Looking to get out into the desert with your 4×4? The Desert Diva offers offroad desert driving coaching on her Adventures. Find some of the common questions asked by those looking to join her.
Do I have to do an offroading course before joining your trips?
No – our tag-a-long trips are suitable for rookies. Marina has over 11 years’ experience of introducing new sand dune drivers to the desert. She is considered to be a patient and expert coach. At the start of each trip she holds a safety briefing. Once on the sand, she will teach you to safely pilot your car through the dunes. Coming to a tricky obstacle she will take time to talk everyone through it.
Will there be a big crowd of people on the trip?
Marina likes to take small groups, maximum 7 guest vehicles and 20 guests on each trip, often less – details given in trip listings. Any more and the still silent ambiance of the desert is lost!
Are the trips suitable for children?
Yes they are! Our trips are suitable for school age travellers, but we ask that your children are seated/belted up whenever the car is moving, in age-appropriate car seats. As you will read above, we take a few stops on every trip to discover the desert so even on long trips they will get a chance to get out of the car. Marina always carries sand sledges with her and you are welcome to bring other outdoor toys. Note – if you book a private trip with Marina, there is no lower age limit.
Is my car suitable?
If you have a 4×4, with 4LOW option in your gearbox, is in good mechanical order with adequate clearance then chances are it is.  It is also important that your car has recovery points front and rear, a good spare tyre, and is insured for offroad use.
Do I need to buy any recovery equipment before I join your trip?
No need at all – Marina prefers to recover using her winch, which is the smoothest and safest way of extracting a stuck car. If that doesn’t work then she also has an array of snatch straps, shackles and sand boards – in other words, we have you covered! If you have some recovery equipment already, please bring it, and if you don’t know how to use it then you just need to ask and Marina will show you how.
What if I get stuck?
No problem – it happens to everyone, even your leader sometimes! With almost 15 years offroad experience Marina will talk you through a self recovery or if that does not work, haul you out with her winch. She would rather you got stuck 10 times than go too fast, fly and damage your car! She is expert at teaching new drivers and you may be surprised just how few stucks we have on a drive!
Will I damage my car?
Our trips, even the ones through massive dunes, are gentle and smooth and vehicle damage is extremely rare, however very occasionally we have had cars sustain minor damage (the last one in 2017!)
We teach you how to drive your car well in the sand, where to go slow, where to use a little power, with the aim of returning to the road with all vehicles intact.
Remember, your safety is our #1 priority!
Can I hire a car from you?
We are sorry but cannot offer rental cars in the UAE or Saudi Arabia. In Oman, we can arrange rental of a 4×4, eg Nissan Patrol, Mitsubishi Montera, from our trusted partners in Muscat.
In the UAE, as rental cars are not insured for offroad, we cannot accept them on our tag along weekend adventures/small group tours. If you want to take a rental car along on a private trip, this may be possible, please contact us to discuss.
Do I need a tent?
For our weekend trips, ideally you will take your own camping gear. We have a couple of Colemans tents, sleeping bags and air mattresses available for rent, subject to availability, at a nominal fee.
Are there any stops for photos?
Absolutely! There is no point in going out into the desert without snapping some great vistas to make your friends envious!
On the Desert Diva’s trips, there are always a few stops, for photos, to visit camel farms (or take photos of herds as they move through the desert), short breaks just to let everyone stretch their legs.
What is there to eat?
We cater for carnivores, vegetarians, vegans and also for those following a gluten free diet. We usually have a meat barbeque, cooked breakfast and often a snack lunch. There is always plenty of fruit to eat too!
Meals offered vary from trip to trip, please check listing for details.
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