Working in the luxury travel industry, I fully appreciate how incredible the opportunities are that are presented to me. Visiting the hidden nooks and crannies of the world that I would never have thought of visiting and meeting people along the way, whom I will never forget, from communities I never knew existed.

Now, having lived in the uber-impressive, glamorous, and forever-expanding city of Dubai for several years, I knew that my sweet but short trip was going to be a remarkable one. I was visiting with my partner, knew the weather was going to be impeccable and we were staying in 2 of the most prestigious hotels in the city. Knowing the region like the back of my hand and what it had to offer to its visitors when Explorer Tours presented me with a private desert safari in the neighbouring emirate of Sharjah, my heart almost skipped a beat.

Explorer Tours is an adventure company that specialises in tailor-made adventure experiences for family holidays, who also offer wellness solutions and team-building packages for corporate companies, looking for unconventional perspectives for employee well-being. Explorer Tours experiences bring out the adventurous spirit within, with tours that are suitable for people of all ages. With an impressive list of activities to indulge in, from trekking and dune buggies to sunset desert tours and private desert dinners.

Greeted by a super friendly team member in a pristine, white, 4 x 4 with maxed-out AC and fresh-water bottles on tap, our experience was already off to a flying start. We ventured off the Crescent of The Palm and headed out of the city and onto the quiet roads leading out of Dubai. The Explorer Tours camp was based just short of 60 minutes from where we were staying and the journey out to the camp was a truly beautiful drive, reminding me of old Dubai, with camels roaming along the side of the road and hardly any buildings visible to eye.

Arriving at the camp, we were welcomed with open arms from the team and a variety of headscarves to choose from, ready to commence our adventure. After a brief safety talk, we were told that we would be driving their latest fleet of dune buggies on untouched sand dunes, sand surfing and rounding the tour off with a special surprise, that the team had put together.

As we walked over to our unmissable orange and black zebra print, state-of-the-art buggy, which looked fresh out of a James Bond movie, I could see how excited my driving partner was to explorer the desert surrounding Fossil Rock. Fossil Rock in Sharjah is impressive and rugged. Named after wonderfully preserved marine invertebrate fossils that can be found on its slopes. Also known as Mleiha, Fossil Rock is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that holds several significant archaeological findings and geological treasures. This incredible backdrop to our tour is a unique assembly of desert and mount range and is home for rich ancient history.

Speeding through the red sand dunes formed from a sandstorm earlier that day, our guide lead the path in front of us across the mesmerizing landscape and over to Camel Rock, an exquisite fossil rock, said to be 80 million years old that has incredibly formed in the shape of a camel. It is here, on undisturbed we had our try at sandboarding. One of us, annoyingly turned out to be better than the other after – let’s just say balance isn’t my forte – and after a couple of runs up back up the sand dune and sand-filled shoes, we swapped positions in our dune buggy, and it was my turn to drive us back to camp. The vibrations from the ripples in the sand were intense as we raced up and down the mounds and swerved down the flat desert roads. Looking briefly at my partner and as our instructor told us to slow down due to ‘camels crossing’, I thought to myself, this is truly one of the best experiences of my life.

Thinking we were driving back to camp, we were taken in a completely different direction, where we left out buggies and were escorted in the white 4×4, to a fire-lit, private BBQ in a valley between sand dunes, where a table for 2 was set under hundreds of fairy lights. If I told you I didn’t cry, I would be lying. As we sat down to dinner, all we could hear was the soft murmur of a call to prayer in the background, accompanied by the croaks of desert crickets as the sky grew darker. The lights above us grew brighter as the evening went on and we devoured a delectable BBQ composed of a variety of different meats and fishes, accompanied by fresh salads and traditional bread, dips and sweet treats to finish.

The team truly surpassed any expectations we had and if you’re looking for an experience of a lifetime whilst in Dubai, look no further than Explorer Tours. They will go above and beyond to ensure you leave the camp on cloud 9.

W: Explorer Tours Dune Buggy Safari Dubai
T: +97145649959
T: +971529108567
E: Information

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Written by Amber Lauren for Luxuria Lifestyle London and International