Abu Dhabi has launched six new desert driving routes designed to make the most of the emirate's dune-surrounded location.
The Off-Road Driving in Abu Dhabi Project consists of off-roading routes crossing Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafrah and Al Ain. Adventure-seekers can follow the routes to head out for a desert experience in their own vehicles.
Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), the routes are suitable for anyone with a 4x4, whether you are a complete beginner or a more advanced desert driver.
Each route is ranked by difficulty and marked with interesting places to stop along the way. Drivers can decide which road to take depending on whether they are interested in cruising over sun-kissed dunes, navigating endless desertscapes or spotting camels along the way.
From Al Remah to Al Ain
The routes include Al Remah, Al Ain to White Sands, the Hameem Loop, Umm Al Oush, Liwa Crossing and Al Khazna. Each is available to follow on Google maps to help drivers stay on course and there's a comprehensive checklist and instructions to ensure everyone remains safe on and off-road.
“Abu Dhabi is a wonderful destination for adventurers and those looking to connect with nature, thanks to its diverse and rugged landscape. Off-Road Driving in Abu Dhabi will provide adventurers with the opportunity to explore Abu Dhabi’s beautiful landscape and embark on exciting and varying adventures throughout the year," said Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, executive director of tourism and marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi.
Travellers thinking of embarking on one of the drives need to first make sure their car is fully serviced and insured for off-road use. People should not go alone, but in a convoy with at least three or four other four-wheel-drive vehicles. Essential items to pack include plenty of water and food, a first-aid kit, and a spare tyre.
Drivers who haven't taken on the desert before can get some practice beforehand by getting in touch with the tourism operators working with DCT Abu Dhabi. And if you don't fancy tackling desert terrain alone, you can also book to try the off-road routes via these operators.
Whichever route you decide to traverse, make sure you leave the desert as you found it and take all your waste home with you so that we can all enjoy the desert for a long-time to come.
A guide to Abu Dhabi's new off-roading routes:
1. Al Remah
Distance: 67 kilometres
Difficulty rating: Easy
What to expect: Designed to be accessible to anyone, the Al Remah Route takes between six and eight hours to complete. It starts at a camel farm just off the Abu Dhabi-Al Ain Road and winds past the camel racing track taking towards Telal Nature Reserve then taking in the Zaman Lawal Heritage Village and Naqrah Lake. With high dunes and long sandy valleys, there are lots of opportunities for dune-bashing and fun-driving, as well as camping opportunities.
2. Al Ain To White Sands
Distance: 157 kilometres
Difficulty rating: Easy
What to expect: This route winds through Liwa's dunes and can be completed in four to eight hours, it can also be done in either direction. It's a good pick for those who want to spot camels as they drive, since it crosses several camel farms. There are also lots of good remote camping spots around the Abu Hiraybah area if you fancy a night under the stars.
3. Hameem Loop
Distance: 55 kilometres
Difficulty rating: Intermediate
What to expect: For drivers with a bit of experience, the Hameem Loop is an adrenalin-filled route with towering dunes, deep bowls and slip faces. It takes about five hours to complete, and travellers can expect to see plenty of gazelle, camels and goats. There's also an abandoned Nissan Patrol surrounded by desert dunes and a disused solar power bank to look out for.
4. Umm Al Oush
Distance: 60 kilometres
Difficulty rating: Intermediate to advanced
What to expect: Not recommended for beginners, the Umm Al Oush route is a deceptive trail that encounters steep climbs, sharp drops and highly technical dunes. Starting at the services area near Al Quo'a, this is one for those heading into the desert with a local operator or with plenty of desert driving know-how. The dunes tower up to nearly 250 metres in some spots. Pick a spot along the route for overnight camping and you'll feel as if you have the desert entirely to yourself.
5. Liwa Crossing
Distance: 109 kilometres
Difficulty rating: Advanced
What to expect: For anyone who craves a challenge, this is the one to try. The Liwa crossing route takes up to two days to complete as it passes over some of the country's largest sand dunes. It's also entirely remote – so make sure you take everything you need with you and be prepared for some technical driving. To master it, you'll need to navigate some tricky desert crossings alongside some side sloping and cresting. But the challenge comes with its own rewards. From the forests near Al Mirayr to the salt paths near Bateen Liwa, it's worth the journey. There are plenty of places to pitch a tent, and you're also right beside the five-star Qasr Al Sarab Resort by Anantara, if all that driving has you craving a night of luxury.
6. Al Khazna
Distance: 45 kilometres
Difficulty rating: Advanced
What to expect: Shorter than the other advanced routes but no less difficult, the Al Khazna route can be completed by experienced drivers in about four hours. Expect steep climbs, sharp drops, deep bowls and highly technical dunes – this route is easier to tackle with a long wheel-based car.
Take your time with it and enjoy the surrounding landscapes that include an oasis, camping area, starfish dunes and more. Along the way you'll see a collection of abandoned old cars sinking into the dunes. There's a desert safari camp on the route if you want to spend the night.
View coordinates and find out more about each of the routes on the VisitAbuDhabi website.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
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Cast: Boumi Fouad , Mohamed Tharout and Hisham Ismael
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Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
The biog
Name: James Mullan
Nationality: Irish
Family: Wife, Pom; and daughters Kate, 18, and Ciara, 13, who attend Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)
Favourite book or author: “That’s a really difficult question. I’m a big fan of Donna Tartt, The Secret History. I’d recommend that, go and have a read of that.”
Dream: “It would be to continue to have fun and to work with really interesting people, which I have been very fortunate to do for a lot of my life. I just enjoy working with very smart, fun people.”
Napoleon
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Results
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Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East
Orlando Crowcroft
Zed Books
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
SHAITTAN
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
