An hour from Dubai’s crazy excess is another emirate, quieter, wilder, easier to negotiate. Climb a mountain, zipline from the top, get lost in a desert – Ras Al Khaimah is a breath of fresh Middle Eastern air.
By Peter Frost
Ras Al Khaimah is one of seven UAE emirates, the adventure destination of the Middle East. Precious few malls, not a lot of skyscrapers. Instead a selection of adventure options. Choose from these four.
1. Dune ‘bashing’ in the Al Wadi desert
At the Dunes Camping and Safari they give you the choice of camel, buggy, quad, horse or 4×4. If you choose the 4×4 it’s a fleet of large Prados, Patrols and Lexus’. Then they put you in the back and go for the full Mad Max, careening through the desert looking for impossible angles to thrill their passengers. The more fun option is to choose a dune buggy and go driving yourself. There’s a man that needs to come with you but he’s only there to direct you. The buggy is incredible in the sand, as are the sunset scenes as you crest dune after dune.
2. Longest zipline in the world
The pass of Jebel Jais pass exists only to bring people to the summit of the particularly impressive ophiolite peak, part of the Hagar range on the Musandam Peninsula. They come primarily to do the Jebel Jais Flight zip line, 2.8km long. It’s a rush, literally, as much for the chasm beneath you as the length or speed of it.
At base camp you kit up, climb in a Kombi, drive another kilometre higher and prep for the line. The zip takes two minutes and deposits you on a suspended platform, from where you defrock and zip a much shorter distance to the final landing platform. Back in the Kombi, back up to base camp. It’s a wild ride.
Read more about the zipline: Adrenaline junkie? The UAE emirate of Ras Al Khaimah can help.
3. The ‘Sledder’ mountain toboggan
The Jais Sledder is arguably much more terrifying, a go-cart hurtling down the mountain. The ride starts a kilometre below the launch station, you chug up, up, up strapped into a mechanical sled, then round a corner and … the rest will be a blur. There are two brakes either side of the sled which can be activated but the staff suggest it isn’t necessary – ‘it’s only 40kph, max’. Well Bond in the simulator, it’s crazy fast and those lateral Gs around turn 10 and 11 are hardcore. Huge fun though.
4. Test your wilderness skills with Bear Grylls Explorer Camp
The famous adventurer has set up a wilderness camp in the Hajar Mountains which tests the skills of its visitors. Abseiling, archery, how to stay alive in the wilderness at night, cooking, rope techniques, climbing and hiking essentials. There are individual and family courses as well as corporate events. Accommodation is in converted container cabins, with full ablution facilities, clean linen and most of the mod-cons (this is the Middle East, after all).
Quick guide Ras Al Khaimah
Ras Al Khaimah is one of seven emirates of the UAE, an hour’s drive north from Dubai on the Musandam Peninsula. Ideal visiting times are in autumn and spring (October to January, March to June).
Most of the world’s airlines fly into Dubai and there are often excellent special offers. From there it is an easy hour’s drive up the coast on a multi-lane highway to Ras Al Khaimah.
South African residents need a UAE visa before flying, obtainable online, which costs R3000.00
The UAE drives on the right-hand side of the road. Hire car companies are plentiful, most operating from Dubai.
For details of hotels, destinations, attractions and itineraries, visit Ras Al Khaimah’s official tourism site: visitrasalkhaimah.com
Pictures: Peter Frost
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