Dubai Desert Experience

Dubai Desert Experience

Desert Safari Dubai timing

The phrase “Dubai Desert Experience” conjures up a palette of images so vivid that they feel like scenes waiting just beyond the glass of a high-rise window: gold dunes carved by wind, a sky that pulls itself taut at sunset, and the hush of a landscape that speaks in a language of light and shadow. It is easy to think of Dubai only as a city of gleaming towers and ambitious ambition, but the desert is the city's original storyteller. Spend a day-or better, an evening-out there, and the metropolis recedes, replaced by an ancient rhythm that predates every skyscraper and neon promise.


The first surprise is how close it is.

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One moment you are gliding along manicured boulevards; within an hour, the urban grid dissolves into rolling dunes. Arabian Desert Safari The sand deepens from pale beige to coppery red in places, and you start to understand why the desert is never just empty. It is sculpted, textured, modern in its minimalism, but never sterile. The wind has been at work for centuries, shaping ridgelines that look almost deliberate, the way an architect might leave a line stark and unadorned to let the space breathe.


There are many ways to meet the desert, and the choice says as much about you as it does about the sands themselves. For some, dune bashing is the first thrill: a 4x4 with deflated tires tracing steep side-slopes, cresting the lip of a dune, then sliding down the far side with a rush that is equal parts gravity and choreography. You grip the handle and smile despite yourself, feeling like a child on a roller coaster that was built by the earth. Sandboarding is the next chapter, a lighthearted echo of snow sports, only warmer and more forgiving; a tumble leaves you laughing and grit-toothed, brushing off sunlight along with sand.


Others prefer the quieter approach, and the desert rewards it. A short camel trek shifts the tempo of the day. The camel's long, deliberate strides invite you to look up and out-at the low horizon, at the sparse brush that somehow survives here, at the way footprints last longer when nothing rains them away. In the cooler hours, a trained falcon might arc above you, then return to a falconer's glove with the precision of an old tradition that once meant the difference between hunger and a full belly. The performance is not just spectacle; it's a reminder that culture in the Gulf grew in dialogue with the land, where patience and skill were tools of survival.


You may glimpse life in motion if you go where the desert is protected. In reserves, the dunes cradle hardy species: the unmistakable silhouette of an Arabian oryx, white coat luminous against the sand; a fleet-footed gazelle; a fox's shy streak in low light. A ghaf tree stands with a quiet authority, its roots drawing on wisdom deeper than its green leaves suggest. The desert is not empty; it's edited-every flourish must justify its place. That restraint, that necessity, makes its beauty feel earned and honest.


As the sun loosens its hold on the day, the light goes theatrical. Shadows lengthen; the dunes sharpen their edges. This is the hour when cameras cannot do the work your eyes can. The air cools quickly, almost theatrically too, as if the desert wants to remind you that it belongs to extremes. At a Bedouin-style camp, lanterns glow and sweet smoke curls upward from a grill. The rituals of hospitality unfold with a practiced ease: an offer of Arabic coffee, cardamom rising in small ceramic cups; dates that seem to carry the warmth of the day within them. The foods are simple and restorative: grilled meats, fragrant rice, mezze bright with herbs and lemon, flatbreads puffed and blistered. Later, perhaps, henna on your palm, a pattern that will outlast the night by a few days, fading like a tide mark on skin.


Music laces through the darkness-an oud, a drum, sometimes a whirling performance that turns cloth into color, motion into geometry. It is entertainment, yes, but also continuity. You sit with strangers who briefly become companions in the universal rituals of eating and watching and being quietly impressed by the same sky. And what a sky it is. Far from the densest glow of the city, the stars seem to reveal an older geometry.

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If the day belongs to lines-roads, skylines, dune ridges-the night belongs to constellations, to our habit of connecting dots and finding meaning in them.


There is a temptation to treat the Dubai Desert Experience as a checklist: ride the camel, slide the dune, snap the sunset. Dubai Dune Safari . But it offers more if you allow for stillness. Walk a few steps away from the camp, and you will discover a silence that is not absence but presence-the sound of your breath, the small whisper of sand grains shifting as if counting time. The desert asks you to pay attention. The city asks you to keep up. Between them is a lesson about pace.


