Desert safety tips for Dubai: heat, water, signal and who to call

The desert is forgiving until it is not. Most problems at Al Qudra are simple ones made worse by distance: not enough water, a battery that died, a car stuck in soft sand, a lake that looks different in the dark. None of them is hard to prevent if you plan before you turn off the tarmac.

This page is general safety information, not medical advice, training or legal advice. We are a shop, not a medical or rescue service. Rules and conditions change, so follow posted signs and official guidance.

1. Heat and hydration

Heat is the main reason desert trips go wrong. City average highs sit around 38 to 41°C from May to September, and the lakes have little shade. Even in the cool season, noon can be warm and the sun strong for hours, as in our best time to visit guide.

• Water: at least 2 litres per person, even in winter, and far more in the hot months. Drink often rather than waiting for thirst. It starts at AED 2 for 500 ml at Zad, and a 20 L water can with a tap is AED 80.
• Timing: keep hard activity to the hours around sunrise and the last hours before sunset. Rest in shade at midday.
• Shade: assume there is none. Beach umbrellas are AED 20 to 52 and tents AED 80 to 226 at Zad.
• Clothing: light, loose clothes, a hat and sunglasses, as in our guide on what to wear in the desert.
• Children and pets: they overheat faster than adults. Never leave a child alone in a parked car.

2. Not getting lost

The lakes and tracks can look alike, especially in low light. Save a location pin of your car before you walk away from it. Download an offline map before you leave the city. Note a landmark, such as a lake or a track junction. Arrive and set up in daylight, and head back before it is fully dark, because lighting around the lakes is limited. Stay on established, hard-packed tracks. Soft sand is where ordinary cars get stuck, and our desert driving tips cover tyre pressure, recovery gear and why you should never go alone. If you are lost on foot, stay put in shade near your car or a track and call for help, rather than wandering further.

3. Phone signal and power

Signal can be patchy at Al Qudra, so do not assume it will work wherever you stop. Before you go:

• Download offline maps and share your live location with a friend if your phone allows it.
• Charge your phone and take a power bank. There are no sockets in the dunes.
• Keep the phone out of direct sun, which can make it overheat.
• If you have no signal, moving to higher or more open ground may help, but do not wander far from your car.

Torches and camp lighting are AED 12 to 55 at Zad, and are worth carrying so you are not relying on your phone light.

4. Tell someone your plan

Before you leave, tell someone where you are going, who is with you, which vehicle you are in and when you expect to be back. Agree what they should do if they do not hear from you. Drop a location pin before the signal fades. Our camping rules guide and driving tips both make the same point, and it costs you thirty seconds.

5. Emergency numbers

The following are the UAE national emergency numbers, which work from anywhere in the country according to the UAE government:

When you call, give your name, what happened, how many people need help and your location. Your saved pin, or the nearest landmark, is the most useful thing you can say. Stay on the line until told to hang up. Dubai Police ask that 999 be used for emergencies only. Numbers can change, so confirm them on the UAE government portal (u.ae) or the Dubai Police website.

6. First-aid basics

Carry a first-aid kit and know how to use it. A first-aid course from a recognised provider is a better teacher than a web page. For heat, the UK NHS gives this general advice, which we repeat as information only:

• Signs of heat exhaustion: tiredness, dizziness, headache, nausea, heavy sweating with pale, clammy skin, cramps, strong thirst and a raised temperature.
• What to do: move the person to a cool place, remove unnecessary clothing, give plenty of water or a rehydration drink, and cool the skin with cool water and fanning. Stay with them.
• When it is an emergency: call for an ambulance if they are no better after 30 minutes, feel hot and dry, stop sweating, are confused, have a seizure or lose consciousness.

For anything beyond the basics, call 998 or seek medical help.

7. More hazards worth knowing

• Rain and wadis: avoid wadis and valleys when rain is forecast. Entering flood zones can bring a AED 2,000 fine, 23 traffic points and impoundment for 60 days, as noted in our camping rules guide.
• Fire: use a fire pit or a stand, never the sand. Keep fires small and watched, soak the embers and stir until cold.
• Wildlife: look but never feed or chase. Federal law protects wildlife.
• Water edges: there are no lifeguards and swimming is not allowed at the lakes, and the edges can be soft and muddy.
• Cyclists: riders move fast on the track, so park clear of it and keep children close. See the cycling guide.
• Drones: rules in Dubai are strict and have changed over time. Check current official guidance first, and if in doubt leave the drone at home.
• Fuel: fill your tank before you leave the city, because Zad does not sell fuel.

8. Safety kit

Pack: water, a first-aid kit, a power bank, a torch, sun cover, a warm layer, a tow strap and a shovel if you drive off tarmac, and a paper note of your emergency contact. Zad stocks a 9 m tow strap (AED 80), torches (AED 12 to 55) and water cans (AED 80), and the full list is in our camping checklist. For the sunrise and sunset times that govern your daylight, see the sunrise and sunset guide.

Frequently asked questions

Zad Food Store is open 24/7 at the Last Exit, Al Qudra Road (Seih Al Salam), Dubai, the last stop before the desert since 2013.