UAE adventure activities

Self-drive or tandem buggies across the dunes for an adrenaline-first outing.

A sunrise flight over the desert, with breakfast and wildlife spotting.

A tandem jump with views over Palm Jumeirah and the coastline.

A short aerial tour over the Burj Khalifa, Palm and coastline.

High-ropes and zipline adventure park among ghaf trees in Mushrif Park, with five courses graded by height and difficulty.

A guided, harnessed walk around the open outer ledge of Address Sky View, 219.5 m above Downtown Dubai, plus the Sky Views glass floor.

Indoor skydiving in a vertical wind tunnel at City Centre Mirdif, with a training briefing, flight gear and an instructor alongside you.

A one-hour guided camel trek over the dunes near Al Aweer, with an optional return transfer from central Dubai.

A one-hour guided horse ride on wooded desert trails in Dubai, with instruction for beginners and return hotel transfers.

A full-day 4x4 trip from Dubai to Hatta in the Hajar Mountains, visiting its heritage village, the dam, Hatta Hill Park and a craft market.

Entry tickets and activity packages at Hatta Wadi Hub, an outdoor adventure area in the Hajar Mountains about 90 minutes from Dubai.

A 20-minute open-cockpit gyrocopter flight with a pilot, climbing to about 1,500 ft above the Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah coastline.

An urban zipline of about 1 km over Dubai Marina, ridden head first and face down from JBR to Dubai Marina Mall.

Scuba or snorkel in a 60-metre-deep indoor pool in Dubai, themed as an abandoned sunken city, with instructor-led options for beginners.

Book a round on the Majlis or Faldo championship course at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai; the separate Par-3 Academy course is confirmed floodlit for evening golf.

A guided camel trek of about an hour across the dunes outside Abu Dhabi, with a return 4x4 transfer from central Abu Dhabi and soft drinks included.

Drive your own quad bike over the dunes near Abu Dhabi for roughly an hour, with a safety briefing, helmet, goggles and return hotel transfers.

A morning off-road session in the Abu Dhabi desert by dune buggy or quad bike, with a guide's safety briefing and an optional hotel transfer.

A 17- or 30-minute sightseeing helicopter flight from Mina Zayed over Abu Dhabi's coast and landmarks, with a safety briefing before boarding.

A zipline experience on Jebel Jais, the mountain in Ras Al Khaimah.

A guided camel ride in the Ras Al Khaimah desert, offered as a short daytime ride or a 40-minute evening ride with an optional BBQ dinner.

A 60 or 90-minute quad bike session in the Ras Al Khaimah desert on 250cc to 400cc bikes, and 90cc bikes for riders aged 9 to 12.

A short tethered balloon ride at sunrise in Al Qurm, Ras Al Khaimah, rising a little over 30 metres, followed by breakfast at the launch site.