It is worth acknowledging the responsibility that comes with this kind of encounter. The dunes are resilient but not invincible. Reputable operators deflate tires to minimize track damage, stick to established routes, and respect wildlife. Not all do. The difference between a good night out and a great one often lies in choosing a company that regards the desert as a living place, not a stage set. It's a better experience too. Guides who know the terrain share stories about navigation by stars, about water hidden where it seems impossible, about how a community thrived here long before desalination plants and air-conditioned towers. Those stories are the gift the desert gives back when it is treated with care.


The true poetry of the Dubai Desert Experience may be in its contrast.

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Dubai's skyline is a statement about what human will can conjure from imagination and oil and trade routes and audacity. The desert is a statement about what remains after everything unnecessary falls away. Desert BBQ Dinner Dubai Together they tell a modern parable: progress and restraint, abundance and scarcity, novelty and tradition. You leave the desert not with sand in your shoes-though there will be plenty of that-but with a recalibrated sense of scale. The day feels both full and spacious. Your phone is heavy with photos, but the image that lasts is the one you could not capture: the pause just after the sun slips, the moment the air changes, the way the dunes hold their breath before night.


When you drive back toward the glittering city, you carry a quiet that the traffic cannot easily shake. Tomorrow, the escalators and elevators will ferry you through polished spaces, and it will seem as if the desert was a dream. But the best experiences linger, asking small questions at odd moments. The Dubai Desert Experience does that. It asks who we are against a horizon that doesn't move.

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It reminds us that awe doesn't always need a spectacle; sometimes it needs a place with nothing extraneous, a sky generous with stars, and the feeling of being very small and very alive at the same time.

 

Photographic safari in Sabi Sands Game Reserve, South Africa

A safari (/səˈfɑːri/; from Swahili safari 'journey' originally from Arabic safar 'to journey') is an overland journey to observe or hunt wild animals, especially in East Africa.[1][2][3] The so-called "Big Five" game animals of Africa – lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo – particularly form an important part of the safari market, both for wildlife viewing and big-game hunting.[4]

Ernest Hemingway posing with a Cape buffalo he shot on a safari hunt in Africa in the early 1950s

Etymology

[edit]

The Swahili word safari means "journey", originally from the Arabic noun سفر, safar, meaning "journey",[5] "travel", "trip", or "tour"; the verb for "to travel" in Swahili is kusafiri. These words are used for any type of journey, e.g., by bus from Nairobi to Mombasa or by ferry from Dar es Salaam to Unguja. Safari entered the English language at the end of the 1850s thanks to explorer Richard Francis Burton.[6]

The Regimental March of the King's African Rifles was "Funga Safari", literally 'set out on a journey', or, in other words, pack up equipment ready for travel.

Funga safari, funga safari. Funga safari, funga safari. Amri ya nani? Amri ya nani? Amri ya Bwana Kapteni, Amri ya KAR.

Which is, in English:

Set out on a journey, Set out on a journey. On whose orders? On whose orders? On the order of the boss captain, On the order of the KAR.

On Kenya's independence from the United Kingdom, "Funga Safari" was retained as the Regimental March of the Kenya Rifles, the successor to the KAR.

History

[edit]

The origins of safari can be traced back to the first arrivals of Europeans and Arabs in Africa, long before the colonization era, but the big history of it began in the 19th century, when academic and economic interest to Africa increased in Western society, and technological advances and medicine (most notably the discovery of quinine as a remedy against malaria) allowed foreigners to step up deep into the continent safely enough. These expeditions established the concept of safari-style travel. While the goal of most was geographical discovery, the search for minerals and new routes of communication, others were primarily aimed at hunting animals, and elephant tusks at the first.[7]

In 1836, William Cornwallis Harris led an expedition to observe and record wildlife and landscapes. Harris established the safari style of journey, starting with a not-too-strenuous rising at first light, an energetic day walking, an afternoon rest, and concluding with a formal dinner and telling stories in the evening over drinks and tobacco.[8] The hunting aspect traditionally associated with the safari is said to have its origins in the early 17th century in the region of Évora, Alentejo, where villagers got together to hunt wild boar and reclaim land for farming.[citation needed]

The firm of Newland & Tarlton Ltd (founded 1904) pioneered luxury tented safaris.[9]

Literary genre

[edit]

Jules Verne's first novel Five Weeks in a Balloon published in 1863 and H. Rider Haggard's first novel King Solomon's Mines published in 1885, both describe journeys of English travellers on safari and were best sellers in their day. These two books gave rise to a genre of Safari adventure novels and films.[citation needed]

Ernest Hemingway wrote several fiction and nonfiction pieces about African safaris. His short stories "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber" and "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" are set on African safaris and were written after Hemingway's own experience on safari. His books Green Hills of Africa and True at First Light are both set on African safaris.

