Desert

Camel races take place Thursday and Friday during the winter months. The races are vigorous and exciting and a village fair atmosphere prevails around the track with vendors offering blankets, rugs, beads and a variety of other rural wares for sale.

Camel rides are part of most tours & desert safaris. Tour operators and hotels can also arrange camel rides separately.

These trips cover varied terrain ranging from desert to mountain and take in remote camel or goat farms and isolated villages. Particularly popular are safaris that culminate in the evening with spectacular sunset views followed by a traditional Arabian barbecue under the stars complete with music, belly dancing, the smoking of shisha pipes and often a display of falconry. Choose from half day, full day and over-night safari packages.

Courses and tours in sand driving are available with four-wheel-drive vehicles provided along with expert instruction.

A popular pastime with both residents and visitors is known as wadi-bashing –exploring the wadis or dry beds of streams that flow after the winter rains from the Hajar mountains. Many wadis offer scenes of unexpected beauty, attractive rock pools, some with water year-round, surrounded by greenery. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are required and are available for hire with or without drivers.

Some local tour operators offer the opportunity to visit a Bedouin village outside Dubai giving an insight into the traditional way of life.

Most hotels operate, recommend or book tours for their guests, for further details of tours a list of websites follows:

Desert Safari Dubai  Dubai City Tours  Desert Gate Tourism  Alpha Tours  Lama Desert Tours  Off Road Adventures  Net Tours  Arabian Adventures   Desert Rangers  East Adventure Tours