By Mohammed Rashad Hussain, Managing PartnerPublished 3 min read
How old do you have to be to ride a quad bike in Dubai?
There is no single number. Each operator sets its own minimum age, and it can differ between a track ride and an open-desert ride. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission says riders under 16 should drive only age-appropriate youth models, and never adult quads.
In practice, children ride small quads on a track by the base, while adults and teenagers ride larger machines. Send every rider’s age with your enquiry. The quad bike page shows how a ride is arranged from Dubai.
Do you need a driving licence for a dune buggy?
Plan on it. ROHVA says to drive a side-by-side only at 16 or older with a valid driver’s licence, using the belt, helmet and protective gear. Dubai operators set their own driver rules. Bring your licence and send the age of each driver.
The dune buggy page covers 2-seat and 4-seat machines and the riding slots.
Quad bike or dune buggy: which should you choose?
| Quad bike | Dune buggy | |
|---|---|---|
| Seating | Astride, one rider on most models | 2 or 4 seats side by side |
| Controls | Handlebars | Steering wheel and pedals |
| Protection | Helmet, no cage | Roll cage and seat belts |
| Passengers | None on a single-rider quad | Yes, up to the seat count |
| Best for | Riders who want their own machine | Couples and families riding together |
Choose a buggy when children or a partner will ride with you. Choose quads when each person wants to ride alone.
Safety gear: helmets, goggles, gloves and closed shoes
The ATV Safety Institute lists a helmet, goggles, long sleeves, long trousers, over-the-ankle boots and gloves. The operator supplies the helmet, as set out in your quote. You bring the rest. Trainers or boots beat sandals, and trousers beat shorts, because sand and the hot engine both reach your legs. Our what to wear on a desert safari guide lists clothes by season, and the morning vs evening guide shows where a ride fits in the day.
Riding with children as passengers
Children can usually ride as passengers in a buggy, not on a quad. ROHVA says a passenger must fit the seat, wear a belt and a helmet, and no vehicle should carry more people than it has seats. A parent can drive a 4-seat buggy with children aboard, if the operator accepts the ages. See the Dubai with kids guide for family planning.
Weight, pregnancy and health limits
The machines bounce over dune crests. Skip the ride if you are pregnant or have back, neck or heart problems, and ask your doctor if unsure. Operators set weight and height limits, and we confirm them against the figures you send. The is dune bashing safe guide covers who should skip the dunes.
Guided convoy or open area: what to expect
Rides are usually in a convoy behind a marshal who sets the speed, after a briefing on the controls and the route. Track rides near the base are the short option. Open-desert rides go further. Lahbab, where these rides run, is 48 km from Downtown Dubai, about 43 minutes without traffic.
A session can be added to a morning desert safari or ridden alone. For the standard dune-and-dinner trip, see the evening desert safari. If you are weighing Dubai against another emirate for the same trip, read Abu Dhabi vs Dubai desert safari. More trips are in day trips from Dubai.
Photos in this guide
A rider in a helmet on a red quad bike crossing red sand dunes in the Dubai desert, with two more quads behindBahnfrend / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
A buggy driver in a helmet and goggles following another buggy across red dunes in the Dubai desertVarunexplorer / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Riders waiting under the shade canopy at a quad bike base in the Dubai desert, with a quad parked on the sandRenek78 / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0
A dune buggy with a UAE flag on its mast, parked in front of red dunes in SharjahLars Plougmann / Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0
