If you are planning a trip to the United Arab Emirates, spending a couple of days in the Empty Quarter is an absolute must. For me, it was the definite highlight of our one-week trip. The proof? We were going to spend only one night, out of curiosity, but ended up extending our stay and sacrificing our planned visit to Abu Dhabi town!
Rub’ Al Khali or “the Empty Quarter” is the largest sand desert in the world. It includes parts of not only the United Arab Emirates, but also Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Oman. They call it “empty” for a reason. Apart from the odd camel farm, date plantation or tiny settlement, all you will see is sand. The Empty Quarter is part of Abu Dhabi. A good motorway takes your in two hours from Abi Dhabi city to Liwa Oasis. This is the best starting point for visiting the Empty Quarter. Not only does it feel like a different country, but a different planet altogether. Interesting fact: Liwa is the birthplace of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi.
Where to stay in the Empty Quarter?
Qasr Al Sarab: best hotel ever
There is not a lot of tourism going on the Liwa Oasis, so accommodation choices are limited. Camping is always an option and considered to be very safe, but it was the end of our trip and we wanted some comfort and relaxation before heading home. I booked us a room in the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara. It was by far the most expensive hotel we stayed in in the UAE (400+ euros in the shoulder season). As such we had high expectations!
We were not disappointed – the hotel was amazing. Qasr Al Sarab is built in the style of a traditional Emirati fort. Thanks to its authentic look, it is hard to believe that the building is only 10 years old. I loved the fact that the hotel was over 15 kilometres from the nearest public road. This meant we were completely surrounded by nothing but desert and total silence.
The Liwa Hotel: the affordable option
If you are looking for a more affordable accommodation, the Liwa Hotel is a popular option and very conveniently located. We drove past whilst exploring the Empty Quarter. It is not as remote, but still very quiet and it definitely saves you time driving to and from the main sights.
Camping: the freedom of the desert
Wild camping is permitted in the UAE. This makes pitching a tent or roof tent another attractive option to spend the night in the Empty Quarter. There are no formal campgrounds with facilities, meaning you need to be fully self-sufficient.
If you’re attracted by this option, but don’t have the equipment or experience to spend the night in the desert on your own, booking a camping trip is a great way to get a taster.
What to do in the Empty Quarter?
Sunrise on a camel
It is definitely very cliché, but the thing to do when visiting the desert is a camel ride. Qasr Al Sarab has got a wide menu of activities on offer, so we opted for their sunrise camel ride. The wake-up call at 0500 was painful and I was quite dozy during the 15 mins jeep ride to the camel stables in a nearby wadi. However, once I mounted my own “ship of the desert”, I was wide awake. With a group of six people plus guides, we rode for about an hour until we arrived at the top of a sand dune to watch the sunrise. Morning coffee and small bites were served whilst we sat back and relaxed. As a bonus, the jeeps were parked at the bottom of the dune and we could run down it (amazing!).
The morning excursion got me completely energised, but my husband wanted to nap more before having breakfast. No problem – we had booked a Deluxe Garden Room, which means we had our own little lawn outside the room as well as a terrace overlooking the desert, where I happily spent an hour with a book.
Self-drive around Liwa Oasis
After breakfast, we jumped in our car, ready to explore Liwa Oasis and the desert. A surprisingly good road connects all villages in the Liwa Oasis. The only pity is that you have to drive out and back. It is not possible to make a loop. The drive in itself is stunning. On the main road is a lot of clutter, i.e. pylons and electricity wires, but once you get into the small side roads, there are only rolling sand dunes. We made several stops at scenic points and camel farms. These are some of the highlights:
Tal Mireb
The goal of our little road trop was to drive to Tal Mireb (Moreeb Dune) which is the highest sand dune in the UAE. It doesn’t look 300m tall at all when you are standing in front, but once you start climbing, I guarantee it will feel twice that height. The inclination of 50+ degrees doesn’t help. For the good record, I gave up halfway). A huge parking lot is laid out at the bottom of the dune. It attracts hordes of visitors during the Liwa Festival which includes camel racing and dune bashing competitions. When we arrived, we were the only visitors.
Liwa Fort
On the way back, we stopped at the Liwa Fort. It’s a small, classic Emirati fort and chances are you will have it to yourself. There are no facilities or even information signs, but it is a scenic place.
Camel racing
There is a camel racing track not far from the hotel that is still operational. I was keen to see a race, but unfortunately none were taking place and the premises were deserted.
Road trips make you hungry and, like the night before, we had planned to eat in the hotel. There is a choice of four different restaurants with different cuisine, but we had a definite favourite. Al Waha which offers Arabic food in an outdoors setting. The restaurant is set up as a traditional Arabic majlis or sitting room. Guests have a lot of space and privacy – we felt like we were alone in the desert.
Conquering sand dunes
On our second and last day, we once again opted for an early start. This time we were participating in a desert walk. We again set off in a jeep to the starting point of the walk. Our guide was an experienced driver and showcased some nice dune driving on the way.
I love walking, so I was very interested in the techniques shown by our guide for hiking up sand dunes with minimal effort. It’s a real pity we didn’t do this walk before going to Tal Mireb. We also learnt about vegetation in the desert and survival.
We watched the sunrise from the top of a dune. We found out that our guide was not only a competent desert walker, but also an eager photographer. He offered to take some snaps and confidently ordered us in position (with variable success).
At the top of the final dune, we were welcomed once again with coffee and refreshments before heading back to the hotel.
Pool time to end the trip
Our flight home was booked for the evening, but that didn’t stop us from making most of our last day in Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort. We relaxed on our terrace and then headed to the pool. We had taken quick dips on both evenings, but this was the first time we could admire the beautifully landscaped pool in the daylight.
We timed our return to Dubai airport carefully, so we would be able to see the sunset whilst still in the Empty Quarter, surrounded by dunes. We picked a nice spot, parked the car and expertly headed up a sand dune for a pick-nick supper as the sun went down.
