Located 45 kilometres from the city of Dubai, lies the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve which is home to natural fauna and flora, rejuvenating the desert landscape to what it once was. It is an initiative of Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who purchased 87 square miles of a former camel farm in 1997 to protect and preserve endangered species native to the Arab land. It is UAEs (United Arab Emirates) first designated conservation area which is protected under the Arab law and also functions as a national park, as it has been designated an international protected area by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the United Nations Environmental Program. All proceeds generated from visitors are invested in the parks activities such as the conservation of the wildlife.
Legend has it that this park was the very place from which Julius Caesar obtained the now extinct African lions which were used in fights against Christians in the Coliseum in Rome. Travellers will be enthralled by the sight of the many Arabian Oryx, Sand and Arabian Gazelles who have been successfully reintroduced into the wild, after being in an endangered status. Other species of interest include the antelope, the Ethiopian hedgehog, sand cats, and the Barbary falcon among the more than 120 bird, 43 mammal and 57 plant species which reside in this vast desert landscape.
Visitors can experience this desert odyssey via safari rides which need to be booked in advance due to the limited number of excursions available, in line with the parks status as an international protected area. Each safari excursion is accompanied by an experienced guide possessing ample knowledge of the local wildlife as well as the desert fauna and flora. Other activities of interest include camel treks, dune camping, desert walks, falconry, horse riding and sand-skiing to name a few.
To help enrich your desert adventure, stay at a
hotel in Dubai such as the Raffles Dubai, UAE. This
hotel Dubai is an excellent choice as it is located in the city centre with easy access to the Dubai International Airport and caters to both leisure and business travellers with facilities such as the Raffles Amrita Spa, Raffles Botanical Garden and various meeting and conference rooms.