Cinematic genre

[edit]

The safari provided countless hours of cinema entertainment in sound films from Trader Horn (1931) onwards. The safari was used in many adventure films such as the Tarzan, Jungle Jim, and Bomba the Jungle Boy film series up to The Naked Prey (1965) where Cornel Wilde, a white hunter, becomes game himself. The safari genre films were parodied in the Bob Hope comedies Road to Zanzibar and Call Me Bwana. A short 15-minute helicopter safari was shown in Africa Addio, where clients are armed, flown from their hotel, and landed in front of an unlucky and baffled elephant. Out of Africa has Karen Blixen and famous hunter Denys Finch Hatton travelling, with Denys refusing to abandon home comforts using fine china and crystal, and listening to Mozart recordings over the gramophone while on safari trip.

Fashion

[edit]
A man in safari gear in the early 1900s
A man in safari gear in the early 1900s

The safari style originated from British officers and the jackets worn during their campaigns in Africa.[10] There is a particular theme or style associated with the word, which includes khaki clothing, belted bush jackets, pith helmets or slouch hats, and animal skin patterns. Pith helmet was initially worn by the British military in the tropics and was adopted as streetwear between 1870 and 1950.[11] Condé Nast Traveler describes safari jackets as, "crisp drill cotton with pockets, buttons, epaulets, belt", and a part of Kenyan colonial style.[11]

Theodore Roosevelt was "outfitted" in safari-style by his friend Lord Cranworth during his post-presidential safari trip from 1909 to 1910.[12] Lord Cranworth ran Newland & Tarlton, a luxury safari outfitter credited with creating safari-style clothing.[13] Other sources state Roosevelt was outfitted by Willis & Geiger in 1908.[14] Roosevelt carried British style rifles produced by Holland & Holland or Westley Richards, as did other safari attendees such as Ernest Hemingway.[11] Safari-style jackets have been worn by Hemingway as well as Hollywood celebrities like Grace Kelly and Johnny Weissmuller, and they remain a part of contemporary fashion.[11]

In the 2005 spring/summer edition of British Vogue, an article titled "World Vision: the grown-up approach to global style" featured haute safari style clothing.[15] Contemporary American public figures such as Melania Trump have worn safari fashion. Mrs. Trump wore a safari-style dress and jackets during her 2018 trip to Africa.[16] On this trip Mrs. Trump went on a safari in Kenya, she wore a pith helmet. Some have criticized the choice as evoking colonial ideals.[16] In 2014, Harper's Bazaar announced trend alerts featuring animal prints and a “safari sleek" style.[17] Couture designers in their 2015 fashion shows featured variations of safari-style in their collections. Designer Yang Lei featured a silk safari-style evening gown in his Spring/Summer collection during Paris Fashion Week.[18] Alexander Wang's collection focused on a variety of white shirts, including a safari-style white shirt dress.[19] The New York Times described designer Alberta Ferretti's 2015 daywear collection as "safari-sleek".[20]

In John Molloy's history of the leisure suit, he details that safari-style originated from British Officers wearing their uniforms outside military uses as "a status symbol, but only in casual settings."[21] Molloy stated in 1975 that it continues to be a form of casual menswear.[10] Alternatively, in Malindi Kenya, professional wear in the 1990s included safari-style clothing.[22] Yves Saint Laurent's 1967 Africa collection featured the "Saharienne" safari jacket.[23] In later collections, Yves Saint Laurent produced an iconic safari top.[23] According to Harper's Bazaar, the collection was "a fantasy of primitive genius."[24] On the other hand, differing fashion historians believe He had the gift of borrowing from one culture without being condescending to the other.[24]

The term safari chic arose after the release of the film Out of Africa.[25] It included not only clothing but also interior design and architecture.[26] Safari-style interiors feature African decor,[27] various hues of brown, natural materials,[28] animal print furniture, rugs and wallpaper.[29] In 2005 Architectural Digest released a list of luxurious safari camps.[30] Newland, Tarlton & Co. Furniture Collection, creates luxury safari-style furniture in featured safari camps, hotels and private homes.[31] Safari fashion also extends to fragrance collections by American designer Ralph Lauren; The Safari fragrance created in 1990 was advertised as "a floral aroma with a light breeze scented by grasses, freedom, and the romance of vast open spaces."[32]

