Last Updated on March 13, 2023
A list of popular desert adventure sports, recreational beach activities, racing and animal riding that are popular in sandy regions and deserts across the world.
Whether on a hot summer day at the beach or travelling in the Sahara, from extreme boardsports like sand dune surfing and dune bashing to the more exotic camel riding or simply playing a fun game of beach volleyball, there’s plenty of fun to be had at the dunes.
Desert & Sand Sports Master List
Board Sports
Sandboarding (or sand surfing)
Sliding down sand dunes with a sandboard while standing up on two feet.
Sandsledding (or sand toboganning)
Sliding down sand dunes with a sandsled while sitting or laying down on your belly.
Volcano boarding (or volcano surfing, ashboarding)
Sliding down a slope of volcanic ashes and hardened lava after a recent volcano eruption.
Volcano sledding
Sledding down a slope of volcano ashes and hardened lava after a recent volcano eruption.
Ski Sports
Sand skiing
Sliding down sand dunes with a pair of sand skis.
Desert skiing
Cable skiing on sandy terrain in the desert, usually with the aid of an offroad vehicle.
Kite sports
Sand kiting
Landboarding on soft sand with the aid of a kite and a pair of skis or a dune buggy.
Hiking & Camping
Desert Hiking
Trekking in desert environments, climbing sand dunes and extreme dry weather locations.
Desert Camping
Backpacking and setting up camps in the desert.
Desert Running
Running and racing in the desert. There are many marathons that take place in the desert such as the Marathon des Sables in Morocco and the Australian Outback Marathon.
Offroad Sports
Off-road races in the desert using vehicles such as ATVs, OTVs, dune buggys, dirt bikes and more.
Dune Bashing
Bumpy rides up and down sand dunes using an off-road vehicle, such as a 4×4 truck or dune buggy.
Dirt biking
Riding in the desert using an offroad dirt bike.
Animal Riding
Camel Riding
Camel riding is widespread in the Sahara desert as well as other locations in Asia.
Horseback Riding
Desert horseriding is common in cold deserts, such as in the Gobi Desert in Mongolia.
Ostrich Riding
A once surprisingly popular sport that is still practiced in selected locations.
Recreational Sports
Sand Soccer
Soccer game played on a sandy field, usually at the beach.
Beach Volley
Volleyball played on sandy field, usually at the beach.
Your n°1 source of information on the world of sandsports and desert adventure travel. Our articles are the result of extensive research, personal experience, and knowledge-sharing within the global sandboarding community.
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