BUCKET LIST
WHERE TO SET UP CAMP UAE
WHERE TO SET UP CAMP QATAR Located north of Dukhan, the Ras Abrouq peninsula is a favourite spot for weekend campers who come to enjoy the golden sands and pretty limestone scenery. The place is full of wildlife with plenty of animal sightings including hedgehogs, kangaroo mice, and the sand gazelle. An hour’s drive from Mesaieed is Inland Sea (Khor al Adaid), Qatar’s most famous and popular camping destination. The country’s southernmost point, the area is only accessible by 4-wheel drive vehicles. The scenery there is breathtaking with towering sand dunes soaring from the water’s edge. At the opposite side of Qatar is Umm Tais National Park which has some the most beautiful sandy beaches, and is where Doha’s kite surfers can be found on the weekend. Offshore, a few small islands surrounded by mudflats can be reached by vehicle when the tide is low, where you can find nesting turtles and stunning mangroves. While you’re in Umm Tais don’t forget to check out the pearling city of Al Zubara, which is only a few kilometers away.
The UAE desert is full of wonderful places to pitch your tent and gaze the stars. Don’t expect great facilities in many of these spots but do get ready for space and freedom, and for an experience that will give you a real taste of the country’s outdoors. A two and a half hour journey will get you to the Ras Al Khaimah desert. Here, the true nature of camping comes to life as you can set up near one of the small farms (be sure not too disturb the locals!) surrounded by sand dunes, little oasis farms and camel pens. Take an early morning drive and you might just see some Arabian Oryx, wild birds and pretty banyan trees too. Make sure to take everything, including lots of food and drink, because there are no everyday facilities in the area. The epic slice of Rub Al Khali (the empty quarter) deserves at least a two or three day trip! Liwa is 200km southwest of Abu Dhabi and though it might seem quite a trek, it’d the world’s biggest sand desert, so it’s well worth the drive. These sand mountains are relatively accessible by 4x4 and the whole region is scattered with curved sand dunes and dramatic plunges so if you’re there for a spot of dune bashing (you’d be crazy not to) make sure you’ve got an experienced driver at the wheel. There are plenty of great spots in this desert, dotted with freshwater pools and date plantations; all you have to do is take any road from Liwa oasis or follow the signs for Tal Mireb (Moreeb Hill). If you’re new to this whole desert camping thing then something a little closer to Abu Dhabi like Shwaib near Dubai would be the perfect choice. This is where you’ll find fairly easy access to hidden campsites where stargazing from the top of a dune will wipe away all your worries. It’s close enough to civilisation that you can get your friends to drop off a Starbucks coffee in the morning, but it’s faraway for you to you enjoy and appreciate the stunning scenery of mountains, flat plains and wadis! Shwaib borders Oman so it’s always a good idea to bring your passport! fact magazine
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