See also

[edit]
  • Safari park
  • Ecotourism in Africa
  • Overlanding
  • Horses in Botswana
  • Big-game hunting
  • Glamping

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Safari definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary". www.collinsdictionary.com. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  2. ^ "safari noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary". www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  3. ^ "Definition of SAFARI". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  4. ^ Robinson, Peter; Lück, Michael; Smith, Stephen (2020). Tourism (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: CABI. p. 9. ISBN 978-1-78924-151-8. OCLC 1125274664.
  5. ^ Hans Wehr Arabic-English Dictionary
    The noun safar is in turn derived from the Arabic verb safara, from the root s-f-r.
  6. ^ "safari". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2 December 2014. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
    See also:
    "safari in English corpus, 1800–2000". Google Ngram Viewer. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  7. ^ "What a safari is?". Nile Sport Safari. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  8. ^ pp.6–7 Balfour, Daryl & Balfour, Sharna Simply Safari Struik, 2001
  9. ^ In the Spirit of Roosevelt Archived 21 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine; Newland & Tarlton Ltd
  10. ^ a b Cunningham, Patricia. "Dressing for Success: The Re-Suiting of Corporate America in the 1970s". Twentieth-Century American Fashion: 191–208.
  11. ^ a b c d Wrong, Michela (8 October 2013). "A Brief History of Safari Style". Condé Nast Traveler. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  12. ^ "Hunter-Conservationist or... Jekyll and Hyde?". Time. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  13. ^ Adams, Jonathan S.; McShane, Thomas O. (1996). The Myth of Wild Africa: Conservation Without Illusion. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-20671-7.
  14. ^ Kissel, William (31 October 1996). "The Fashion Survivalist". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  15. ^ Kopnina, Helen (1 December 2007). "The World According to Vogue: The Role of Culture(s) in International Fashion Magazines". Dialectical Anthropology. 31 (4): 363–381. doi:10.1007/s10624-007-9030-9. hdl:1887/39655. ISSN 1573-0786. S2CID 145724877. Archived from the original on 29 April 2023 – via Scholarly Publications Leiden University.
  16. ^ a b Friedman, Vanessa (8 October 2018). "Melania Trump: Out of Africa, Still in Costume". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  17. ^ "Shop The Bazaar: Safari Sleek". Harper's Bazaar. 4 November 2014. Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  18. ^ Friedman, Vanessa (4 March 2015). "Slouching Toward Versailles". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  19. ^ Friedman, Vanessa (2 October 2015). "Alexander Wang's Finale at Balenciaga". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  20. ^ Friedman, Vanessa (24 September 2015). "Fendi and Ferretti Find a New Muse". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  21. ^ Cunningham, Patricia (2008). "Dressing for Success: The Re-Suiting of Corporate America in the 1970s". Twentieth-Century American Fashion: 191–208. doi:10.2752/9781847882837/TCAF0014. ISBN 9781847882837.
  22. ^ Kratz, Corinne. "Kenya". Bloomsbury Fashion Central.
  23. ^ a b Loughran, Kristyne (21 April 2015). "The Idea of Africa in European High Fashion: Global Dialogues". Fashion Theory. 13 (2): 243–271. doi:10.2752/175174109X414277. S2CID 156014459.
  24. ^ a b Loughran, Kristyne (21 April 2015). "The Idea of Africa in European High Fashion: Global Dialogues". Fashion Theory: 243–271 – via Taylor & Francis Online.
  25. ^ p.175 Bickford-Smith, Vivian & Mendelsohn, Richard Black and White in Colour: African History on Screen James Currey Publishers
  26. ^ Gibbs, Bibi Jordan Safari Chic: Wild Exteriors and Polished Interiors of Africa Smith Publisher, 2000
  27. ^ Alexander, Robyn (2007). The New Safari: Design, Decor, Detail. Quivertree Publications. ISBN 978-0-9802651-0-1.
  28. ^ "21 Marvelous African Inspired Interior Design Ideas". Architecture Art Designs. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  29. ^ Clark, Emily A. (11 November 2014). "Decorate Your Home in African Safari Style". Condé Nast Traveler. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  30. ^ Sessa, Andrew (24 September 2015). "Best New African Safari Camps". Architectural Digest. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  31. ^ Safaris, Donald Young (3 December 2014). "Kenya's Oldest Luxury Brand". Newland Tarlton Safaris by Donald Young. Retrieved 18 April 2020.[dead link]
  32. ^ Sims, Shari (2010). "Fragrance as Fashion: So Much More Than Perfume". In Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion: Global Perspectives. doi:10.2752/9781847888594.EDch101414. ISBN 978-1-84788-859-4.
[edit]

