• Mleiha Glamping has launched in Sharjah. All photos: Shurooq
    Mleiha Glamping has launched in Sharjah. All photos: Shurooq
  • The attraction offers a unique camping experience in Sharjah's historically-rich area
    The attraction offers a unique camping experience in Sharjah's historically-rich area
  • Yurt-style tents are fully equipped with lights and bedding
    Yurt-style tents are fully equipped with lights and bedding
  • There are five yurt tents in total, each of which can be configured to sleep two adults or two adults and two children
    There are five yurt tents in total, each of which can be configured to sleep two adults or two adults and two children
  • Stays in a standard tent cost Dh1,295, including breakfast, activities and transportation to the camp site
    Stays in a standard tent cost Dh1,295, including breakfast, activities and transportation to the camp site

Travel

Sharjah launches new luxury camping experience Mleiha Glamping

Attraction offers yurt-style tents, picnic breakfasts and 4x4 adventures

Hayley Skirka
Hayley Skirka

February 13, 2023

  • English
  • Arabic

Adventure travellers have another reason to visit Sharjah as the emirate’s tourism authority has launched a new glamping site at Mleiha.

At the base of Al Faya mountain, the new Mleiha Glamping experience gives visitors the chance to spend the night in a yurt-style tent, surrounded by the archaeological treasures for which the region is known.

As well as sleeping in nature, guests can dine al fresco and a 20-minute stargazing session led by astronomy experts. A 4x4 desert drive through the Mleiha sands takes guests to the best place to see the sunrise the next morning, before a 10am checkout.

“We aim to provide guests with an unforgettable experience while also educating them about the rich history and culture of the region,” said Mahmoud Rashid Deemas, director of operations and tourism development at Sharjah Investment and Development Authority or Shurooq.

Visitors can enjoy a night under the stars surrounded by ancient treasures in Mleiha, Sharjah. Photo: Shurooq
Visitors can enjoy a night under the stars surrounded by ancient treasures in Mleiha, Sharjah. Photo: Shurooq

“We have integrated the tents into the natural environment of the Mleiha desert in a way that complements the surrounding ecology and does not negatively impact the local flora and fauna.”

The campsite consists of five yurts, the standard size sleeping two adults and family tents sleep up to two adults and two children. Bedding, including pillows and mattresses, are provided and tents also have clothing racks, lanterns and rugs.

After a sunrise desert drive, guests can enjoy a provided picnic breakfast. Photo: Shurooq
After a sunrise desert drive, guests can enjoy a provided picnic breakfast. Photo: Shurooq

Starting daily at 5pm, guests are transported to the glamping site via an all-terrain Mercedes Unimog. A central lounge on-site will offer guests welcome refreshments.

For dinner, guests can opt to set up their own barbecue, or can choose from a selection of curated set menus that will be prepared by chefs live on-site and served under the stars.

After a good night’s sleep, travellers can wake early and join a 4x4 drive through the dunes to take in the best sunset views. Back at camp, a traditional picnic breakfast is provided.

Stays cost Dh1,295 ($352) for two adults in a standard tent, or Dh1,550 for two adults and two children in a family tent. The entire venue can also be booked for large groups seeking a private experience.

Complimentary access to the Mleiha Museum is included as part of the stay for guests keen to learn more about the region’s historical and archaeological findings, which date back to the Paleolithic Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age and the pre-Islamic-period.

Glamping resort Caravan by Habitas AlUla — in pictures

  • Caravan by Habitas glamping site opens in AlUla, Saudi Arabia in March. All photos: Habitas
    Caravan by Habitas glamping site opens in AlUla, Saudi Arabia in March. All photos: Habitas
  • Carvan AlUla will be surrounded by mountains and ancient Nabatean sites.
    Carvan AlUla will be surrounded by mountains and ancient Nabatean sites.
  • The eco-conscious escape is geared towards travellers seeking adventure, exploration and human connection.
    The eco-conscious escape is geared towards travellers seeking adventure, exploration and human connection.
  • Inside an Airstream trailer at Habitas Caravan AlUla.
    Inside an Airstream trailer at Habitas Caravan AlUla.
  • The Airstream trailers will be fully equipped with lots of fun details.
    The Airstream trailers will be fully equipped with lots of fun details.
  • Projection screens will provide an outdoor cinema experience.
    Projection screens will provide an outdoor cinema experience.
  • The gathering tent at Caravan AlUla is designed as a place for guests to come together and reconnect.
    The gathering tent at Caravan AlUla is designed as a place for guests to come together and reconnect.
  • The tent is decorated with antiques and artefacts from around the kingdom.
    The tent is decorated with antiques and artefacts from around the kingdom.
  • A fire pit with circular seating is the best location for stargazing.
    A fire pit with circular seating is the best location for stargazing.
  • Each trailer comes with a private outdoor viewing deck.
    Each trailer comes with a private outdoor viewing deck.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

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  • The nearest international airport to the start of the Chuysky Trakt is in Novosibirsk. Emirates (www.emirates.com) offer codeshare flights with S7 Airlines (www.s7.ru) via Moscow for US$5,300 (Dh19,467) return including taxes. Cheaper flights are available on Flydubai and Air Astana or Aeroflot combination, flying via Astana in Kazakhstan or Moscow. Economy class tickets are available for US$650 (Dh2,400).
  • The Double Tree by Hilton in Novosibirsk ( 7 383 2230100,) has double rooms from US$60 (Dh220). You can rent cabins at camp grounds or rooms in guesthouses in the towns for around US$25 (Dh90).
  • The transport Minibuses run along the Chuysky Trakt but if you want to stop for sightseeing, hire a taxi from Gorno-Altaisk for about US$100 (Dh360) a day. Take a Russian phrasebook or download a translation app. Tour companies such as  Altair-Tour ( 7 383 2125115 ) offer hiking and adventure packages.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:

- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools

- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say

- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance

- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs

- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills

- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month

- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues

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Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.

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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

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