Most packing lists for desert camping are written for people carrying everything in themselves: the tent, the bedding, the stove, the lights. If you are camping with a setup that is already built when you arrive, the list gets much shorter, and most of it fits in the boot of a normal car.

This guide covers what to bring for a night in the Dubai desert, what you can leave at home, and a few small things that make the evening more comfortable.

The short version

You need to bring your food and drink, ice for the cooler box, and charcoal and firewood for the BBQ and fire pit. Warm layers for the evening, a change of clothes, your toiletries and a charged power bank cover the rest.

If you camp with Nomadic, everything else is set up before you get there.

Food and drink

Bring everything you plan to eat and drink, including breakfast for the morning. Nomadic does not provide food or catering, but the cooking side is fully covered: a floor BBQ, a gas stove, a cooking pot, a frying pan, utensils, plates, cups and cutlery.

Most guests keep it simple and pick up barbecue meat from the supermarket on the way. Chicken and beef skewers, burgers, chicken pieces and anything else that grills well are all popular. Arabic bread, hummus, garlic sauce and a ready-made salad like tabbouleh go perfectly alongside. Our guests come from all over the world, so you will see every kind of food cooked at camp. Bring whatever you and your group love to eat.

A few things that help:

• Marinate meat at home and bring it in sealed containers or bags. It saves time and mess at camp.

• Pack something quick for breakfast. Eggs and bread on the gas stove are easy, and a hot coffee in the dunes is a lovely way to start the morning.

• Bring more water than you think you need. There is a water jug at the setup to pour from.

Ice

There is a cooler box at the setup, but no ice. Pick up a couple of bags on the way out of the city and your drinks will stay cold well into the evening.

Charcoal and firewood

The BBQ and the raised fire pit need fuel. You can bring your own, which is often slightly cheaper, or add it to your booking so it is waiting for you: charcoal is AED 60 + VAT a bag and firewood is AED 75 + VAT a bag.

For a group of four, one bag of charcoal is plenty for the BBQ. Firewood depends on how big you like your fire. One bag can last the evening if you start with two or three pieces and then add one piece at a time. Two bags is the safe choice for most groups, and three if you want a big fire burning all night.

Warm clothes

Desert nights in December and January can drop to around 12 or 13°C. That may not sound very cold, but the air in the desert is so dry that it feels much colder than the number suggests. Bring jackets and jumpers for the evening and something warm to sleep in. The beds come with a full duvet, so you will be cosy through the night.

Wear closed shoes or sandals you can easily shake the sand out of, and bring sunglasses and a cap for the arrival if you are coming in the afternoon.

Personal things

• Toiletries and a towel

• Any medication you need

• A change of clothes for the next day

• Phone chargers and a power bank. There is no mains power at the setup.

• A portable toilet can be added to your booking for AED 200 + VAT. If you are camping with children, one is included at no charge.

The thing guests forget most often is a power bank. It is also what people ask us for most, so charge one the day before and pack it first.

What you can leave at home

With a Nomadic camping setup, all of this is already there when you arrive:

• A weatherproof glamping tent that sleeps up to 4

• Air mattresses with sheets, a full duvet and pillows, laid out as doubles or singles

• A floor BBQ, a raised BBQ, a gas stove and a raised fire pit

• Cooking pot, frying pan, utensils, plates, cups and cutlery

• A cooler box and a water jug

• Lights inside the tent and around the camp, with fire lanterns and solar lanterns

• Rubbish bags

You can see the full list on our what’s included page.

Things to think about before you leave

Getting there. The exact meeting point is sent with your booking, and the team takes you the short distance from there to your setup. Any car can make it to the meeting point. If you do not have a 4x4, you and your bags are driven to the camp.

Timing. Aim to arrive at your booked time so you have daylight to settle in. In the morning there is no rush: you can stay until 12pm, and just let the team know about 90 minutes before you head off.

Rubbish. Take your rubbish home in the bags provided. The desert stays clean for everyone that way.

Decorations. Celebrating something? You are very welcome to bring decorations, a cake or anything else to make the camp your own.

A printable checklist

• Food for dinner and breakfast

• Drinks and plenty of water

• Ice

• Charcoal (one bag for four people) and firewood (two bags to be safe), or add them to your booking

• Jacket or jumper, and something warm to sleep in

• A change of clothes for the next day

• Comfortable shoes

• Toiletries, towel and any medication

• Phone charger and a charged power bank

• Sunglasses and a cap

Book your camp

If you would like to spend a night in the desert without carrying a tent, a mattress or a stove, take a look at our tent rental in Dubai. Each tent sleeps up to 4 and is fully set up before you arrive, from AED 1,297 + VAT per tent. Planning an evening rather than an overnight stay? Our private desert BBQ setups run from your arrival time until midnight.