Desert brings up on mind an image of a sandy arid, barren and rather lifeless landscape, but appearances can be deceptive and Al Qudra forest is a perfect example of that. Although deserts habitats are indeed largely dry and parched, they are able to support a great variety of life. Coming across a natural oasis or lush green gardens in the middle of the desert would rather be considered as mirage in the past times. Although nowadays you will find a lot of beautiful artificially maintained desert farms, you can still enjoy this relaxing experience and let nature rejuvenate you.
HOW I FOUND AL QUDRA FOREST
It was already late afternoon and I decided to go for a lazy desert drive in the desert. I marked a few spots on the map I wanted to drive through including this mysteriously looking green spot surrounded by sand dunes that I spotted through Google Maps and I honestly thought it is just another artificial lake of Al Qudra. You can imagine how surprised I was when I drove over the high dune nearby to discover no lake but… a lush green forest with old, tall trees surrounding it.
In the middle of Al Qudra forest you will find a small pond with shrubs and plants growing inside and around it. In arid areas like this desert, recreating the experience of natural oasis must requires some additional doing. Water must be pumped from an external source and channeled through irrigation and timed sprinkler systems, that’s why you will find many pipes on the ground providing water to roots of the trees.
You will definitely need 4×4 car to reach Al Qudra forest (24.842954, 55.379778) as the way leads through soft desert sand. I personally did not deflate the tires but the ride will be much more pleasant of course if you do.
LET AL QUDRA FOREST REJUVENATE YOU
What a magical experience stepping inside the forest in Al Qudra desert and letting your feet take you through for an unforgettable journey. It is not the silence that relaxes you and heals you in nature, but the soothing sounds you hear when noise of the city is left behind. Listening how the nature responds, opening your senses to receiving. Enjoying the colors, textures and scents of the forest. Letting the nature affect you and rejuvenate you as the birds happily chirp, the wind dances in the branches of the trees and the water slowly drips to nourish parched roots…
Find your inner peace, leave your worries behind, reconnect with nature. After all nature is where all human beings belong to and that’s why it’s so important to come back to it whenever you can.
REMEMBER:
- Do not leave any garbage behind, including food. Even organic waste can take months to biodegrade and meanwhile it will attract animals. It may not only make them stop eating their natural food and rely on what humans leave behind but also it may make them sick.
- Have always a bag ready to collect trash left behind by other inconsiderate people – at the end you are saving the nature.
- Hike or camp over gravel and rocks. In some areas the vegetation can take years to grow back.
- Leave natural and historical items where you find them.
- Minimize cooking over campfire, use the stove instead – it is less impact on the wilderness.
UAE OFF-ROADER GUIDE
If you are looking for more off-road trails to discover around United Arab Emirates, I can recommend this ultimate guide that is packed with many routes, giving very detailed information and answering all questions you could have about off-roading in the UAE.
You can get it from Amazon: https://amzn.to/2UrKZdo
I hope you found this article about Al Qudra forest helpful and it gave you an idea where to head to next weekend. If you would like to visit other nature wonders in the desert, I recommend you to check: Unexpected Geological Gem: Al Wathba Fossil Dunes, Wandering Dunes Of Half Desert Road in Dubai, Top 4 Ultimate Beginner Off-Road Desert Trails in the UAE. Enjoy!
