Arabian Desert Safari

Rub' al Khali Desert Safari, UAE

And so, in the Arabian Peninsula, located in Southwest Asia, sound beautiful, poetic, and sufficiently long names. Therefore, a little clarification: I will use the names in the narrative.

United Arab Emirates, abbreviated: UAE – the full name is al-Imārāt al-ʿArabīyah al-Muttaḥidah, colloquially: the Emirates.

Rub al-Khali: „The Empty Quarter“ of the Arabian Peninsula

The Rub' al Khali Desert, translated literally from Arabic, means "Empty Quarter." It is the longest sandy desert outside of the Sahara. It is 1000 km long and 500 km wide, and it is completely uninhabited. With an area of 650,000 km2, equal to France and Benelux combined. It is located within four countries on the Arabian Peninsula: Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, and Yemen.

First impressions: huge, reddish sands. Endless dunes, steep and vast. Hot, dry air. Bushes here and there and no animal life. They say there are spiders, rodents, and scorpions. We didn't meet them.

Our safari was in the Emirates, almost to the border with Oman.

The desert, with its melodious name Rub„ al Khali, hides vast oil reserves beneath its sands. These are a major source of funds for the economies of the countries on whose territories it is located. But neither on the road nor in the desert itself did we see any oil wells or nodding “storks.".

Preparations for Action: Certificates, Experienced Drivers, and Soft Tires

In the Emirates, everything is regulated and laws are strictly observed. There is discipline, security, and peace here. To go on this safari, the Ministry of Ecology must issue a special permit with a specific date and time – a Certificate. If you are not punctual, you lose your chance. It is good to be lucky with the weather – a common sandstorm. And something very important: there are specially trained guides for this purpose. They have diplomas stating they can drive a jeep in the desert.
It turned out that everything is available.

At the appointed time, our guide arrived with a Toyota Landcruiser. Akim, with whom we fearlessly surfed the Arabian desert... He was dressed as a typical Emirati, but Here, 97% of the population are foreigners. who work for the UAE. And every week they queue up to send money to their families. Ours... was from Egypt. /Photo 1/

After about a two-hour drive on an excellent highway, just cleared of a sandstorm, we reached our destination. The entire road has lighting, with solar eco-panels on the lamps.
As we entered the desert, our guide, Akim, got out and pumped the tires. It turned out they needed to be very soft. And he handed out... little bags like on an airplane. For whoever feels sick, it was clear what to do. We fastened our seatbelts, he checked them and said, I suppose, something like „Onward with God!“

Jeep Safari in the Rub' al Khali: Dune Surfing with Adrenaline

Certainly, surfing in Rub' al Khali is a memorable emotion. I've had the opportunity to make an emergency landing in the Sahara – the plane was surfing there, and we found a runway, thank God... In Peru, in the desert: with the Huacachina Oasis. In southern Peru, they surf with buggies and ride sandboards...

And here – the Toyota gains height with furious speed towards another dune peak, takes a sharp turn and… suddenly, breathtakingly, plunges down. A bit like a roller coaster, but on sand. The emotion is supreme. Someone is screaming, someone is gripping a handle tight, someone is laughing nervously. But no one is indifferent. I have the feeling Akim is enjoying our reaction. After a series of loops… We stop for a photoshoot and a break on a sandy plateau.

In the heart of the Bedouin camp: Traditions and hospitality

At least 10 to 20 SUVs gather. The passengers: some are throwing up, others are taking pictures. It’s a blast.
And again, and again... You don't feel time passing, you feel like life is a whirlwind and you are a particle being tossed in all directions.

The action ends, and we calmly head for the bivouac – a desert camp. It's getting dark. If there's time: a camel ride each. They also offer: a khan, smoking a hookah...
In a closed camp, low tables are set up, and colorful camel-wool rugs are spread out beside them. There is a stage.

The action ends, and we calmly head for the bivouac – a desert camp. It's getting dark. If there's time: a camel ride each. They also offer: a khan, smoking a hookah...
In a closed camp, low tables are set up, and colorful camel-wool rugs are spread out beside them. There is a stage.

Culinary journey through the sands

This is a Bedouin camp where I tried the most delicious food, more exquisite than a 7-star hotel. YES, really. In two open tents – one for men and one for women. We can't mix! Tables are set with all sorts of delicacies. And separately there's doner kebab and kebab from a hot buffet – you also can't go to the queue for the other sex. A nimble young man immediately comes to set you straight. Oh, these European women, so persistent! At first, I refrained from eating the salads and fruits because they hadn't been cooked. But they were so tempting that greed overcame reason. Well, there were no surprises, as I expected. The meat – incredibly delicious, a little spicy for my taste, but so aromatic and juicy. And the desserts... Sweet, high-risk for the figure.

The Magic of Oriental Dance and the Mystical Dervishes

And once we’ve satisfied our hunger with magical delicacies, the „cultural“ program begins under the desert sky, filled with bright, large stars. To the sounds of live music: traditional dances. We had „belly dance“—from the French, „dance of the belly“ (danse du ventre). In Europe and the U.S., this term refers to classical Oriental dances. It was performed by a beautiful, slender “Arab woman” of unclear origin.

The dervish dance was the culmination of the evening. Besides the choreography, the performer had a unique number of robes that he gradually shed until he was left with the traditional white one. But all the others were glowing. I don't know what technique and technology he used. I've been to many dervish performances. This is the first time I've attended one like it. I tried to capture it with photos, but it was impossible... Sufis enter a trance in which the mind is unlocked for union with the Absolute. Here is a poem by Jalaluddin Rumi, in sync with the dance:

To intensify their trance-like state, the dervishes tilt their heads while dancing so as to press on their carotid artery. They are the mystics of Islam… This is their prayer to Allah, a declaration of love to the Almighty.

Into the Desert: The Finale of a Tale from „1001 Nights“

And to cap off the magical evening, I sent off the fiery celestial body.

Is there anything more beautiful, poetic, romantic, and magical than a desert sunset?!

The sun slowly makes its way toward the dune crests, its last rays painting them a rich ochre, followed by blood red, until at last, the desert is black and silent. After the darkness falls, thousands of bright, large stars begin to shine in the sky… „From One Thousand and One Nights.“.

See more Author Maria Radeva here