Camping In Abu Dhabi

Camping in the desert or by the beach is a popular weekend activity in the UAE and Oman. With constant sunshine and some beautiful locations it is easy to understand why people make it a regular weekend activity.

Best time to camp
 

The best times to camp is between October and April, otherwise it will be too hot and not very pleasant. It won't take you long to find someone who is keen on camping and happy to take you a long.

For the less adventurous, an overnight in Oman on an organized tour will still give you everything you want from sightseeing, to snorkeling with the amazing sea life but you will find yourself well guided and if there is any problems they should be handled by the tour operators.

There are also plenty of off road explorer books; manuals that can help you find the perfect destination.

Camping precautions

The best precaution is to always have plenty of water and full tank of fuel. You may need some back up if you want to trek deep into the desert… but you will generally find the odd petrol station that can refuel you before things get dire.

Make sure you tell someone where you are going and when you will be back! It is also advisable if you are off roading to always go in two cars in case you get stuck in the sand and need towing out!

Make sure you check the weather and sea reports- wadis can becomoe full of water in the rainy season and flash floods do occur. It also is about 10 degrees coller at night so make sure you take some warm clothes with you as well.

Camping Equipment

Here's a handy list of things to take camping with you based on our experience...

Equpiment & Gear

Tent or shelter
Sheets or sleeping bags
Blow-up mattress
Pillows
Firewood
Grills
Stove top kettle
Bar B Q
Tin foil
Charcoal
Matches
Picnic set
Bowl for washing up
Warm jacket or cardigan
First Aid Kit
Tow rope
Rubbish bags
Bathroom Tissue
Sun Screen
Sun Umbrella
Map
Mobile Phone
GPS if off roading
Guide Book
Towels
Hand wipes
Picnic chairs
Picnic table
Insect repellant
Cool Box
Ice

Food
Bread
Crisps and nuts
Fruit
Meat- steaks, sausages
Water- for drinking and washing
Potatoes
Marshmallows for melting!

You'll be cooking your food on a fire and won't have a fridge- so really think about what to take with you- keep it simple!

Locations

If you are intersted in going Dubai camping along one of the beach locations remember to obtain a permit from Dubai municipality. You are required to obtain a permit for this as there have been some cases of littering in the past.

Jebel Ali Beach and Ghantoot is one of the most popular locations for Dubai campers and it does get fairly busy. You may want to drive a little further up the road to Ghantoot and put up your tent around the Golden Tulip area.

If you go to Oman through Ras Al Khaimah towards the Mussandam Peninsula there are also some great inland and beach spots.

If you travel towards Hatta then you can find some beautiful camping locations in the sand dunes along the way.

the best thing to do is ask people where they have been so you get to know all the secret spots like the ones pictured here :)

Organised camping tours

If you don't want to go alone, several companies offer desert safaris with entertainment laid on, ranging from half days to overnights. One of the biggest is Arabian Adventures (04 3439966).

The desert safari is the must do for all visitors, you may find yourself doing it more than once because it is a perfect day out for your guests. It’s a bit touristy but it plenty of fun and great introduction to the desert. The dune bashing is wild, but make sure you don’t suffer from car sickness.. this is sure to turn your stomach otherwise.