Media related to Safari at Wikimedia Commons

 

The dictionary definition of safari at Wiktionary

 

African flora and fauna travel guide from Wikivoyage

 

Arabian Desert
ٱلصَّحْرَاء ٱلْعَرَبِيَّة
Desert near Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Map of the Arabian Desert ecoregion
Ecology
Realm Palearctic
Biome deserts and xeric shrublands
Borders
List
  • Gulf of Oman desert and semi-desert
  • Mesopotamian shrub desert
  • Middle East steppe
  • North Saharan steppe and woodlands
  • Persian Gulf desert and semi-desert
  • Red Sea Nubo-Sindian tropical desert and semi-desert
  • Tigris-Euphrates alluvial salt marsh
Geography
Area 1,855,470[1] km2 (716,400 mi2)
Countries
List
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Iraq
  • Jordan
  • Kuwait
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Iran (khuzestan)
  • Yemen
  • Egypt (Sinai)
Conservation
Conservation status critical/endangered[2]
Protected 4.368%[1]

The Arabian Desert (Arabic: ٱلصَّحْرَاء ٱلْعَرَبِيَّة) is a vast desert wilderness in West Asia that occupies almost the entire Arabian Peninsula with an area of 2,330,000 square kilometers (900,000 sq mi).[3] It stretches from Yemen to the Persian Gulf and Oman to Jordan and Iraq. It is the fourth largest desert in the world and the largest in Asia. At its center is Ar-Rub' al-Khali (The Empty Quarter), one of the largest continuous bodies of sand in the world. It is an extension of the Sahara Desert.[4]

Gazelles, oryx, sand cats, and spiny-tailed lizards are just some of the desert-adapted species that survive in this extreme environment, which features everything from red dunes to deadly quicksand. The climate is mostly dry (the major part receives around 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain per year, but some very rare places receive as little as 50 mm), and temperatures oscillate between very high heat and seasonal night time freezes. It is part of the deserts and xeric shrublands biome and lie in biogeographical realms of the Palearctic (northern part) and Afrotropical (southern part).

The Arabian Desert ecoregion has little biodiversity, although a few endemic plants grow here. Many species, such as the striped hyena, jackal and honey badger, have died out as a result of hunting, habitat destruction, overgrazing by livestock, off-road driving, and human encroachment on their habitat. Other species, such as the Arabian sand gazelle, have been successfully re-introduced and are protected at reserves.

Geography

[edit]
A satellite image of the Arabian Desert by NASA World Wind

The desert lies mostly in Saudi Arabia and covers most of the country. It extends into neighboring southern Iraq, southern Jordan, central Qatar, most of the Abu Dhabi emirate in the United Arab Emirates, western Oman, and northeastern Yemen. The ecoregion also includes most of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt and the adjacent Negev desert in southern Israel.[1]

The Rub' al-Khali desert is a sedimentary basin stretching along a south-west to north-east axis across the Arabian Shelf.[5] At an altitude of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), rock landscapes yield to the Rub' al-Khali, a vast stretch of sand whose extreme southern point crosses the center of Yemen. The sand overlies gravel or gypsum plains and the dunes reach maximum heights of up to 250 m (820 ft). The sands are predominantly silicates, composed of 80 to 90% quartz and the remainder feldspar, whose iron oxide-coated grains color the sands orange, purple, and red.

