There’s something truly awe-inspiring about heading out into the desert, pretending you’re Lawrence of Arabia. Around the world there are plenty of ways of getting out into the golden, sandy wilderness for an unforgettable experience, whether it’s camping out, hiking or perching on top of a camel…
Hike the Grand Canyon
Where: Arizona, USA
Why? The Grand Canyon is one of the world’s great desert sights, with the Colorado River cutting a vast gorge through the spectacularly barren landscape. However, it’s essential to take precautions – and plenty of water – if planning to go on a long walk down the trails deep into the heart of the canyon.
Who with? Grand Canyon Hikes runs day hikes and multi-day adventures through the canyon every day of the year, and play up their eco-friendly credentials.
Ride a camel
Where: The Sahara Desert, Tunisia
Why? Douz in the south of the country is regarded as the gateway to the mighty Sahara, and the population is still semi-nomadic, leading the camels around in search of grass and water. And it’s those camels, of course, that can be your faithful steeds on an epic desert journey
Who with? With Atlantis Voyages (www.atlantisvoyages.com), it’s possible to do multi-day missions into the sands. Be prepared to dress sensibly though – the sandstorms can be spectacular, but not great if you’ve not got local clothing on.
Go sandboarding
Where: The Namib Desert, Namibia
Why? The dunes of the Namib Desert are awesomely huge, and numerous tours head out there from the action capital of Swakopmund. One of the most exciting ways to traverse the monsters is on a sandboard. This basically means waxing a traditionally-carved board, lying down on it and hanging on for dear life as you whizz down the big yellow mountain.
Who with? Africa Connection organises day trips out on the dunes, catering for everyone from complete novices to the truly brave/ insane who prefer to do it standing up.
Ride a Harley Davidson
Where: Northern Territory, Australia
Why? The big rocks of Central Australia are partly so spectacular because they stick out of the flat red dirt. Seeing the likes of Uluru, Kata-Tjuta and Kings Canyon are absolute must-dos in the parched heart of Australia, but it’s possible to combine the mission with the chance to live out a few fantasies by visiting them on the back of a Harley.
Who with? Uluru Motorcycle Tours arranges a range of Harley rides around the rocks, ranging from a quick spin to a longer bespoke tour round all the highlights.
Have a Bedouin experience
Where: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Why? One of the essential things to do in Dubai is to head out into the Arabian desert for a four wheel drive tour over the dunes (often with sandboarding and camel rides thrown in), then followed up by a Lebanese-style barbecue and a smoke on the sheesha pipe.
Who with? Arabian Adventures does overnight trips, where you can camp out in the desert like the local Bedouin population and sleep under the desert sky.
This article was originally written for AOL UK.
Copyright David Whitley
