Qasr Al Sarab — “the palace of the mirage” — is a desert resort operated by Anantara, opened in 2009 in the Liwa desert on the edge of the Empty Quarter. Built in the style of an old Arabian fort, with crenellated walls and courtyards, it sits entirely alone in a bowl of enormous dunes at the end of its own access road.
It matters to this guide because it is the simplest way to experience the big dunes without organising an expedition. The resort runs dune drives, camel treks, desert walks, archery and falconry displays for its guests, and the dunes begin at the edge of the pool terrace.
What to see and do: Qasr Al Sarab
Climb a dune at sunrise
Walk up the ridge behind the resort before breakfast. The sand is cool, the light is pink and the silence is complete.
Take a camel trek
Longer and far more atmospheric than the two-minute loop at a safari camp: a proper walk through the dunes at sunrise or sunset. Book through the resort.
Join a resort dune drive
The dunes here are far bigger than those near the city. The same cautions apply — see our safety page if you have a back, neck or heart condition or are pregnant.
Do nothing by the pool
Part of the point. The view from the terrace to the dune line is the picture everyone comes for.
How to get there: Qasr Al Sarab
- By car: roughly 200 km and 2 to 2.5 hours from Abu Dhabi, mostly on the Hameem road, then a private resort road through the dunes. An ordinary car is fine.
- By transfer: the resort and private operators can arrange cars from Abu Dhabi or Dubai, at a price.
- Activities are generally reserved for hotel guests, so this is a place to stay rather than to visit for an hour.
Insider tips
- Rates fall sharply in summer, but daytime heat then keeps you indoors; winter is the season to pay for.
- Two nights is the sweet spot: one full day for the desert.
- Stop at the auto museum on the way.
- Check rates and availability on our where to stay page.
Tours & tickets that fit: Qasr Al Sarab
These well-rated experiences pair best with Qasr Al Sarab:
Evening safari from €70 Abu Dhabi: Evening Desert Safari & Dinner Under the Stars
One of the longest-established evening safaris from Abu Dhabi. The format is the classic one — 4x4 dune drive, sunset, camp activities, buffet dinner and a show under the open sky — at a slightly slower pace than the bestseller.
- A long-running classic with well over a thousand reviews
- Dune drive, camel ride and sandboarding before sunset
- Dinner and entertainment at an open-air camp
Private / VIP from €546 per group Abu Dhabi: Private Dune Dinner in the Desert
The private end of the market: your own vehicle and a dinner laid out on the dunes instead of a shared camp with hundreds of guests. It costs many times the price of a shared safari, and as a new listing it had no reviews when we checked, so read the details and the cancellation terms closely.
- A private set-up rather than a shared camp
- Dinner on the dunes for your party only
- New listing — no reviews yet when we checked