A corridor of sandy terrain known as the Ad-Dahna desert connects the An-Nafud desert (65,000 km2 or 40,389 square miles) in the north of Saudi Arabia to the Rub' al-Khali in the south-east.[citation needed] The Tuwaiq escarpment is an 800 km (500 mi) arc that includes limestone cliffs, plateaus, and canyons.[citation needed] There are brackish salt flats, including the quicksands of Umm al Samim.[2] The Sharqiya Sands, formerly known as Wahiba Sands of Oman are an isolated sand sea bordering the east coast.[6][7]

Climate

[edit]

The Arabian Desert has a subtropical, hot desert climate, similar to the climate of the Sahara Desert (the world's largest hot desert). The Arabian Desert is actually an extension of the Sahara Desert over the Arabian peninsula.

The climate is mainly dry. Most areas get around 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain per year. Unlike the Sahara Desert—more than half of which is hyperarid (having rainfall of less than 50 mm (2.0 in) per year)—the Arabian Desert has only a few hyperarid areas. These rare driest areas may get only 30 to 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain per year.

The Arabian Desert’s sunshine duration index is very high by global standards: between 2,900 hours (66.2% of daylight hours) and 3,600 hours (82.1% of daylight hours), but typically around 3,400 hours (77.6% of daylight hours). Thus clear-sky conditions with plenty of sunshine prevail over the region throughout the year, and cloudy periods are infrequent. Visibility at ground level is relatively low, despite the brightness of the sun and moon, because of dust and humidity.

Temperatures remain high year round. In the summer, in low-lying areas, average high temperatures are generally over 40 °C (104 °F). In extremely low-lying areas, especially along the Persian Gulf (near sea level), summer temperatures can reach 48 °C (118 °F). Average low temperatures in summer are typically over 20 °C (68 °F) and in the south can sometimes exceed 30 °C (86 °F). Record high temperatures above 50 °C (122 °F) have been reached in many areas of the desert, partly because its overall elevation is relatively low. [citation needed]

Flora and fauna

[edit]

The Arabian Desert ecoregion has about 900 species of plants.[8] The Rub'al-Khali has very limited floristic diversity. There are only 37 plant species, 20 recorded in the main body of the sands and 17 around the outer margins. Of these 37 species, one or two are endemic. Vegetation is very diffuse but fairly evenly distributed, with some interruptions of near sterile dunes.[2] Some typical plants are Calligonum crinitum on dune slopes, Cornulaca arabica (saltbush), Salsola stocksii (saltbush), and Cyperus conglomeratus. Other widespread species are Dipterygium glaucum, Limeum arabicum, and Zygophyllum mandavillei. Very few trees are found except at the outer margin (typically Acacia ehrenbergiana and Prosopis cineraria). Other species are a woody perennial Calligonum comosum, and annual herbs such as Danthonia forskallii.[2]

There are 102 native species of mammals.[8] Native mammals include the Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx), sand gazelle (Gazella marica), mountain gazelle (G. gazella), Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana), Arabian wolf (Canis lupus arabs), striped hyaena (Hyaena hyaena), caracal (Caracal caracal), sand cat (Felis margarita), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), and Cape hare (Lepus capensis).[2] The Asiatic cheetah[9] and Asiatic lion[10] used to live in the Arabian Desert. The ecoregion is home to 310 bird species.[8]

People

[edit]

The area is home to several different cultures, languages, and peoples, with Islam as the predominant faith. The major ethnic group in the region is the Arabs, whose primary language is Arabic.

In the center of the desert lies Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, with more than 7 million inhabitants.[11] Other large cities, such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Kuwait City, lie on the coast of the Persian Gulf.

Natural resources

[edit]

Natural resources available in the Arabian Desert include oil, natural gas, phosphates, and sulfur.[citation needed]

Conservation and threats

[edit]

Threats to the ecoregion include overgrazing by livestock and feral camels and goats, wildlife poaching, and damage to vegetation by off-road driving.[2]

The conservation status of the desert is critical/endangered. In the UAE, the sand gazelle and Arabian oryx are threatened, and honey badgers, jackals, and striped hyaenas already extirpated.[2]

Protected areas

[edit]

4.37% of the ecoregion is in protected areas.[1]

Saudi Arabia has established a system of reserves overseen by the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD).[2]

  • Harrat al-Harrah Reserve (12,150 km2), established in 1987, is on the border with Jordan and Iraq, and protects a portion of the stony basaltic Harrat al-Sham desert. The reserve includes rough terrain of black basaltic boulders and extinct volcanic cones from the middle Miocene. It provides habitat to over 250 species of plants, 50 species of birds, and 22 mammal species.[2]
  • 'Uruq Bani Ma'arid Reserve (12,000 km2) is on the western edge of the Rub’ al-Khali. Arabian oryx and sand gazelle were reintroduced to the reserve in 1995.
  • Ibex Reserve (200 km2) is south of Riyadh. It protects Nubian ibex and a reintroduced population of mountain gazelle.[2]
  • Al-Tabayq Special Nature Reserve is in northern Saudi Arabia, and protects a population of Nubian ibex.[2]

