Terms & Conditions

Terms — what you agree to when you book — quick summary

These terms govern every booking made through this site, every WhatsApp confirmation, and every walk-in booking at a meeting point. The language is intentionally plain. If a clause is not clear, message the office before you book and we will explain it; if it still does not work for you, do not book.

These terms apply alongside the dedicated cancellation policy, the privacy policy, and the safety briefing. Together they form the agreement between you (the guest) and us (the operator).

1. Booking and confirmation

A booking exists when the office sends a written confirmation message containing the date, service, headcount, pickup point and confirmed price. A WhatsApp message thread counts as written confirmation. A verbal confirmation by phone alone does not count — ask for the written confirmation in the same channel.

The price quoted in the confirmation is the price you pay. There is no booking fee, no convenience surcharge, no service-charge addition at the meeting point. Out-of-zone pickup surcharges, optional add-ons (photographer, extended route, private hire) are quoted separately and only added with your written agreement.

2. Payment

Payment in cash (AED) or by card at the meeting point is the standard settlement. Some services accept advance card payment on request; the office issues a payment link in the WhatsApp thread. Online card payments are processed by a UAE-licensed payment gateway. We do not store full card numbers; the office sees only the last four digits.

For corporate and group bookings invoiced in advance, payment terms are net-7 from the date of the invoice unless otherwise agreed in writing. Late payment beyond 30 days may attract a reminder fee at the office's discretion.

3. Eligibility, age and medical

Each service has its own minimum age and medical eligibility — see the relevant service page for the specifics. By booking, you confirm that all guests in the booking meet the eligibility criteria for the chosen service.

Honest medical disclosure is expected at booking. Recent surgery, back and neck conditions, late-stage pregnancy, severe respiratory conditions and severe vertigo are real reasons to skip motorised desert activities and the hot air balloon. The briefing on the day may turn a guest away if a previously undisclosed condition becomes apparent. In that case the standard cancellation table applies — late disclosure does not entitle a guest to a free reschedule.

Guests must not be under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances at the meeting point for any motorised activity, and the briefing has a standard check. A guest visibly intoxicated will not ride and the booking will be treated as a same-day cancellation per the cancellation policy.

5. Equipment damage and excess

Each motorised vehicle (quad, buggy, dirt bike) is covered by the operator's insurance for the standard route under normal use. A damage waiver excess applies if a vehicle is returned with damage attributable to negligence, off-route riding, or breaches of the briefing. The excess amount is service-specific and disclosed in writing in the booking confirmation when applicable.

Standard scratches, sand-scuff and routine wear are not chargeable. Mechanical failure not caused by guest action (engine fault, transmission issue, tyre puncture from terrain) is the operator's responsibility and never charged to the guest. The line between guest-attributable damage and operator-side wear is drawn by the lead rider on the day; disputes are reviewed at the office and resolved within five working days.

6. Operator-side cancellation, weather, force majeure

The operator may cancel a booking for safety reasons including: weather (sandstorm, low visibility, balloon-grounding wind), surface temperature limits in summer, animal welfare (camel rotation), unsafe surface conditions after rain, or any condition the lead operator deems unsafe. In every operator-side cancellation the guest receives a full refund or a free rebook to the next available date — the guest chooses.

Force majeure events — civil unrest, government restrictions, infectious-disease control measures, road closures by authority — are handled the same way: full refund or free rebook. We do not invoke force majeure as a contractual shield; the test is whether the guest's booking was disrupted by an event outside operator control.

7. Limitation of liability

Desert tourism activities involve a real and accepted physical risk. By booking, every guest acknowledges that off-road desert riding, dune-bashing, hot air ballooning, dirt biking and camel riding carry inherent risks — falls, vehicle rollover at extreme angles, motion sickness, sun and heat exposure, sand abrasion, and the risk a wild animal in a working environment may behave unpredictably.

The operator carries the public liability insurance required to operate desert tours under the relevant UAE tourism authority. The full insurance documentation is available in writing at the office on request. The operator's liability for any single incident is limited to the cap set in that insurance policy. Claims for indirect or consequential loss (loss of trip enjoyment, loss of subsequent travel, loss of business income) are excluded.

Nothing in these terms limits the operator's liability for personal injury or death caused by negligence on the operator's part, nor for any liability that cannot be limited under UAE consumer protection law.

8. Photography and intellectual property

Photography taken by the guest on tour is the guest's. Photography taken by an operator-engaged photographer is shared with the guest free in resolution suitable for personal social media. High-resolution files for commercial use are quoted separately.

Photographs taken on tour by the operator may be used by the operator on this website, on the operator's social media, and in the operator's marketing material — guest faces are blurred or the photograph is taken from an angle that does not identify the guest, unless the guest signed a written model release. Guests who do not want to appear in operator marketing should mention this at the briefing.

9. Voucher terms

Gift vouchers are sold on request. A voucher is valid for 12 months from the date of issue, transferable between guests, redeemable against any service the operator offers (subject to availability), and not redeemable for cash. Lost vouchers are reissued on production of the original purchase confirmation.

Full voucher terms — partial redemption, top-up payment if the redeemed service exceeds voucher value, refund rules if the booked service is operator-cancelled — live on the dedicated voucher terms page.

10. Privacy, data and cookies

Personal data collected during booking (name, contact number, hotel address, dietary preferences for safari camps) is used only to deliver the booking and is not shared with third parties except where required to deliver the service (for example, operator partners running the balloon flight) or where required by law.

Cookie use on this site is described in the dedicated cookie policy. Data handling — what is collected, how long it is held, what your rights are — is described in the dedicated privacy policy.

11. Governing law and dispute resolution

This agreement is governed by the laws of the United Arab Emirates. Any dispute arising under or in connection with this agreement is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Dubai Courts.

Before any formal dispute, both parties agree to attempt good-faith resolution by direct discussion within 15 working days. Most disputes resolve at this stage. If resolution at the office is not possible, the matter proceeds to formal dispute resolution under the governing law clause above.

12. Changes to these terms

These terms may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in the operator's services, in UAE tourism regulations, or in payment processing arrangements. The version published on this page at the time you make your booking is the version that applies to your booking. Material changes will be flagged in the WhatsApp confirmation message at booking.

For questions about any clause in these terms, message the office on WhatsApp +971 52 440 9525 before booking.