As you drive over the wandering dunes of half desert road in Dubai, you will realize that nature has always its way of striking back at humans plans. As soon as you leave the city, this surreal landscape of network of roads built years ago and now being eaten up by the vast desert wilderness will give you a really strange feeling – the feeling of a post-apocalyptic scene taken out directly from a science-fiction movie.
TRAVEL BACK IN TIME
Three decades ago, Dubai was nothing but a fishing town along the creek, in harsh desert climate. The city broke out in prosperity after the United Arab Emirates discovered oil. That was followed by development boom and a whole host of skyscrapers bloomed in the middle of the barren desert. If you wish to travel in time and see how Dubai streets presumably used to look like in the past before Dubai skyscrapers started to rise out of nowhere, half desert road is a perfect place to experience this unique opportunity.
HALF DESERT ROAD AND BURJ KHALIFA
I am sure many of you have seen the photos (so common among Instagram influencers) of half desert road partially covered with sand with Burj Khalifa and Dubai skyline on the horizon. Sadly – such place does not exist. All photos consisting of this landscape were edited in Photoshop and Dubai skyline was simply copied and pasted into them. It is important to mention this information here because many of people actually drive around and search for a place to spot this spectacular landscape.
If you fancy to see more astonishing natural desert sceneries, you should check these articles: Top 4 Ultimate Beginner Off-Road Desert Trails in the UAE or 5 Things You Should Know About Fossil Rock.
FEW THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HALF DESERT ROAD
Once you arrive here (25.139323, 55.467237) you will find countless lonely roads, half covered with sand blown from the surrounding dunes. The desert around is unprecedented mind desensitizing and mesmerizing, that’s why even though most of these roads are left unused, you will find plenty of people camping, having bbq, hanging around. Especially on weekends it tends to get very busy. Half desert road in Dubai is also naturally a popular location for videographers and photographers. In this large vast area around you will surely be able to find your own spot and, what is important, the big percentage of the roads are accessible for cars that are not 4×4.
Make sure to check spectacular drone footage from half desert road in Dubai in my recent video:
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. Additionally, 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. Don’t move them or bring them home with you.
- Minimize cooking over campfire, use the stove instead – as 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 half desert road in Dubai helpful and it gave you an idea where to head to next weekend. Enjoy!
