It is a fair question when you have rented a Defender or a G63: can I take it into the desert? On a rental, the answer is no. Rental insurance in Dubai covers paved roads only. Driving onto sand, dunes, beach tracks or wadi beds is excluded, so any damage, towing or recovery there is charged to you in full.
Why the rule exists
A car that is stuck in soft sand can be damaged in ways that are expensive to fix: overheated gearboxes, sand in the brakes and bearings, bent bodywork from a recovery strap. Road cars are not set up for it either. Driving on sand needs lower tyre pressures, and the tyres have to be reinflated before you return to the road. Even a car built for off-road use, like a Land Rover Defender, is excluded once it leaves the tarmac on a rental.
The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve is also a protected area, and entry is through licensed operators only.
How to see the dunes
Book a desert safari with a licensed operator. They collect you from your hotel, drive a prepared 4x4 with deflated tyres, and know the routes. It costs less than one recovery bill, and you get to enjoy the view instead of watching the sand.
Paved desert roads worth driving
- Al Qudra Road (D63), a quiet road south of the city past the Al Qudra lakes and the cycle track, best at sunrise or sunset.
- The E44 to Hatta, a little over an hour from Dubai, through red sand dunes and into the Hajar mountains, ending at Hatta Dam.
- Jebel Hafeet, a lit, paved mountain road near Al Ain about two hours from Dubai, with a long run of bends to the top.
- Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah, also around two hours away, where the road climbs the UAE's highest mountain on a series of switchbacks.
- Liwa, a long day trip three and a half to four hours each way, to the edge of the Empty Quarter and the huge Moreeb Dune.
On desert roads
Sand blows across these roads, especially in the afternoon, and a thin layer on the tarmac reduces grip, so slow down where you see it. Watch for camels near Al Qudra and on the road to Hatta, particularly around dusk. Fill the tank before you leave the city, and carry more water than you think you need.
Which car to take
For a family trip to Hatta or Liwa, an SUV is the comfortable choice: the Land Rover Defender 110 or the Nissan Patrol both have room for everyone and air conditioning that copes with the heat. For a winter drive on Al Qudra Road, a convertible makes more of the scenery.
Every car comes with no deposit and comprehensive insurance for the paved road, which is where the best desert drives are anyway. See our SUV range.
