You do not have to drive far from Riyadh to find the classic Arabian desert. West and south-west of the city, where the Makkah highway drops off the Tuwaiq plateau, long ridges of iron-rich sand glow orange-red in low light. Riyadh residents simply call the area the Red Sand.
It is the city’s weekend playground. Rental camps line the edge of the dunes with rows of quad bikes and buggies; families spread rugs on the crests; and tour operators run half-day safaris with dune driving, camel rides and sandboarding. Purists will find it busy. For a first taste of the desert, it is ideal — and unlike the Edge of the World, the main areas can be reached on a normal road.
Top things to do at Red Sand Dunes
Ride a quad bike
Bikes of different sizes are rented by the half-hour or hour, with marked areas for beginners. Helmets are not always offered unprompted — ask for one, and keep children on the small machines.
Go dune bashing
A ride in a 4x4 with a driver who knows the sand is the roller-coaster of the desert: up the faces, along the crests and down the slip slopes. Book it as part of a safari rather than trying it in a hire car.
Try sandboarding or a camel ride
Most safaris carry a board or two, and camels wait at the camps for short rides. Both are gentle fun rather than serious sport.
Sit still for the sunset
Climb to a quiet crest away from the engines, take off your shoes and watch the colour drain from orange to pink. Tea on a dune at dusk is the oldest pastime in the Najd.
How to get to Red Sand Dunes
- On a tour: half-day safaris include hotel pickup, activities and often snacks or dinner — see our ranking.
- By car: the main rental areas lie along the Makkah road west of the city, typically 40–60 minutes’ drive from the centre. You can park at the camps without a 4x4, but do not drive an ordinary car onto the sand.
- By taxi: possible, but arrange the return in advance — there is little passing traffic to hail after dark.
Insider tips
- Agree the price and the time before you set off on a rented quad, and check the brakes.
- Go in the afternoon and stay for sunset; midday sand is hot enough to burn bare feet for much of the year.
- Fridays and Saturdays are very busy. Weekdays are quieter and often cheaper.
- Bring sunglasses, a scarf for blowing sand, water and a warm layer in winter.
- Travel insurance may exclude quad biking — check your policy.
Best tours & tickets for Red Sand Dunes
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Red Sand Dunes:
Desert safari from €78 Riyadh: Red Sand Dunes Tour with Quad Bike & Camel Ride
A half-day desert safari to the rust-coloured dunes off the Makkah road. Hotel pickup, a session on quad bikes, a camel ride and time to watch the sand change colour at sunset. Closer to the city than the Edge of the World and far less bumpy, so it suits families and anyone short of time.
- Quad biking on the red dunes west of the city
- Short camel ride
- Sunset over the sand
Desert safari from €77 Riyadh Desert Safari: Dune Bashing, ATV, Camels & Sandboarding
The most complete of the half-day dune trips: a 4x4 drive over the dunes, quad bikes, a sandboard to try and a camel ride, finishing at sunset. Review numbers are still modest, but every one of them was top marks when we checked.
- Dune bashing in a 4x4 with an experienced driver
- ATV ride and sandboarding
- Camel ride and sunset in the dunes
Desert safari from €120 Riyadh: Red Sand Dunes Camel Ride, Quad Bike & Sandboarding Adventure
A slightly longer red-dunes safari with a bit of everything — quads, boards and camels — and a little more time to sit on a dune and do nothing at all, which is half the point of the desert.
- Quad bikes on the red dunes
- Sandboarding and a camel ride
- Unhurried five-hour format
