‘It was priceless’: UAE expats spend 12 days riding camels, get ‘full Emirati’ experience

‘It was priceless’: UAE expats spend 12 days riding camels, get ‘full Emirati’ experience

Published: Tue 9 Jan 2024, 5:16 PM

Despite having lived in the UAE for over two decades, British expat Emma Brain had never spent more than a couple of hours in the desert until December. That is when she embarked on the annual Camel Trek initiative by the Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Centre (HHC) when she spent 12 days travelling the length and breadth of deserts in the UAE.

“It was priceless,” she said, speaking to Khaleej Times. “When you live in Dubai, it is easy to get lost in the glitz and glamour. This trip reminded me that there was this whole other side of the country. We were also dressed in the traditional jalabiyas and riding a camel through the desert. So we got the full Emirati culture experience. It was a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

The group of over 30 people, including Emiratis and expats, spent 12 days riding camels for approximately 8 hours a day through the desert, starting from the Empty Quarter (Rub' al Khali) desert and ending at Global Village, where the trekkers received a warm welcome. During the course, they enjoyed the beautiful desert, soaked in the Emirati hospitality and bonded with their camels.

For Ministry of Education