I indeed can state that generally, hard work pays off with great delight concerning the responses of satisfied guests. But here, at times, we drop a few balls and forget and sometimes fail to maintain our usual standards.
A desert safari involves many moving parts and a fresh staff, traffic, vehicle breakdowns, difficult customers, animal movements, computer issues, and even Mother Nature that has thrown us many hurdles to cross in order to give a perfect experience. We admit we are far from perfect, but we strive to ensure everyone that goes out with us has a memorable desert safari.
But I just finished writing a reply to a guest who was not so satisfied. This did not fall under the issues above; this guest was really angry about his car getting stuck in the sand and having to wait for us to get it out.
Many of you are likely giggling as this is something that usually happens while driving through soft sand during a desert safari in Dubai. Thus, this made me think, why not spend a few minutes dispelling some myths about the desert safaris in Dubai to avoid unrealistic expectations.
Myth #1: It is inconvenient if my car gets stuck in the sand
Even without considering ice, this could perhaps be the most inhospitable driving environment for any vehicle. The best in the industry take years, if not decades, before they will claim to be experts with sand. Getting stuck in the sand is destined to happen and one of the parts of the adventure, so savor your moment in being an onlooker while your expert Guide tries to jerk your vehicle from the grip of sand dunes.
Myth #2: My Camel Ride was only a small walk around a circle
I see this comment all the time in so many reviews on sites like TripAdvisor, Viator, and Get Your Guide. These reviewers sadly do not know that Camels have eyesight almost like us humans, i.e. they can’t see in the dark!
So if your desert safari company is going to take you for a long night walk into the dunes, there is serious risk of a camel tripping, getting scared, running away, or many other reactions that would be adverse-not very nice for poor unfortunate top-riding passenger.
One way could be lighting a “runway” for the camels to see, but that would be quite an eyesore. Another could be to get a Camel Safari if what you are after is the romance of a long camel ride.
Myth #3: A safari without Dune Bashing is just for old people
This is an actual quote found in one of our online reviews… Not exciting. Good for older people, not exactly strenuous. Sometimes we nearly have to apologize that we don’t do dune bashing safaris.
Again, however, we do not dune bash because we can’t; we actually became the first (and so far the only) desert safari company in Dubai to avoid dune bashing on our safaris. Why?
Well, it’s for a few reasons. First, it totally destroys the environment. Second, making a guest sick or injured is not really what we consider a fun, safe activity; third, we know that responsible parents do not want to put their children in harm’s way with a possibly untrained Safari Guide and last but not least, they are correct that older guests can sustain serious injury on a dune bash safari.
Myth #4: I will always see lots of animals in the desert
Once again, this was part of an online review… It’s a no-brainer because they have placed their water troughs and salt licks along that trail. Last count, 114 different desert safari companies located in Dubai. Of those, merely two have fulfilled the stringent requirements of the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve for wildlife drives.
Altogether, by this great effort, some guests still expect a zoo kind of environment with animals running about like great wildebeest migration across the Masai Mara. Some others see feeding points and think that they should be installed to attract animals to our routes.
On the contrary, these feeding points would always be moved throughout the reserve to encourage wild animals’ natural fossicking and grazing. Hence, there would be days when a lot of animals are to be seen, while some other times one has to look high and low before spotting any. Anyone who has been on an African safari will be familiar with this scenario.
Myth #5: Bellydancing and Tanoura are traditional Emirati folk dances
I have witnessed many things in my time, such as the sumo wrestling contest in Japan, reindeer rides in Lapland, horse shows in Mexico, and Aboriginal dancing in Australia. Strange would be to watch an Aboriginal Dance in Japan, a reindeer ride in Mexico, or a sumo wrestling match in Lapland.
Bellydancing and Tanura dancing in Dubai are equally confusing. Neither of these dances has any historical roots in the Emirati culture and act only to distort the view from which a visitor might see local history and culture.
Myth #6: All desert safaris are pretty much the same
So true! This is just how archaic say ncy-you pay for what you get. Safari guide, safety and insurance levels, witlyn, cleanliness of dunes, proximity to wildlife, quality of food and atmosphere at the camp can only be categorized under high-differentiation ranges.
Just as you wouldn’t fly Ryanair economy and then expect to receive Emirates First Class treatment on board, you can’t pay AED150 for a safari and expect any reasonable level of quality. Determine what really matters to you and then do not destroy your holiday memories over trying to save a few bucks.
Myth #7: The Hotel Concierge will always recommend the best desert safari in Dubai
As in most cases, this is not the case in reality. Ideally, your Concierge should recommend not just budget safari, but also mid-range safari and a culture or luxury safari. With the correct information on what difference they make, the guest would be left to choose the one which would best suit them. Unfortunately, many Hotels have a contracted supplier.
Therefore, the Concierge cannot recommend a range of safaris or even the one he considers best desert safari in Dubai. He has to recommend the contracted supplier. Therefore, always do your research online before you decide to spend your hard earned money.
Myth #8: I will get a better deal if I book last minute
Safaris in the desert seldom fill up. While that may be true for some experiences, really high-quality experiences become booked out weeks in advance, especially through the Christmas and Easter holidays. The best suggestion is to choose the best safari before coming into Dubai just to make sure that you avoid disappointment.