RaynaTours - Reviews and experiences

prices that sounded almost too good, a WhatsApp thread that moved faster on payment than on answers — classic red flags, right? Still, I thought: okay, it’s Dubai, how bad could it be?
Turns out, not great. Yuvraj (a travel consultant, he said) replied nicely and quoted 180 AED per person for the Premium Safari and mentioned ATV rides at about 120–140 AED for 30 minutes. Nine of us weren’t sure who’d go on the ATVs, so I asked if we could book them once we were at the site. He said yes. That little confirmation is what made me go ahead and pay — I trusted the message thread. Naive, maybe.
Fast forward to the ATV area and the cheerful drivers lead us to a little shop where the same activity is suddenly 500 AED. Phone calls to Yuvraj? “Can’t reach him.” Showing the message screenshot? “Not our employee, must be an agent.” Even the booking email, which looked like it came from Rayna, didn’t help. At that moment my scepticism didn’t just linger — it flicked on a beacon. I messaged Yuvraj again; he said he’d look into it. That was in July. Still waiting. Meanwhile, payment for the Safari had been taken without drama or delay. Funny how that works.
We did get some of what we’d hoped for: dune bashing was actually wild and the sunset photos were pretty great — those are honestly the bits I kept replaying on the plane home. But the rest felt rushed or skipped. Camel ride was hurried, sand boarding never happened, ATVs were completely off the table unless we paid quadruple. The vehicle carrying our kids had a driver who seemed to think the dunes were a good place to catch up on WhatsApp. Texting while driving over sand? Not reassuring, and yes, I called that out.
What made it sting was the contrast: friends who booked through Expedia with another operator paid less and got everything — sand surfing, ATVs, relaxed camel time. It’s hard not to compare when you’re standing in the sand. Back home, I emailed their feedback address and got an automatic reply claiming complaints are a priority. Two weeks later: silence. It’s the “we’ll investigate” that never investigates that bothers me more than the price hike.
So did my doubts disappear? Partially. The sunset, dune bashing thrill and the general festival vibe made bits of the night worth it, so I didn’t go home completely sour. But the mismatch between what was promised on WhatsApp and what they actually delivered, plus the radio silence afterward, left a bad aftertaste. If you’re thinking of booking with Rayna Tours: double-check everything, take screenshots (you’ll be glad you did), and maybe have a backup provider in mind. I wanted to trust them; I tried. Next time I’ll be more suspicious up front.

Today's desert safari tour was so much fun! Sand boarding, dune bashing - it was non-stop excitement. The price we paid was totally worth it, we got to do so many cool things. And the staff were all super nice and friendly, which made the experience even better. We're already thinking about going back because it was such a thrilling adventure. Thanks for a fantastic day full of laughs and thrills!