Red Sands and Thumamah Desert

The Red Sand dunes and the Al Thumamah area form an open desert playground about 80 km from central Riyadh in Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia. Operators put the drive at roughly 1 to 1.5 hours each way. Visitors can self-drive, although sand-capable vehicles are needed beyond the paved roads, or use Uber or Careem with an agreed return, since pickups from the desert can be hard to find. The most common choice is a packaged desert tour with hotel pickup, listed on Expedia and Pelago from about SAR 375 (roughly $100) per person, with a version including a one-hour quad ride at around SAR 499 (about $133).

The activities are the draw: quad biking, dune bashing in a 4x4 and sandboarding on the red slopes. Packaged tours typically depart in the afternoon, around 15:30, and last about 3.5 hours, which places the dune activity in the softer light of late afternoon and lets the group watch the sun go down over the desert before returning to the city. Because most of the time is spent in a vehicle or on a quad rather than on foot, the exertion is low, and the trip suits families and first-time desert visitors.

A sensible one-day arc keeps the morning free for Riyadh sightseeing, then leaves around lunchtime or early afternoon so the group reaches the dunes before the heat fades. Lunch is best eaten in Riyadh before leaving, as there are few services in the dunes themselves; tour packages commonly cover water and refreshments, but this should be confirmed at booking. The cooler season from October to April is the right window. In summer, daytime temperatures in the Najd desert make afternoon activity uncomfortable, and the dunes can be unbearably hot to the touch.

Visitors should wear closed shoes, long light clothing against sun and blown sand, and sunglasses, and should carry a scarf or head covering. Anyone self-driving should travel in a convoy with a recovery plan, since vehicles that are not built for sand can become stuck quickly.