This is my very first New Year’s Eve outside of my home country, but a
least I got to spend it with like-minded people who loves adventures
and the outdoors.
I set out early from work. Asked my boss to leave early so I could get a ride from the searing Jebel Ali Dubai Desert to catch the 1:30 pm appointment time at EPPCO Petrol Station in Dubai Internet City. I’m so glad, Nilesh Kumar from India shared his 4 x 4 Pajero with me on a very long road trip to Abu Dhabi where the well-known red sands of Liwa Desert is located. We are headed for that location to set it as our base camp for a two-day and a night escapade.
We arrived in the late afternoon, and enjoyed basking under the setting sun, enjoyed the sunset while setting our BBQ grills in the dunes, had a bonfire, and we went to hike a little more uphill to watch the magnificent midnight fireworks from Qasr Al Sarab. The fireworks displays was quite far from a distance where we are located but still the fireworks was a spectacle to behold.
In case, anyone might be interested to go in the future, here are the Google Maps coordinates so that you won’t be at a lost at the very vast Liwa Desert Dunes.
(GATE (22°53’04.3″N 54°20’49.4″E).
https://goo.gl/maps/ThaDRomTi5k
CAMP SITE (22°53’11.8″N 54°19’08.8″E):
https://goo.gl/maps/5q3NUtkNNT72
The last part of the hike is a test for your driving techniques and skills as the last few kilometers (more or less 2km) is only reachable by 4×4. It takes some skill and determination to get to the top as most of our colleagues get stuck in the sand every now and then.
The whole area is an infinite sun and sand. It is so hell of a gorgeous place to enjoy the wide desert away from the hassle and bustle of the busy metro life. More than enough space to chill and have fun, be crazy, to pitch your tent far away from any snorers & wild dancers, (sometimes drunkards, LOL). It was basically an avenue where you could have all the freedom to just be yourself.
On the first day of the year, after the shortest sleep of the year sleep, just roughly less than an hour due to the extended noisy party music of those who opt to party more until daybreak, we head into an almost secret “paradise” resort hotel in Qasr Al Sarab.We had a bit of dune bashing towards that lovely place. We went there to have tea, coffee, beverages. Some of us had some breakfast before heading back home.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS FOR THOSE WHO PLAN TO GO
• To go you are required a 4×4 (Jeep, Prado, FJ, Pajero, Adventure, etc..) to reach the camp site – SUVs won’t do. Your car must have front and rear recovery points. In the desert, the tires need to be deflated for more grip in the slippery and soft desert sand. Otherwise, you’ll get stuck, which many of us did..LOL…Therefore, off-roading in Liwa is NOT for newbie drivers.
WHAT TO BRING
• Your 4×4 should be ideally equipped with gauge, deflator tools, air compressor, recovery rope & shackles
• Take your torches and head lights and some extra battery for the phones. As a reminder, the DU Network does not work in Liwa, but rival Etisalat Network works just fine, so in case you might want to contact or message anyone for emergencies and just about anything else, bring an Etisalat Phone with you.
• For the sunset BBQ, bring your fave food & drinks, chocolates or marshmallows to grill. Fish, chicken, beef would just be fine. Be cautious in grilling pork BBQ as some might get offended as Abu Dhabi or generally UAE is still pretty an Islamic State.
Also, bring a lot of charcoal & firewood to keep you warm longer to stay for the night as it was really so darn cold during dawn.
• For breakfast, bring your eggs, ham, cereals, fruits, yoghurt,milk. Apples, Oranges and Bananas always come in handy for long trips. Make sure the bananas don’t get mashed up though.
• Usual camping gear: tent,cots /mattress, folding chairs and tables, sleeping bag, …. It will be cold at night, so bring your extra socks! and thick jackets;)
There was no checkpoint or border crossing anticipated or travel checkpoints but we still needed to bring our passport / Emirates ID card with us because as there might be random Police checks anytime.
The group I went camping with is a non-commercial/profit group without officially trained or certified guides but many members have had extensive hiking experience world wide so they could easily give a hand for another member in need.
Attendance was solely under one’s risk and responsibility.Hence everybody was expected to behave in a very civil and professional way.
*Please never forget to share and leave your comments and follow me.
