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State the difference between dune bashing and offroading


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For experienced and inexperienced offroaders: please state the difference between dune bashing and offroading in your own words, experience or examples.

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Offroading is a general term which can be even a drive through the wadi, jungle or the desert. Whereas dune bashing is specifically pertaining to offroading in the desert. Also, I think dune bashing is more pertaining to a high speed drive through the desert while offroading in sand is like going at a relatively slower pace through some technical dunes

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2 hours ago, skumar83 said:

Offroading is a general term which can be even a drive through the wadi, jungle or the desert. Whereas dune bashing is specifically pertaining to offroading in the desert. Also, I think dune bashing is more pertaining to a high speed drive through the desert while offroading in sand is like going at a relatively slower pace through some technical dunes

Agree I think this covers the load well. Dune bashing is a more thrill seeking part of the off-road experience. My personal preference goes towards regular off road and taking the time to enjoy the scenery, have a bite, meeting people, and make it a relaxing experience as a whole. 

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Offroad is anything off the trmac road - beach, kacha, gravel, gauge track, wadi, mountain, desert, dunes etc.

, dune bashing is bashing the sand dunes at low or high speed. wht is the prize for winner?

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I think the more relevant question must be whats tge difference between Dune Bashing and a Desert Drive. 

Dune Bashing was a term coined by safari companies in the late 90s and I personally dont like the term. I dunno gives the impression of acting like hooligans bashing and destroying your cars as well as the desert and its environment.

Big Red, Faya can be described as dunes that have been bashed and bashed severely. 

While a desert drive is a nice and pleasant drive through the desert which can be slow paced and some challenging at times all within one drive. 

I know its been a very long time since Ive done this but there are people here who have driven in drives lead by me and Im sure they can tell you I dont dune bash but that doesnt mean I skip on big dunes or technical ones.

 

 

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@malek is almost correct and then second comes @skumar83 and @Frederic Nuyttens

Only slight correction that dune bashing is not always you bash the dunes likes of Faya or big red, but traverse through the dunes means it can be slow or fast but through the dunes. Choosing tracks to drive in the middle of dunes is not dune bashing but offroading, that's the point I wanted to make here.

A lot of newbie joins on a drive with tons of offroad experience and get crested on the first dune they cross as either they been to track with other clubs or been to beach sand or roadside sand with inflated tires.

@desertdude correctly mentioned that desert safari guys stick to desert driving than dune bashing and just touch a couple of side slope to tilt the car and make tourist scream. Totally different world in that line of business when you have to please the tourist in 30 mins - 60 mins drive and make them jump on sunset point for selfies.

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37 minutes ago, Gaurav said:

@malek is almost correct and then second comes @skumar83 and @Frederic Nuyttens

Only slight correction that dune bashing is not always you bash the dunes likes of Faya or big red, but traverse through the dunes means it can be slow or fast but through the dunes. Choosing tracks to drive in the middle of dunes is not dune bashing but offroading, that's the point I wanted to make here.

A lot of newbie joins on a drive with tons of offroad experience and get crested on the first dune they cross as either they been to track with other clubs or been to beach sand or roadside sand with inflated tires.

@desertdude correctly mentioned that desert safari guys stick to desert driving than dune bashing and just touch a couple of side slope to tilt the car and make tourist scream. Totally different world in that line of business when you have to please the tourist in 30 mins - 60 mins drive and make them jump on sunset point for selfies.

I just said personally I dont like the term dune bashing. It just sounds to brash and negative to me.

Also you haven't been on drives with some of the companies. Like now out of business FTC was a disaster drive from the word go. They use to start from big red and blaze through their route. Hitting almost every peak in that side of the sanbox till faya and then back because their camp was in nizwa across the road.

Also you forget our regular safari was for 2hrs actual drive time of 1.5 hrs plus 0.5 hr drinks and sunset break. 

Also I like to dispel the myth that Safari Company Desert Guides are just lame drivers and can do short fixed routes only.

This is actually true for most working for small operators. The kind that offer 60dhs safaris on Groupon. 

But the bigger more organized tour operators had I say had because most of the old guard has left now very skilled drivers, some even working today with big car names to day for their hot weather and desert testing. 

Evening sun downer tours was just the bread and butter but we had a lot of trips of many other types. From 3 day liwa excursions to 15 day desert trials in liwa. Overnighters in Shuwaib and sweihan. Trips to Khatim in Abu Dhabi And we all drove according to the kind if guests we had. Some liked it rough and some preferred a relaxed cruise. 

Surprisingly middle aged women enjoyed the most "bashiest" rides and young big buys who always said they wanted the hardest drive were the first to stop the car and throw up. 

Anyways just though I clear this misconception that all desert safari guides just plonk through a fixed easy route ans can't drive for shit.

As professionals we drove for our paying guests so they get to experience the desert, not to show off our driving skills. But when the guests wanted a ride of lifetime they also got that. And repeat customers asking for the same guide went with last time over and over again is testimony to that.

 

 

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The second point what I was trying to make with this thread is to educate car buyers that every off-road vehicle cannot be used for dune bashing or drive through dunes (in other words).

Probably only 20% of the so-called off-road vehicle is capable of such extreme use out of which only 10% does it reliably and without breaking your bank account.

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