Experiencing Bedouin life – a night in the Dubai desert

January 5, 2019

A night in the desert was something we didn’t want to miss out on when we visited the United Arab Emirates. We had one week in the UAE and wanted it to be a relaxing holiday, so we looked for a nice, comfortable desert experience. To my surprise, the offering for all-in trips close to Dubai was limited. I found plenty of options that were a bit more rough and ready. Platinum Heritage however was the only operator where I found a package that was exactly what we were looking for. When the company also came recommended, separately, by a friend who had recently visited Dubai, I decided to give it a go and surprise my husband with a night in a luxury Bedouin camp.

Platinum Heritage offer a wide range of activities, but the choice of package was easily made. We opted for the Heritage overnight desert safari in a vintage Landrover which we very much preferred over the modern ones. Coping without aircon was not too bad!

The vintage Landrovers are a great feature

Jeep safari in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve

The organisation of the whole package was impeccable. After two days in busy Dubai, we were tired and looking forward to getting out in nature. We were picked up at our hotel promptly at 1400 by our guide and from then on all we did was sit back and relax. We shared the car with 4 other people who would be our companions for the trip. The drive out of Dubai and to the entrance of the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) to just over an hour. The reserve was established in 2003 to protect the desert landscape of the Emirate. Even though it only comprises about 5% of Dubai’s land, it feels quite remote. Admittedly, you can still see the city lights in the distance and you won’t get a completely dark sky at night, but finding this contrast with the city only an hour away is pretty special.

Upon entering the DDCR, we spotted roaming camels for the first time. We got out of the cars and changed into the vintage Landrovers for our safari drive. But first, we all received a headscarf which we were taught to put onto our heads in traditional Emirati fashion. I felt a bit silly at first – I wasn’t dressed in a particularly conservative manner, so the headscarf seemed over the top. However, once we had set off and the fine sand started blowing around our heads, I got the point and was grateful for the scarf.

Learning to tie a guthra, or traditional Emirati headscarf

We soon spotted a troupe of Arabian oryx, which have been successfully reintroduced in the reserve, and we made a stop at a viewpoint. By the time the sun started to set, we stopped for drinks and to watch a traditional falconry show. I’m not a bird person, so I passed at the opportunity to pet the falcon and hold it.

Arabian oryx have been reintroduced in the DDCR

Enjoying Arabian food and entertainment

Onward we went to the Bedouin camp where we were going to have dinner and spend the night. The camp was super cosy and well laid out, so it never felt busy. We were welcomed with Arabian coffee and our guide gave us a quick overview of the different areas, activities and explained what we would have for dinner. I was very much looking forward to the latter, as the afternoon in the desert made me feel hungry!

Dinner was served as a buffet with traditional mezze, soup and a selection of hot mains. The mains included a camel stew. Even though I knew that eating camel meat, even though it is becoming increasingly popular, is not traditionally done, I was keen to try. In hindsight, it wasn’t very special, but the stew and other foods were nice. During dinner, we watched a performance of traditional dances. Afterwards, I had my hands painted with henna by the lovely and talented Azma and we unwound over shisha and more coffee.

A night in a luxury Bedouin camp

The majority of the guests got back in the cars to return to Dubai. We were amongst the dozen or so people that had planned to spend the night in the camp. Rooms were assigned per couple and the stone walls with tapestry offered more privacy than I had initially expected. We had to do without a shower, but shared toilets and basins were available. My husband and I love sleeping under canvas and were excited about the night in this new kind of outdoors accommodation. I loved the silence – despite the relative proximity of the city, we could not hear anything – and fell asleep easily.

Needless to say, that I was really gutted when the French family in the rooms next to ours woke up before dawn to go on a sunrise balloon ride and their small son felt compelled to play “war” with his dad. I had pondered about the balloon ride as well, but I know myself and know from experience that sunrise activities always seem much more attractive the night before compared to 0400 in the morning… Nonetheless, as we both struggled to get back to sleep, we got out of bed shortly after the rough wake-out and walked out of the camp to a small hill just nearby to watch the sunrise (and the hot air balloons) from there. A worthwhile decision.

Waking up early meant we had the camp to ourselves

A nice breakfast buffet was served and afterwards we packed our things and returned to the Landrovers for the drive back to the reserve entrance, followed by the transfer to Dubai. We were both very satisfied with the experience. My only worry upfront had been whether it would be a bit too touristy, but this wasn’t the case. A lot of activities are packed in a short space of time, but the team has made a successful effort to keep it relatively small scale and safeguard the feeling of authenticity. I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants to explore the desert and old Bedouin life in comfort and lacks the time for a truly remote trip to, say, the Empty Quarter.