Away from the glitz and glam of the metropolis of Dubai is a barren desert conservation area called the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. It’s on land gifted by one of the many Sheiks in the country; his horse ranch is visible from parts of the reserve. The reserve is a mixure of sweeping, wind-sculpted dunes, roaming antelope and oryx, and scraggly bushes and trees. Winding through reserve are jeep trails suitable only for four-wheel drive vehicles and only then with some air let out of the tires. The landscape is beautiful only in the way a desert can be. Tours are available from Plantinum Heritage, one of the few non-dune bashing, conservation minded desert safari companies in the Emirate.
Tours range from less than $200 to upwards of $500 if you want to spend the night in a bedouin camp. Transportation is in your own private, luxury Landrover, or an open top vintage Landrover. While they do offer day-safaris during the summer, it’s best advised to stick to the evening tours to beat the heat. That being said, the reserve is far enough inland that you’ll be away from the oppressive humidity of the coast – it’s a “dry heat.”
