How to Dune Bash Properly – A Desert Adventure Awaits

Is dune bashing a completely new concept to you? Or do you want to know how to go on a successful dune bashing experience during your next visit to the desert? Find out how you should prepare, avoid risks and have a great dune bashing experience during your desert adventure below. 

First, what is Dune Bashing?

Dune bashing refers to driving at great speed across the sand dunes. It is one of the most popular desert adventures in this part of the world. During your stay at Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, you will get plenty of opportunities to go dune bashing. This activity can give you a real rush of adrenaline as you make your way through the cuts and curls of the desert. The four-by-four that is used for dune bashing is specifically suited to give you an exciting yet safe experience. 

Image via Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara

Where to go for dune bashing

Almost any decent sand dune would work for dune bashing. However, some parts of the desert are more suited for it than others. For example, the Liwa Oasis in Abu Dhabi is a famous site for four by four bashing. This part of the desert stretches for over 100 km. it lies on the northern edge of the Empty Quarter which is considered to be the largest uninterrupted sand mass anywhere in the world. Dune bashing is often offered as a part of a desert safari package in most of the Gulf nations. 

Learning to drive in the desert

Driving in the desert is not an easy task. Most people don’t realise this until they are behind the wheel and need to make their way through the sand dunes. There is a lot of skill involved in knowing how to drive on soft sands without slipping as well as getting unstuck when the sand becomes deep and hard to manage. Therefore, the first and foremost thing you must do is to go with a driver with enough experience. If you have to constantly slow down and stop, dune bashing won’t be a fun experience. 

Get trained on how best to drive in the desert

If you are insistent or taking yourself on your own dune bashing experience, you must get enough training as the first step. You can ask a tour guide or someone known to the hotel or resort you’re staying at to help you figure out how best to drive in the desert. After a few days of driving successfully, you will be ready to on your first dune bashing experience. Even then, it is recommended that you take an experienced driver with you in case something happens. 

What can go wrong?

It’s always important to be aware of the risks before you go on an adventure. Particularly with dune bashing, there is a high risk of you getting stranded in the middle of the desert and not being able to get help for hours. This can be quite scary if you are a tourist doing this activity for the first time. The best way to avoid this is to make sure that someone knows exactly where you’re going and when to expect you back at the resort. There are also some tricks used by experienced drivers in the desert such as following camel footprints and excretions. Knowing that these desert animals have crossed certain paths will give you the confidence that they are safe to drive in. In addition, having a thorough plan well in advance will help you minimize any kind of risk that you may have to face.