Al Khatim dunes
Al Khatim (towards Al Faya) · Abu Dhabi
It is the closest proper dune field to the capital, about 78km out, with small and medium dunes that let beginners build up.
- Free
- About 4 h
- Bring your own
- Moderate
- Needs a 4x4
How it works
Drive out on the Al Ain road, air down at the sand's edge and run the dunes between Al Faya and Al Khatim in either direction. Go with at least one other car.
The catch
Weekend mornings bring tour convoys and quad operators, so the easy lines get chewed up early.
Bring
A second 4x4, recovery straps, shovel, tyre deflator and compressor, 5 litres of water per person, full tank
You need
4x4 with low range; tyres aired down to about 15 psi
Checked Nov 2026
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Get there
Open: Open access