Visiting the desert in the UAE without booking an organised tour
There are lots of package holidays and tours available to take tourists from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to the desert, which can be a great way to see the desert with an experienced guide and without the need to organise too much yourself.
However, if you want to get your taste of the Bedouin lifestyle on a budget, or you simply prefer the freedom of independent travel to the organised structure of a tour, then a DIY trip to the desert is entirely possible. It is also a cheaper option and offers a great deal more choice.
Al Faqa, which is around 40-50 minutes on the road to Al Ain from Dubai, is the perfect place to camp out during the cooler winter months. Just load up your car with all the essentials – tents, sleeping bags, torches, water, food, barbecue, mats and whatever else you think you might need – and head for the hills!
The meeting point is Adnoc service station and from there you need to take your car off road for around 10 minutes until you reach the dunes. You may find it easier if you have a 4×4 but any car can take the relatively flat terrain. Once you find a suitable spot, pitch your tents, get the fire going and enjoy the calm and quiet of the desert and the incredibly clear night sky.
And if you’re lucky, you just might catch the daily camel caravan making its way across the dunes when you wake up the next day!
Al Faqa is a surprisingly well-kept secret however it does seem to attract a few dune bashing enthusiasts during the day. In terms of camping out, there is a tone of open desert so you can look forward to having the place to yourself. But that may change as the weather gets cooler.
As the temperature is so pleasant right now, we thoroughly enjoyed the experience as it was a stress-free alternative to the organised desert safaris that don’t offer the freedom to go truly off the beaten track.
Photo credit©Chris Goward
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