Off Road

Driving through the desert (Rub Al Khali, the biggest sand desert in the world, totalling 780.000km²) may seem to be a game for some, but it is a great off- road driving experience. The desert is included in the off-road category and it requires special skills: you must know its most intimate secrets and read its grimaces very well, otherwise you will fail driving through the rough-terrain type. The desert is so vast and fascinating, that standing in the middle of it makes you feel like it is endless but at the same time, very comforting. Nowadays, we have GPS devices available in the market, which gives you more freedom in driving off-road and more feeling of independence. Anyway, when going out through the desert, it is recommended to keep track and follow a clear route in order to avoid ‘unpleasant surprises’ (i.e. getting lost and don’t know where to go next) . Even the most experienced desert drivers don’t deviate too much from the right course.

However, after a while, you will manage to handle it a little better, and as time goes by, the thrills and experiences you’ll have driving through desert become matchless. Not only the desert is a great place for off-road driving, but the wadis and the mountains can also offer you all types of off road routes.

Routes in the mountains can be a lot trickier to navigate through than in the desert even for an experienced driver. You will find all kind of rocky terrain, from easy routes to almost impossible passages. Mountain tours, especially in wadis, never get boring, because after the rain falls, the route will change; gravel sand and rocks are moved by the strong force of water. You must never enter wadis during rainfall or if there is a high risk of thunderstorms and rain – when water flushes down suddenly the valley can turn into a deadly trap.

Dune bugging is also included in this category because we believe that a “bug”, strange as it may sound, looks close enough to a 4×4 car.

A dune bug is a “bug” with an engine and four wheels, a small lightweight, open automotive vehicle equipped with oversized low-pressure tires used for travelling over dunes in the desert and sometimes over the long beaches, but in this case, it is called a ‘beach bug’.

So dune bugging actually means to chase an ugly and noisy bug over the dunes. There are no special regulations regarding driving off-road. You are allowed to drive almost everywhere, but do respect local residents and the fragile vegetation that you may come across. It is good to check your car insurance level, because some companies don’t provide off-road insurance for 4×4 cars and it is highly recommended to have it in case something happens to your car while driving off-road.

Also, if you’re an enthusiastic driver and you decide to cross the border to Oman, ensure you have all necessary insurance documents for the neighbouring country.

Check routes and locations

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