Am I likely to see a snake on a desert safari or in a souk in Dubai?

Question

I’m planning to visit the souks and take a desert safari including dinner at a campsite during my 5 day holiday in Dubai with my family at the end of November. My sister and I have a serious phobia of snakes (to the extent that it stresses me to even type the word!) and a third member of the 4 strong party isn’t too keen on them. How likely are we to see one, whether at a distance or up close eg as part of the ‘entertainment’ during the safari? I once had a terrible experience in Miami of all places, where a guy waving a large yellow python that was wrapped around his arm entered the restaurant where I was having dinner - I almost threw up and only narrowly avoided a panic attack. I don’t want to book something that might mean a similar catastrophe and the kind of holiday memory you don’t want!

Answer 1

I’m planning to visit the souks and take a desert safari including dinner at a campsite during my 5 day holiday in Dubai

1. Chances of such an encounter in a Souk are negligible, Those are crowded places and snakes don't roam around there even if Dubai is a desert.
2. This is possible, chances are that you may see one on a desert safari. Desert safaris are really in real deserts and those are the sort of places where it is easy to find a snake.

However, I have had countless number of trips to Dubai and specifically on desert safaris and I have never encountered a wild snake roaming around there, but on some campsites i have seen performers have them for some shows.

TL;DR: It is quite possible that you may see a snake at least while in the desert, away from built up areas of the city.