This video is about an evening drive (28km) from Ras Al Khaimah city centre to The Dunes Safari & Camping site in Al Wadi Desert.
Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It joined the United Arab Emirates on 10 February 1972 under the leadership of Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammad al-Qasimi.
The other six emirates are Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and Fujairah with Abu Dhabi being the capital of the UAE.
The emirate is governed by a local government under the leadership and guidance of Supreme Council Member and Ras Al Khaimah Ruler, His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, and Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed Bin Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi.
The city of Ras Al Khaimah, sometimes simply abbreviated to RAK or RAK City, is the capital of the emirate and home to most of the emirate's residents.
Its name in English means "top of the tent".
Its geography consists of a northern part (where Ras Al Khaimah City and most towns are situated) and a large southerly inland exclave (near the Dubai exclave of Hatta), and a few small islands in the Persian Gulf.
This emirate is bordered from the South and the Northeast by Oman and shares borders with the emirates of Umm Al Quwain, Sharjah, and Fujairah. It is the only emirate that overlooks the entrance to the Arabian Gulf and has a vast coastline stretching to roughly 65 kilometres.
Ras Al Khaimah has the most fertile soil in the country, due to a larger share of rainfall and underground water streams from the Hajar mountains.
As one of the emirates that has never discovered oil, Ras Al Khaimah has focused on diversifying its economy and has had real success with its thriving industrial sector.
The main economic sectors include real estate, tourism, building materials, manufacturing and high-tech industry, service sector, agriculture and fisheries.
The main highways linking Ras Al Khaimah with other emirates is Mohammed bin Zayed Road (E311) and Emirates Road (E611), both of which travel from Ras Al Khaimah through Umm Al Quwain, Ajman and Sharjah and onto Dubai and Abu Dhabi. These highways allow for journeys from Ras Al Khaimah to Dubai in under one hour.
Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) is one of the UAE’s lesser-known emirates, and rarely receives the credit it deserves. It’s often overlooked as most of the visitors prefer and/or only get to visit Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
It is home to many recreational and sporting activities that provide visitors with an adventurous experience entwined with nuances of local culture. The emirate is also an ideal destination for enthusiasts of a variety of sports, such as aviation, squash, tennis, swimming, diving, water skiing, sailing, road trips, nature walks and mountain hiking trips. Traditional sports lovers can enjoy their favourite hobbies including falconry shows, camel and horse racing. Some of the activities that one can partake of in Ras Al Khaimah include waterparks, zoo, desert safaris, paragliding, falconry, archery, golf, cinemas, springs, camping, gardens and parks.
The emirate is also home to the longest zip line in the world, which has been certified by Guinness World Records and is located in Jebel Jais - the highest mountain in the UAE, that stands proud at 1,934 meters (6,345 feet) tall and offers breath-taking views for adventurers. The zip line can accommodate 250 people per day, and slots can be booked online.
The emirate also offers quiet, white, sandy and pristine beaches, turquoise sea, as well as mountains with scenic views. It is also peaceful, still relatively unknown, this is the perfect place to escape Dubai’s notorious crowds.
Ras Al Khaimah’s landscape spans vast magnificent deserts and sand dunes that are known for their stunning, sweeping formations with reddish sand. And with its sprawling cover of desert plants and Ghaf trees (Prosopis cineraria), driving through the emirate or spending time discovering it provides for a beautiful and refreshing adventure.
Its expansive terrain brims with a variety of wildlife, such as deer, camels, desert foxes, goats and other animals. However, with the change in the ecology and the environment, their numbers have begun to diminish. Ras Al Khaimah and UAE Government have therefore put into place rules to protect the remaining indigenous wildlife species.
Domesticated camels and falcons can also be found in tourist attractions.
Let me know if you’ve been to Ras Al Khaimah and/or Al Wadi Desert and how your experience was like in the comments section below.
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Cheers!
Rhods.