Platinum Heritage Safaris is set up to be all things to all adventurous travelers who want to dive into Dubai beyond skyscrapers and ultimate global luxury. Whether a traveler gravitates toward a high-end “Platinum” oasis and safari or a family- and business traveler-friendly “Heritage” sojourn, both tracks along with personalized and bespoke desert packages take explorers to the geographical and cultural roots of the region.

As envisioned by Hero Experiences Group CEO Adam McEwan, former Destination Manager for Oceania Cruises, and COO Bassam Chamoun, who previously served as Emirates Airlines safari operation supervisor, Platinum Heritage Safaris provides a welcome antidote to some of the fantastical attractions in Dubai’s city center. Under the direction of an international group of guides curated by McEwan and Chamoun, visitors are exposed to pristine deserts, distinct ecosystems, and indigenous traditions set like gemstones in the city’s Gold Souk with the intention of preservation and protection. This ensures that immersion is authentic and honest regardless of the bells and whistles of different tours.

In addition to bridging the gaps between ecotourism, comfort, and upscale hospitality, Platinum Heritage Safaris eschews the routine safari formula by presenting a comprehensive picture of what Dubai was like 50 years ago, from regional flora and fauna to a respectful look into the Bedouin way of life through demonstrations, performances, and Q-and-A sessions with members of the community. The tours—and the transition from urban splash to desert calm—begin shortly after groups assemble inside the gates of the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. They are led to the Heritage’s restored Series I and II Land Rovers or Platinum’s sparkling new Land Rover Defenders.

Once adventurers receive refillable water bottles and traditional protective head scarves that stay on better than baseball caps or sun hats, a guide is assigned and small groups are loaded into the vehicles. Next, Land Rovers roll into the desert and guests will encounter such wildlife as native birds and snakes, sand cats, rabbits, oryx, gazelles, red foxes, and other endangered Arabian species that are being protected within Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. Also, there is nothing performative about the Bedouin people we encounter during the tour, and the guide respectfully points out the mosques, housing, and other facilities used by the communities along the routes.

Platinum Heritage Safaris’ conservation guides ensure the goals of sustainability and local community support are neatly woven into the discourse on everything from the vehicles used for the wildlife safaris to protection of the natural terrain (“no dune bashing”)  environmental degradation where desert vegetation and wildlife are los, preservation of various Bedouin traditions, and using some of the profits to create educational field trip programs for local kids and teens. As “authenticity” is everywhere in promotion, and most travelers in Dubai are familiar with the fine line between good intentions and cultural and geographical appropriation, much care is taken in how the guides relay facts on what everybody’s looking at at any given moment.

It is a point of pride for the founders and staff that there’s no trace of cultural references not specific to the Emirates such as Belly dancing and Tanura dancing traced to Egypt. Alcohol is not served out of respect for the predominantly Muslim population, though the many non-alcoholic offerings add to the more complete picture the programs hope to create. As there is a concern that the heritage and culture of Dubai’s past are slowly being lost along with elements of the natural environment, the educational component is designed to create greater awareness and respect for what’s legitimately found in the region.

Following the safari, shortly before dusk, guests can watch a falconry demonstration as they sip hot tea or cold Vimto fruit drink as the falconer intermingles facts and dry English humor between the moments when falcons, and occasionally hawks and or owls, swoop and soar in response to ancient and modern training techniques for hunting with falcons. While this may read as touristy to some, the guides and falconers keep things real even when people line up for photos with the shows’ stars atop a gloved arm and a forever conversation starter. Weather permitting, astronomy sessions conducted by a respected astronomer hand-picked by the founders are also available, taking advantage of the light pollution-free skies.

Balloon “safaris,” offered during the day and at sunrise, are not merely a thrill ride but a way to get a bigger picture of the desert landscape and ecosystems as well as an exciting twist on the popular falconry demonstrations. A falconry expert accompanies guests on the ride. Once the balloon is at its peak height, he allows his fierce feathered companion to take flight in his true element. Even with falconry demonstrations being an integral part of the safaris, this birds-eye view of the ancient art is truly thrilling.

Balloon “safaris,” offered during the day and at sunrise, are not merely a thrill ride but a way to get a bigger picture of the desert landscape and ecosystems as well as an exciting twist on the popular falconry demonstrations. A falconry expert accompanies guests on the ride. Once the balloon is at its peak height, he allows his fierce feathered companion to take flight in his true element. Even with falconry demonstrations being an integral part of the safaris, this birds-eye view of the ancient art is truly thrilling.

The Platinum packages present the splendor of the desert in a specific luxury context. Over and beyond the atmospheric rides in a Land Rover Defender through Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, guests visit a remote lake that’s home to a bird sanctuary and take in the falconry show in a more posh venue reserved exclusively for Platinum Desert Safari guests and are served sparkling juice, canapés, and a full complement of snacks. Following a six-course dinner under tidy and elegant private cabanas, there’s elevated entertainment with acrobatic and fire performers.

With the founders’ goal of introducing people around the world to foundational Dubai, getting the food right is essential whether the guests choose a “Heritage” style (traditional, family-style) or “Platinum” (pushing local ingredients, spices, and recipes to new heights) adventure. In either scenario, one could describe the Hero dining experience as “Desert to Table.” Dinner at the “Platinum” campsite, engineered under the guidance of Michelin Star Chef Claudio Filippone, is a refined, customized affair with a choice of three different six-course menus: “Vegan,” “Mediterranean Treasures,” or “Modern Middle Eastern Flavours.” Local ingredients are crafted into original dishes with a more international approach and artistic plating and served in private cabanas in a manner bridging a fine dining restaurant with earthy natural surroundings. The presentation perfectly echoes the tone of the safari and activities, which involve transportation in brand-new Land Rover Defenders and elevated overnight accommodations. While day guests can return to the city between 9:30 and 11:30 pm depending on the season, there’s the option to spend the night inside the Platinum site’s premium “glamping” accommodations.

Heritage guests, meanwhile, head to a Heritage campsite for dinner. Guests can take in such activities as henna tattooing, demonstrations on the right way to make paper-thin traditional ragag bread and grill meats, camel rides, and folk and drumming from local groups. The casual feast served at tented communal tables, like other elements of the safari, mixes familiar favorites such as hummus and babaganoush with other dishes traced to other parts of the Middle East such as sambousek and fattoush salad. Overnight accommodations at the Heritage site, built from natural wood and stone, are charming and a little more rustic than those staged at the Platinum camp, reflecting the management’s commitment to authenticity with handcrafted Bedouin touches.

Both campsites underscore another mission among the management for guests to disconnect from the modern world and return to nature, whether the package is tailored to a corporate retreat destination, a family vacation with meaningful education components, or an ultimate couple’s getaway. The owners note that to help accomplish this, they have three Platinum campsites and four Heritage sites.

Those overnighting will wake up to a Bedouin breakfast, featuring fresh-squeezed juices, locally sourced fruit, and traditional breads, augmented with a choice of omelets or shakshuka, and in the Platinum camp, a non-alcoholic champagne alternative that registers on the palate with rich French sauterne flavors. The breakfast spread includes sweet and savory balaleet noodles flavored with cardamom and saffron, bajela beans gently spiced with olive oil and lime, Emirati cow’s milk cottage cheese served with sweet dates, ragag, and Arabic chabab pancakes topped with date syrup and honey.

At the top end of the package offerings, Platinum guests can take in a gourmet breakfast at the five-star Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, a historic spot in its own right located within the desert reserve. The private, guest-only oasis managed by Marriott and located along Hajar Mountain massif, has a backdrop of palm groves, emerald canopies, and rolling sand dunes of the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve.