with camp activities, BBQ dinner and the stage shows.
Our vehicles from your school gate, or your own buses straight to camp.
4x4s as standard, or Land Cruisers, the best experience in the dunes and the one most guests choose.
Larger evening groups can have their own area of the camp.
Quad bikes or buggies, only if the school asks for them.
Learning outcomes
What Students Learn in the Desert
Six themes that link the trip to class work. Teachers lead the learning; the desert gives them the classroom.
Geography
How wind builds a dune
Students see ripples, slip faces and crests up close, then compare the windward and sheltered sides of one dune.
Science
Living with heat and little water
Camels, desert plants and tracks in the sand open a lesson on adaptation, from wide feet to deep roots.
UAE heritage
Bedouin life and hospitality
Low seating, henna and Arabic dress show how families lived, travelled and welcomed guests before the cities grew.
Moral education
Respect for the land
Leave no trace: students carry their own litter out and talk about how a fragile landscape recovers.
PE and wellbeing
Effort on soft ground
Climbing a dune and sandboarding down it builds balance, stamina and a little courage, screen-free.
Art and writing
Light, colour and story
Shadows on the sand and the evening sky become sketches, photo essays and recount writing back at school.
Free to print
Desert Field Sheet for Students
Eight questions to answer on the sand, one per stop. Print one per student or pair.
- Draw one dune. Mark the side the wind blows from and the steep slip face.
- Pick up a pinch of sand. Describe its colour and how fine it feels.
- Find a track in the sand. Which animal, insect or bird might have made it?
- Name two ways a camel is built for the desert.
- How hot does the sand feel at the surface? How does it feel a few centimetres down?
- Write three things a Bedouin family needed to carry when moving camp.
- Which way is the sun? Use it to point north, south, east and west.
- What will you do today so the desert looks the same when you leave?
Name: ________________ Class: ________ Date: ________ · Royal Arabian Safari, Al Khatim, Abu Dhabi
Paperwork
ADEK Approval, Consent Forms and Ratios
Private and charter schools in Abu Dhabi apply to ADEK for every field trip. Start early and the paperwork runs itself.
- Six weeks beforeSend us the quote form below. We reply with programme, timetable, transport and your price in writing.
- Five weeks beforeApply to ADEK. Trips with an outside provider need about a month; other regular activities need 15 working days.
- Three weeks beforeSend consent forms. ADEK asks for signed consent from a parent for every student, on every trip.
- The week beforeConfirm final numbers, pickup point and any student who will skip the dune drive.
| Grade | Adults to students | For 50 students |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-KG/FS1 to Grade 1/Year 2 | 1 to 6 | at least 9 adults |
| Grade 2/Year 3 to Grade 6/Year 7 | 1 to 10 | at least 5 adults |
| Grade 7/Year 8 and above | 1 to 15 | at least 4 adults |
| Students with additional learning needs | 1 to 3, or more | as your plan sets |
Always at least 2 adults, and one of them a woman when girls travel. The trip leader must be ADEK-approved school staff. Source: ADEK Extracurricular Activities and Events Policy, version 1.2, November 2025.
What we give you for the file
- Company name: Royal Arabian Safari Tourism LLC, licensed by DCT Abu Dhabi
- Camp location pin for Al Khatim
- Written timetable, pickup point and route
- The driver and vehicle facts below, for your risk assessment
- Our team on WhatsApp, 24/7, before and on the day
What your school prepares
- ADEK application and approval
- Parent consent with medical and emergency details
- Your own risk assessment and emergency plan
- Supervising adults to the ratios above
- Any form your policy needs from us: send the list and we confirm what we can supply
Safety on the sand
How We Keep Students Safe
Facts you can write into your risk assessment, not promises.
Every driver holds a dune-driving permit, issued only after training, and has 10 or more years in the desert.
Insured 4x4s with a seatbelt in every seat and a roll cage, checked before each trip.
Any student can skip the dune drive. Those with back or heart problems ride to camp by road in a separate vehicle.
Drivers slow the dune drive right down for young classes and nervous riders on request.
Helmets and a safety briefing every time. Small quads suit younger students; buggy drivers must be 16 or older.
If wind or rain stops the trip, choose a new date or cancel, and owe nothing.
At the camp
Facilities and Special Needs
Ready for your group
- Clean toilets with handwashing
- Shaded seating for the whole group
- Cold water and juices, plus a small shop
- A private area of the camp for larger evening groups
- Extra staff, including women for girls’ groups, arranged for your numbers
Tell us when you book
- Wheelchair users: welcome, in a private car, so message us before booking
- Allergies and diets: the evening buffet is halal with vegetarian dishes
- Students who should skip the dunes
- Prayer times you want built into the timetable
Get a quote
Request Your School Quote
Fill in what you know. It opens WhatsApp with your details typed in, and our team replies with a written plan and price.
WhatsApp +971 58 228 2683 · royalarabiansafari@gmail.com · Written quote for your group
Questions
School Desert Trip FAQ
Is a desert trip suitable for KG and early years classes?
Yes, on the morning programme. There is no age limit, the dune drive can be driven gently or skipped, and sandboarding works for small children. ADEK asks for one adult to every six children at this age, so plan your helpers early.
What should students wear and bring?
Light clothes that cover the shoulders, closed shoes that sand can be tipped out of, a hat, sunscreen and a refillable water bottle. The morning programme has no meal, so pack a snack. Leave valuables at school.
What happens if we need to cancel or change the date?
Cancel or move free of charge up to 12 hours before pickup. If wind or rain stops the trip, choose a new date or cancel, and nothing is owed.
Can students with a disability join the trip?
Yes. Wheelchair users travel in a private car, so tell us before you book and we plan the vehicle. Students who should not ride the dunes go to camp by road in a separate car.
Can students ride quad bikes?
Yes, if the school books it in advance. Helmets and a briefing come with every ride and no licence is needed. The price is added to your written quote.
Can parents come on the trip?
Yes, as adult helpers counted in your group numbers. ADEK asks schools to check that parent volunteers know the school’s student protection rules.
Other groups
More Ways to Bring a Group
Groups and events
The programmes