Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR)

The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) is the UAE's first national park: 225 km², about 4.7% of the emirate's land. It grew from the Al Maha resort reserve, where 70 Arabian oryx were released in 1999, and took its current boundaries in 2002–2003. The Emirates Group manages it on behalf of the Government of Dubai.

What to see

The reserve protects genuine Arabian desert: sand dunes, gravel plains and ghaf woodland. The latest official counts recorded about 600 Arabian oryx, 684 Arabian gazelles and 181 sand gazelles, and around 560 species in all, including 142 birds and 22 mammals as well as reptiles and plants. Residents include the Arabian red fox, Gordon's wildcat, the Pharaoh eagle owl and the lappet-faced vulture.

The reserve is divided into four zones, and visitors only enter the recreation zone: 4x4 dune drives, wildlife safaris, camel treks, falconry, sandboarding, desert dinners and hot-air balloon flights all happen here. A Visitor Centre opened in October 2023 with holographic exhibits, a nocturnal hall and a viewing platform over the desert. Al Maha resort stands at the heart of the reserve and is the only place to stay inside it.

Getting there

The reserve lies deep in the desert off the Dubai–Al Ain road (E66), roughly 45–60 minutes' drive from central Dubai. Tours include hotel pickup. You cannot drive around the reserve in your own car: vehicles need a licence by law, and all visits go through operators holding an agreement with the reserve.

Planning your visit

The Visitor Centre is open daily from 9:00 to 17:00, with entry at AED 35 for adults and AED 25 for children, and you can visit it on your own. To get out into the desert, book a tour with an operator listed on ddcr.org — currently Arabian Adventures, Platinum Heritage, Balloon Adventures Emirates, Sand Sherpa, Dream Journey, Nara Desert Escape and 57 Heritage — or look for the 'DDCR approved tours' seal. Platinum Heritage's evening safari in a vintage Land Rover with dinner starts at AED 795. The best season is October to April, and safaris run early in the morning or towards sunset, when it is cooler.

Before you go

Many cheap 'desert safaris' go to Lahbab or Al Awir rather than the DDCR, so check that your tour actually enters the reserve. Oryx and Arabian gazelles are easiest to spot around Al Maha and in the north, where the tour camps are. Take nothing from the reserve — no plants, stones or sand — and don't litter: fines under the law reach AED 500,000.