MANY families and tourists travelling to the UAE don’t necessarily want to spend all day lying on a beach so it’s important for tour operators in the region to have a variety of activities that don’t all involve going to shopping malls.
One ideal way to get out and see the country is to go hiking for a day. This is a relatively cheap activity that most tourists can afford and you as a company can add a few basic ‘value’ items to make it an unforgettable experience for your clients.There are many day hikes and treks to choose from in the UAE but here are five examples ranging from difficult to easy that give you a good insight into what your clients might like to try.Stairway to Heaven (Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates) – The hardest route for trekkers with a good amount of experience who are comfortable with heights! This follows a traditional mountain shepherd’s track up a rock face from Wadi Litibah in Northern Ras Al Khaimah to an Omani Village at the top. It consists of a series of dry stone staircases, which in some cases go vertically up the rock face for hundreds of metres. You should only book your clients on a guided trip (like with Outdoor UAE), carrying the correct emergency equipment. It is a very exposed and stunningly beautiful experience that takes around 10 hours.Jebel Hafeet (Al Ain) – For tourists staying at the beautiful Grand Mercure Hotel on the slopes of Jebel Hafeet, with superb views of Al Ain and the rolling deserts surrounding it, this is a great place to set off from to hike to the top. Rugged mountain tracks head steeply up till you reach the plateau at the top where there is a viewpoint, car park and restaurants. The hotel can arrange a guide to take you up and transport to collect you from the top.Al Hayl Wadi (Fujairah) – Most tourists on a package to Fujairah will be given the opportunity to visit Al Hayl Fort, which is the traditional seat of the Al Sharqi royal family. Set at the end of a beautiful, green, farmed valley, this makes an excellent half-day’s hike. You park at the dam and follow the Wadi (valley) on foot up to the fort where you can take a tour. If you have time after lunch you can take clients down into the Wadi bed where natural springs form pools of water full of wildlife and abundant wildflowers.Al Dhafra (Abu Dhabi) – The magnificent four-star Tilal Liwa Hotel in the Western Region about 12km’s from Madinat Zayed City stands alone surrounded by rolling sand dunes. In the winter month of December from the 14th to 31st the Al Dhafra Camel Festival is held. This is the biggest camel festival in the GCC and a fantastic opportunity for tourists to hike and immerse themselves in the Bedouin culture. Events such as camel and saluki and falcon racing are run alongside crafts and date and camel milking competitions. The highlight of the event is the “Beautiful Camel Competition”. Tourists attending the event can take part in camel rides or desert hikes and by providing a walking guide and a packed lunch your clients can really make the most of their desert heritage experience.Sandy Beach walk (Dibba) – Sandy Beach Hotel is the starting point for this coastal walk and tourists can carry as little as swimming costumes and a bottle of water, depending on the time of year. If a packed lunch is taken, this easy hike can be stretched from a couple of hours to a half day of snorkelling or swimming in the beautiful Indian Ocean. Navigation is easy as it is just a straight hike up the beach with the sea on your right before turning round to return with the sea on your left! There is a lot to see along the way from shells to pick up on the tide line and turtles swimming in the shallow waters just off shore. The UAE is packed with exciting adventurous activities and as a tour operator there is massive potential for you to create fun and adventurous packages for your clients. Hiking is an easy one to do and with a bit of research you can add value to the cultural experience whilst still keeping the price low enough to be appealing to everyone. • The author is a British guide and environmentalist working for North Point Leadership in the UAE and Nepal. Link to the Consider these ideas:By Dan Wright