Luxury Desert Safaris made for you
Start PlanningDesert-adapted wildlife and hikes among dunes and oases
The world’s deserts are stark, striking environments that provide habitat for hardy fauna and flora. Our luxury safari tours pair rich wildlife experiences with stays at exclusive lodges in remote wilderness areas.
In Egypt, combine culture and history tours with a trip into the Sahara, exploring by 4WD or sandboarding across the dunes. We especially recommend hiking the giant dunes of Wadi El Rayan, one of the few places where waterfalls emerge in such an arid setting.
Namibia’s vast landscapes are home to rare desert-adapted rhinos and elephants, which you can track with conservationists in Damaraland. And at NamibRand Reserve, join an astronomer-led stargazing experience beneath the clear skies of Africa’s first International Dark Sky Reserve.
Trek among tall dunes and ethereal rock formations in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert, where rare, two-humped Bactrian camels roam. In the vast Kalahari, which covers much of Botswana and extends into Namibia and South Africa, look for the Big Five. You can also seek out more elusive species such as ground pangolins and aardwolves.
In Chile’s far north lies the Atacama Desert, the world’s driest non-polar desert. Despite the extreme conditions, it supports a surprising variety of wildlife, including flamingos and vicuñas, wild relatives of llamas. Smaller species include darkling beetles and Fabian’s lizards, which dart across the salt flats.
Our travel designers draw on first-hand knowledge to curate itineraries that take you deep into these biodiverse landscapes. Get in touch to start planning your luxury desert safari.
Experiences picked by our desert safari specialists
Hike among the desert dunes
Explore Moltsog Els, one of the few areas of Mongolia’s Gobi Desert covered by sand dunes, and see woolly, two-humped Bactrian camels.
Take a private game drive in the Kalahari
Set out on a game drive through Tswalu Private Reserve in Botswana’s Kalahari, looking for black-maned lions, cheetahs and a protected population of desert-adapted black rhinos.
Watch the sunrise from a hot air balloon
Board a hot air balloon in Oman’s Wahiba Sands and float above deep golden dunes as the sun rises.
Track rhinos in Namibia
Look for desert-adapted black rhinos on a guided walk in Damaraland with Desert Rhino Camp. The camp works with Save the Rhino Trust to support local communities in protecting these remarkable animals.
Go stargazing in the Atacama Desert
Spend an evening beneath the clear skies of the Atacama Desert. A professional photographer will help you capture the stars and Milky Way, and guide you through light painting techniques.
Luxury desert safari accommodation
There are many incredible places to stay on a desert safari. Here are some of our favourites, handpicked by our safari experts:
Why book with Jacada?
Personalised design
We’ll plan your trip around your specific interests, tastes and preferences, providing helpful tips and honest advice based on first-hand knowledge of the destination.
Authentic experiences
Our expert guides and brilliant travel concierges are hand-picked to provide a genuine experience, bringing your destination to life with care and passion.
Responsible travel
Our luxury trips are designed with responsible travel principles that prioritise travel experiences that are both good for you and good for the planet.
Desert safari trip inspiration
Get inspired with our desert safari example trips and then get in touch to plan your own adventure
Where to go on a desert safari
Botswana
Botswana’s desert safaris reveal the wild beauty of the Kalahari. Track desert-adapted wildlife, cross vast open landscapes and stay in remote camps beneath huge African skies.
Chile
In the far north of Chile, Atacama is the world’s driest non-polar desert, yet its landscapes of volcanoes, salt flats and sand dunes support an abundance of wildlife. See flocks of flamingoes around algae-rich lagoons, and observe vicunas (similar to llamas) and culpeos (known as Andean foxes) on the plains.
Egypt
Within easy reach of Cairo, Egypt’s Sahara Desert features undulating sand dunes that can be explored by 4WD or on a sandboarding adventure. Stay in the oasis city of Fayoum and hike around the giant dunes of Wadi El Rayan, where rare desert waterfalls break through the arid landscape.
Mongolia
Mongolia’s Gobi Desert unfolds across vast sand dunes, gravel plains, canyons and red-rock formations, including the Flaming Cliffs. Explore on private drives, on foot or on horseback, looking out for two-humped Bactrian camels along the way.
Namibia
The Namib Desert is the world’s oldest, and its diverse landscapes harbour incredible wildlife. In the private reserve of NamibRand, view oryx, giraffes, ostriches and kudu. Observe desert-adapted elephants and black rhinos with wildlife guardians in Damaraland.
Oman
The shifting sand dunes of Wahiba Sands reach up to 100m (330ft) tall. Sleep in desert camps, swim in a pool in Wadi Bani Khalid oasis and explore the vast landscape on a 4WD tour. While the Musandam Peninsula has the world’s only khors or desert fjords – inlets framed by jagged red rocks.
When to go on a luxury desert safari
Changing seasons bring different wildlife-viewing opportunities in our desert destinations. The Kalahari’s dry season, from May to October, sees animals congregate around water holes, while the green season, from November to April, is a particularly good time for birdwatching and spotting newborn animals.
In Namibia, the drier months between May and October draw desert-adapted wildlife closer to water sources, including desert-adapted elephants in Damaraland or Kaokoland.
Visit the Gobi Desert in May to June or September to October, when daytime temperatures are relatively mild. Expect average highs of around 12–26°C (54–79°F) across these months.
Gobi Desert trekking
May–June
Desert elephants in Damaraland
May–October
Atacama Desert hiking
September–October
Kalahari green season
November–April
Plan your custom desert safari
Whatever you want from your luxury desert safari, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.
Don't take our word for it
Your trip, your story
We craft trips deeply personal, delightfully surprising and entirely one of a kind. Every Jacada journey begins in conversation with a travel designer, a specialist in their destination of expertise. Behind each journey is a wealth of insight, gathered over years of on-the-ground exploration.
Once you’re booked, you’ll meet your concierge. Based in the region you’re visiting, they’ll take care of all the details so your mind is at rest. They make the trip truly special – and truly yours.
