Introduction – The Desert Diva’s Words of Wisdom

The inspiration for this post came from the many people who ask me for advice on where to camp in the Liwa area, so I thought the easiest thing to do would be to list some to be ready for the next season.  Of course, if you want to camp in the summer, Liwa is still open, but with daytime temps of 50C+ and the mercury only dropping to 35-40C at night, it could be a little bit warm for even the most adventurous camper!

• These are not hard-core offroading routes; they are relatively easy access tracks aimed at family groups who want to see the sun set and rise in the desert!
• The routes are spread out all over the Liwa Desert; each area’s dunes are slightly different so it’s well worth a few visits – see the overview map at the bottom of this page.
• The attached files should be read in conjunction with The Desert Diva Disclaimer.
• The Google Earth screen grabs are quite small but if you download the route files which you can access via the link near the bottom of the page you will be able to open them on GE on your own computer and zoom in to your heart’s content.
• If you are quite new to offroading, then I recommend you read this blogpost.
• The pictures attached to each location are to give you an idea of the colour and type of dune; shifting sands change the landscape continually so the dune you took a picture of last season will no longer look the same!
• You do not need to drive all the way along the supplied tracks – these are given to help you find your way into some easily accessible desert.
• You do not necessarily need to stop at the end of my track either – if your group is driving well and the way in front is suitable for everyone then don’t let me stop you!

Any questions/feedback?    Contact me via email: The Desert Diva’s Email

While this is an old post, a little resurrected, I have been camping in the desert for many years and only two winters ago, spent 150 days in my tent. I’ve not visited all these spots in that time and would appreciate any feedback that will update this page for fellow adventurers.

I can also claim that I’ve guided so many people across these sands that I no longer need GPS to reach my favourite spots. (This isn’t what I ever recommend to any of my guests!)

Madinat Zayed

Starting at “home” – well for me anyway!  Madinat Zayed is the “Capital” of Al Gharbia, the Western Region of Abu Dhabi.

1)  MZ South (Green, easy)

Travel 14kms south of Madinat Zayed and come off the road at the slip road marked “Fodder Farm.”  With all these routes you should consider deflating your tyres – you will be travelling over gatch tracks, sand tracks and some soft sand so I would recommend you deflate to 20PSI; you can always let your tyres down a bit more if you find the going tough.

Follow the track up the gatch, then on to the sand and head NW – there are many good places here to pitch your tent for the night.  Keep away from camel farms – or at least upwind from them – and bear in mind the further you go in the less traffic there will be to disturb you during the night.  Try to pick up a well used sand-track which will help you get deeper into the desert with relative ease.

2)  Pylon Gatch (Red, quite tricky in places)

This gatch was constructed in 2013 to facilitate the installation of pylons to feed electricity to the Liwa Water Project but now the construction is complete the gatch is no longer maintained.  That being said, it does offer a slightly easier way to travel deep into the desert than taking dunes all the way.  I have rated it as red, making it the most difficult of the ten camping areas to access, but if you have experienced offroaders in your convoy then chances are you will make it with no problem.  As you pass each valley, have a look into it and assess the difficulty level of access and most importantly – exit – and when you see one that looks doable both ways, and your group likes it, then get those tents pitched!

Arada Area

The west end of the Liwa Crescent is one of the most remote places in the UAE.  Some 275kms from Abu Dhabi yet only 20kms or so from the Saudi border you will find some of the largest dunes in the world.

3)  Arada South East (Yellow, very remote)

Dune massifs rise up from sabkah (salt flats) to a height of over 300 metres above sea level; the north wind causes billions of sand particles to spill over these and cascade to the sabkah below creating awesome slipfaces.  These are amazing to see, sometimes scary to drive down and incredible to photograph!  Find a sand track to exit from the road near the start of the gps track then drive eastwards over sabkah and sand tracks until you find a place to your liking.

4)  Arada North West (Green, easy)

The gatch track which marks the start point for my annual Dark Skies Challenge offers some great possibilities for camping – go 2 or 3 kms away from the road (which probably is only ever busy on the day of the DSC!) and find a sheltered spot to lay your head for the night. Update: 2025. You’ll likely find that a lot of sand now covers the track. The route is still good but you should be aware that you’re likely to find deflating your tyres to off-road pressures will be necessary before attempting to follow the track.

5)  Solar Powered Oasis Gatch (Green, easy)

This gatch track, maintained in Feb/March 2016, gives you an easy way to drive into some amazing dunescapes.  It leads to what must be one of the most remote farms in the UAE – a Date Palm Oasis with waterpumps powered by a bank of solar panels and manned by one or two workers who rarely see another soul and are always friendly and welcoming when we drop by!  There are many huge bowls just off the track but before you drop down into one, ensure that you have the vehicles and experience to get back out!

Himeem Area

This small town marks the eastern extent of the Liwa Crescent and from here northwards the dunes gradually become smaller.  To the south west of Himeem there are oil and gas fields and these should be avoided at all costs!

6)  Khis Gatch (Green, easy)

The Khis Gatch is an old, well maintained gatch track which takes you down as far as the Saudi Border; you will find many good campspots down the length of this track but I suggest travelling at least 10kms down it to get away from light pollution.  Exit the E90 Liwa Crescent road and head along the Al Hosn Gas Plant road and MOST IMPORTANTLY, at the first roundabout turn left and join the Khis Gatch.

White Sands Area

The name for this area comes from the Truck Stop “White Sands” restaurant and grocery which have been plying their trade on this route for many years.

7)  Al Hamra to Mast (Green, easy)

This is an easy sandtrack route which will take you deep into the dunes in an area that is paradise for photographers.  Dark red dunes are interspersed with near-white ones and gazelle and other wildlife can often be spotted here.

8)  White Sands (Green, easy)

This route is especially easy – a gatch track takes you around 20kms from the nearest civilisation, followed by a sand track which takes you even further “away from it all.”  The surrounding dunes are not huge, but they are pretty and this route’s relatively proximity to Abu Dhabi and Al Ain could make it quite appealing!

Need a tent?  Check out my review of Coleman Instant Tents!

Download the route file here – (Links not currently working. I’ll fix this soon)

KML (Google Earth)

GPX (Garmin and other GPS)

Where’s 9 and 10? (A 2025 Update)

 I’ve noted that this page has become more popular in searches than usual. It’s the right time to head to the desert for warm days and cool nights, keeping cosy by a campfire until early in the morning.

The more observant of you will have now realised you’ve been short-changed! A couple of my favourite sites have been taken out due to changes in that area that no longer make them easy to get to.

I very soon hope to return to this page and give you 10 sites. I’m busy with my new business site, Arabian Cities and Sands, hoping that some of you are seeking greater adventure than just a night in the desert. Click the button below to see what I can offer you by way of on-road and off-road adventures.