Facebook: Edi Aro
Twitter: @edi_aro
I set out early from work. Asked my boss to leave early so I could get a ride from the searing Jebel Ali Dubai Desert to catch the 1:30 pm appointment time at EPPCO Petrol Station in Dubai Internet City. I’m so glad, Nilesh Kumar from India shared his 4 x 4 Pajero with me on a very long road trip to Abu Dhabi where the well-known red sands of Liwa Desert is located. We are headed for that location to set it as our base camp for a two-day and a night escapade.
We arrived in the late afternoon, and enjoyed basking under the setting sun, enjoyed the sunset while setting our BBQ grills in the dunes, had a bonfire, and we went to hike a little more uphill to watch the magnificent midnight fireworks from Qasr Al Sarab. The fireworks displays was quite far from a distance where we are located but still the fireworks was a spectacle to behold.
In case, anyone might be interested to go in the future, here are the Google Maps coordinates so that you won’t be at a lost at the very vast Liwa Desert Dunes.
(GATE (22°53’04.3″N 54°20’49.4″E).
https://goo.gl/maps/ThaDRomTi5k
CAMP SITE (22°53’11.8″N 54°19’08.8″E):
https://goo.gl/maps/5q3NUtkNNT72
The last part of the hike is a test for your driving techniques and skills as the last few kilometers (more or less 2km) is only reachable by 4×4. It takes some skill and determination to get to the top as most of our colleagues get stuck in the sand every now and then.
The whole area is an infinite sun and sand. It is so hell of a gorgeous place to enjoy the wide desert away from the hassle and bustle of the busy metro life. More than enough space to chill and have fun, be crazy, to pitch your tent far away from any snorers & wild dancers, (sometimes drunkards, LOL). It was basically an avenue where you could have all the freedom to just be yourself.
On the first day of the year, after the shortest sleep of the year sleep, just roughly less than an hour due to the extended noisy party music of those who opt to party more until daybreak, we head into an almost secret “paradise” resort hotel in Qasr Al Sarab.We had a bit of dune bashing towards that lovely place. We went there to have tea, coffee, beverages. Some of us had some breakfast before heading back home.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS FOR THOSE WHO PLAN TO GO
• To go you are required a 4×4 (Jeep, Prado, FJ, Pajero, Adventure, etc..) to reach the camp site – SUVs won’t do. Your car must have front and rear recovery points. In the desert, the tires need to be deflated for more grip in the slippery and soft desert sand. Otherwise, you’ll get stuck, which many of us did..LOL…Therefore, off-roading in Liwa is NOT for newbie drivers.
WHAT TO BRING
• Your 4×4 should be ideally equipped with gauge, deflator tools, air compressor, recovery rope & shackles
• Take your torches and head lights and some extra battery for the phones. As a reminder, the DU Network does not work in Liwa, but rival Etisalat Network works just fine, so in case you might want to contact or message anyone for emergencies and just about anything else, bring an Etisalat Phone with you.
• For the sunset BBQ, bring your fave food & drinks, chocolates or marshmallows to grill. Fish, chicken, beef would just be fine. Be cautious in grilling pork BBQ as some might get offended as Abu Dhabi or generally UAE is still pretty an Islamic State.
Also, bring a lot of charcoal & firewood to keep you warm longer to stay for the night as it was really so darn cold during dawn.
• For breakfast, bring your eggs, ham, cereals, fruits, yoghurt,milk. Apples, Oranges and Bananas always come in handy for long trips. Make sure the bananas don’t get mashed up though.
• Usual camping gear: tent,cots /mattress, folding chairs and tables, sleeping bag, …. It will be cold at night, so bring your extra socks! and thick jackets;)
There was no checkpoint or border crossing anticipated or travel checkpoints but we still needed to bring our passport / Emirates ID card with us because as there might be random Police checks anytime.
The group I went camping with is a non-commercial/profit group without officially trained or certified guides but many members have had extensive hiking experience world wide so they could easily give a hand for another member in need.
Attendance was solely under one’s risk and responsibility.Hence everybody was expected to behave in a very civil and professional way.
*Please never forget to share and leave your comments and follow me.
Facebook: Edi Aro
Twitter: @edi_aro
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