Protected areas in the United Arab Emirates include Al Houbara Protected Area (2492.0 km2), Al Ghadha Protected Area (1087.51 km2), Arabian Oryx Protected Area (5974.47 km2), Ramlah Protected Area (544.44 km2), and Al Beda'a Protected Area (417.0 km2).[12]

See also

[edit]
  • ʿĀd
  • Iram of the Pillars

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "Arabian Desert and East Sahero-Arabian xeric shrublands". Digital Observatory of Protected Areas. Accessed 19 December 2022. [1]
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Arabian Desert". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
  3. ^ "Arabian Desert | Facts, Definition, Temperature, Plants, Animals, & Map | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
  4. ^ "Arabian Desert: Middle East". geography.name. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
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  • [2][permanent dead link]

 

Reviews for Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates


Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates

Tamer M. Awad

(5)

One of the best Desert Safari organizers in Dubai, highly recommended. They do it in a very professional manner. They are always on time, the drivers are more than qualified to give you the full dune bashing experience with the sense of responsibility to the guests safety. The vehicles are in a high condition to give the guests the comfort needed during the journey from the pick up point and during every moment of the trip. The location of the camp is taking in consideration the weather condition. The food quality and quantity is high and the show is interesting. The bathroom condition is great, neat and clean and in a convenient spot within the camp. All this for a very reasonable and competitive price.

Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates

Martti Garden

(5)

It was an amazing experience driving through the desert with a 4x4, having a great dinner in the camp with good entertainment. And our driver Mohammed was awesome: very friendly, always pointing out interesting things to see and thankfully very skilled when driving through the dunes.

Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates

ABDUL

(4)

Great camping spot. On a hot day 41° it wasn't as bad as we expected. We were picked up from a location far away which is very convenient. We arrive at the location, and we transfer to offroad car, the driver wasn't fun at all that's why I gave 4 star, he wasn't speeding or doing aggressive maneuvers. I've been to other safari's and the sand was flying and hitting the windows. We arrive at camp and they told us we have food, sheesha, sand boarding, camel ride, henna, and soft drinks for free. But they will negotiate everything to pay extra. Extra for camel ride for extra time. Extra for food to stay VIP on top of the camping, extra for sheesha to take it to ur table, extra to give you pic with camel, extra to sell you arabian dress, extra for bigger henna. The experience was very nice. We enjoyed the sunset, didn't get the chance to snowboard or try sheesha. The food was acceptable.

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Private Desert Safari Dubai
25.224655641094, 55.290159262443
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Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
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Red Dunes Dubai
25.193130371437, 55.242705402759
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Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
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Dubai Dune Safari
25.18821122398, 55.232458876543
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Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
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Desert Safari Dubai
25.213304599433, 55.274068099828
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Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
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Desert Safari with Quad Bike Dubai
25.162508273984, 55.261325877081
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Evening Desert Safari Dubai
25.189093962542, 55.268764939303
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Morning Desert Safari Dubai
25.201808630212, 55.225889123454
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VIP Desert Safari Dubai
25.165864788358, 55.277822987469
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Desert Safari with Quad Bike Dubai
25.228703955129, 55.243727722231
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Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
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Red Dunes Dubai
25.149098350019, 55.231942123021
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Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
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Frequently Asked Questions

There is no specific weight limit for Desert Safari Dubai, but guests should be able to comfortably fit in the vehicle seats with safety belts. The minimum age for buggy drivers is 16 years. Pregnant women and people with back problems should avoid dune bashing activities.

Desert Safari Dubai entertainment includes traditional belly dancing performances, spectacular fire shows, mesmerizing Tanura dance with colorful spinning skirts, and live Arabic music. Some camps also offer falcon displays and traditional costume photo opportunities for guests.

Desert Safari Dubai bookings can be paid via credit card online during booking or cash payment directly to the driver on the tour day. We accept all major credit cards including Visa and Mastercard. PayPal payment options are also available through our secure booking system.