A quick and easy drive through the desert, this route is perfect for a half-day adventure. This isn’t just about dune bashing, however. Wild flowers grow near the beginning of the route, and the beautiful backdrop of rolling dunes makes this a great route for some incredible views and taking some amazing pictures.

This stunning area is highly admired and popular with locals. A royal nature reserve protects the remarkable landscape and wildlife in this desert wilderness.

  Rawdat Tinhat

This area of dense greenery is a splash of colour in the sandy wilderness. Named after the Arabic word ‘rawda’, meaning fertile, these patches of green are prevalent in depressions in desert regions where surface water pools in the wetter months. A short drive along a paved road turns into a hardened sand track until you reach the rawdat. The area is marked by posts set up to stop people driving into the dense vegetation. Visitors can park their vehicle nearby and tread carefully through the greenery.

THE AD DAHNA DESERT RUNS FROM NORTH TO SOUTH, LINKING THE AL NAFUD DESERT TO THE RUB’ AL KHALI DESERT, ALSO KNOWN AS THE ‘EMPTY QUARTER’. IT IS MADE UP OF SEVEN SUCCESSIVE DESERTS, EACH SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER BY PLAINS. RUNNING ALONGSIDE THE TUWAYQ MOUNTAINS, THE DESERT IS OVER 1,300KM LONG, BUT NEVER GETS WIDER THAN 80KM.

Naqa Ibn Fajhan

Rising an impressive 635m above sea level, Naqa Ibn Fajhan is the tallest of the dunes in this area. The unusual ‘Star Dunes’ have a pyramidal shape and three or four arms that radiate from the peak, making them appear star-shaped from above (hence the name). If you are a confident off-roader, drive to Naqa Ibn Fajhan’s crest and take in the 360-degree views of the neighbouring dunes. Don’t forget to deflate the tyres of your vehicle to get better traction in the soft sand.

DRIVING DIRECTION

This straight desert drive can be as easy or challenging as you choose. You can keep to the track below the Star Dunes, or more experienced drivers can head towards their summits. A trip out to the greenery of Rawdat Tinhat is recommended.

  1     From Highway 550, turn right at the shops onto the clearly marked track that heads into the desert.

  2     After 59km the sandy track splits around the giant sand dune of Naqa Ibn Fajhan. The route ends just after the dune. You can return the same way, or head back to a paved road via the multiple sand tracks in the area.