Glamping in the UAE has become increasingly popular over the last few years, especially during the winter season when the desert comes alive. As temperatures cool and evenings become comfortable, many people look for ways to experience the outdoors without sacrificing comfort. 

This has led to a surge in luxury camping tents, domes, and desert camps marketed as “glamping” experiences across the country.

But while the word glamping is now everywhere, it has come to mean very different things to different people. In many cases, glamping in the UAE has evolved into something closer to a hotel stay in the desert rather than a true camping experience.

At Nomadic, we don’t describe ourselves as a glamping company - even though our tents are technically glamping tents. That distinction is intentional. Because what we create isn’t about luxury for the sake of it, or about replacing a hotel room with a tent. It’s about creating comfortable, thoughtfully designed camping setups that allow people to slow down, disconnect, and experience nature properly.

This guide explores what glamping in the UAE really looks like today, the different options available, and why a more grounded, immersive approach often delivers a far richer experience.

What Glamping Typically Means in the UAE

In the UAE, glamping is often associated with fixed desert resorts and luxury camps. These experiences are designed to offer maximum comfort, often mirroring the amenities of a hotel while placing guests in a desert setting.

Typical glamping experiences in the UAE often include:

• Permanent luxury tents or domes
  
  

• Private bathrooms and air conditioning
  
  

• On-site restaurants or catered meals
  
  

• Staff, schedules, and structured check-ins
  
  

• Wi-Fi, power outlets, and sometimes televisions
  
  

While these setups are undoubtedly comfortable, they are often highly curated and shared with other guests. For many people, they feel more like desert resorts than camping experiences.

They place you near nature - but not necessarily in it.

Camping vs Glamping: What’s the Real Difference?

The key difference between camping and glamping is not comfort - it’s intention.

Camping is about presence. It’s about stepping away from constant stimulation and allowing the environment to take centre stage. Glamping, in its most commercial form, often reintroduces the very things people are trying to escape: screens, schedules, crowds, and service layers.

At Nomadic, we believe comfort should support the experience, not replace it.

A comfortable tent should allow you to sleep well, relax, and feel at ease. But it shouldn’t distract you from the desert itself, or turn the experience into something passive.

Why the UAE Is Perfect for Comfortable Camping

The UAE’s landscape makes it uniquely suited to elevated camping experiences that don’t need to cross into full luxury.

The desert offers wide open space, predictable winter weather, minimal wildlife risks, and clear night skies. Unlike many parts of the world, camping here doesn’t require extreme gear or endurance. When done properly, it can be both authentic and comfortable.

This is where Nomadic operates, in the space between basic camping and luxury glamping.

The Main Types of Glamping in the UAE

1. Desert Glamping Resorts

These are the most common form of glamping in the UAE. They offer comfort, service, and consistency, but often at the expense of privacy and authenticity. Shared spaces, nearby guests, and structured schedules can make the experience feel busy rather than peaceful.

For some, this is exactly what they want. For others, it feels like a missed opportunity to truly disconnect.

2. Pop-Up Luxury Tents and Domes

These setups often focus heavily on aesthetics and social media appeal. While visually impressive, the experience can sometimes feel staged, with the tent becoming the focal point rather than the environment.

Comfort is present, but immersion is limited.

Nomadic Camping Setups (Comfort Without Distraction)

Nomadic takes a different approach. We don’t aim to recreate a hotel room in the desert. Instead, we create comfortable camping setups that encourage people to engage with their surroundings and with each other.

Our focus is on:

• Comfortable, weather-appropriate tents
  
  

• Thoughtful layouts that encourage conversation
  
  

• No Wi-Fi, no TVs, no artificial distractions
  
  

• Private locations away from crowds

The goal is not luxury, it’s to have a real camping experience.

Disconnecting Is Part of the Experience

One of the most common things guests tell us after a Nomadic experience is how quickly they forgot about their phones.

There’s no Wi-Fi password to ask for. No screen pulling attention away. No schedule telling you what’s next.

Instead, people naturally slow down. Conversations last longer. Meals are cooked together. Time stretches. And the desert becomes the entertainment.

In a world where almost everything competes for attention, this kind of simplicity feels increasingly rare.

Comfort Without Overcomplication

Comfort is essential, especially when spending the night outdoors. But comfort doesn’t have to mean excess.

Nomadic setups focus on the things that actually matter:

• Air Mattresses and quality bedding
  
  

• All-weather Glamping tent
  
  

• Warm, ambient lighting after dark
  
  

• Comfortable seating and shared spaces
  
  

• Everything you need for a comfortable experience.
  
  

By removing unnecessary extras, the experience stays grounded and natural.

Private Locations, Not Campgrounds

Another major difference between Nomadic and traditional glamping is location.

Nomadic setups are not placed in campgrounds or resorts. They are set up in carefully chosen locations, selected for privacy, scenery, and atmosphere.

This means you are not sharing facilities, dining areas, or common spaces. The desert around you is part of the experience, not something you view from a distance.

Sustainability and Respect for Nature

True outdoor experiences should leave the smallest possible footprint.

Nomadic setups are designed around reuse, low impact, and leave-no-trace principles. The goal is to enjoy the environment without altering it, ensuring that the desert remains as untouched as possible for future visitors.

Respecting nature isn’t an add-on, it’s part of the experience.

Who This Style of Glamping Is For

Nomadic’s approach is ideal for people who value a truly authentic camping experience. 

It suits:

• Couples looking for a quiet, meaningful escape
  
  

• Families wanting shared, screen-free time
  
  

• Small and large groups seeking privacy and space
  
  

• Creatives and professionals craving disconnection
  
  

• Anyone who prefers memories over amenities
  
  

Better Than Any TV Series

One simple truth stands out time and time again:

A night under the stars, with the right people, beats any TV series.

There’s something deeply grounding about sitting together in silence, cooking a simple meal, watching the fire fade, and falling asleep surrounded by stillness. These moments can’t be streamed or scheduled, they have to be lived.

Final Thoughts: Glamping Isn’t the Goal 

Glamping in the UAE has its place, and for some people, luxury desert resorts are exactly what they’re looking for. But for those who want something more meaningful, more grounded, and more memorable, Nomadic camping immersed in nature offers far greater value.

At Nomadic, we don’t sell luxury. We don’t sell entertainment. We don’t sell escapes from reality.

We create the conditions for people to slow down, disconnect, and be present and let the desert do the rest.