With the summer well behind us, tourists should head for a sojourn in the expansive deserts of Abu Dhabi in the UAE where the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara brings together addictive luxury, Emirati hospitality and divine desert landscapes for an exclusive Arabian adventure. 

The award-winning resort is perched on the edge of Rub Al Khali or the Empty Quarter, a destination that is rich in history, with settlements dating back some 7,000 years. Sitting atop a crescent-shaped dune in one of the most astonishing landscapes of the Liwa Desert in the Empty Quarter, Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara offers 154 rooms, 42 villas and 10 royal pavilion villas resembling palaces with spacious living and dining areas, private pools and outdoor terraces. 

The resort is a haven of comfort and extravagance with desert views, interiors of warm, earthy hues, which are accented by locally hand crafted furnishings immersed in the splendid heritage of an ancient fortress. 

Qasr Al Sarab offers visitors a wide range of excursions, which reflect the region’s ancient traditions and offers guests a chance to walk hand in hand with history. Early morning desert walks and camel rides up and down the voluptuous dunes hark back to the era when travellers traversed the desert without modern comforts. Falcon shows, dune bashing, mountain biking and archery as well as an exclusive tour of Liwa, all reflect Arabian culture and Emirati heritage.

Anantara also offers sunrise and sunset dune biking with ‘fat’ mountain bikes, the only bikes suitable for riding on soft sand dunes. 

It also offers an exclusive saluki and falcon show inspired by the indigenous desert hunting experience. The saluki is the oldest breed of dog that historically travelled throughout the Middle East and Silk Route with caravans and nomadic tribes. 

These exclusive adventure activities exemplify the surrounding beauty of the Liwa desert. In line with the commitment of the Tourism and Cultural Authority in Abu Dhabi to promote the destination, the activities complement events such as the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and the Dhafra Camel Festival, and can be enjoyed through exclusive day packages as well as an overnight stay at the resort.