Discover the way of the Bedouins
Our drive into the Liwa Nights Glamping Retreat is one marked by continued amazement.
The desert is hardly a new sight for us local folk – closing in 18 years of living in the UAE – and we have had many a tryst with the dunes of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, travelling to dark spots on deliciously chilly nights to get away from the maddening crowd and cacophony of city life. These are memorable experiences, and will remain for a long time to come, but nothing has captivated quite like the mighty mounds of Liwa – a lush, storied oasis nestled in the heart of the Rub’ al Khali, the Empty Quarter.
As we speed along on the winding tarmac, we’re surrounded by silken sands of a height and density never seen before – terracotta red grains, reaching into the sky like formidable watchmen, reminding us of the expansive nature and power of the desert – a form that gives and takes in equal measure. A form that Salam Almazrouei is all too familiar with.
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The Origin
Almazrouei belongs to a Bedouin family – he lived in a tent till he was 11 years old, and the dunes were his home, his playground, his coming-of-age, where he and his friends would play a dangerous game. They would drive out into the massive sea of dunes in the dead of the night, turn their headlights off, and race each other back to their home. With only the moon to light the way, the risk was immense – take a wrong turn, get lost, or get stuck in the sand, and you have nothing but the endless open sky to keep you company.
To our untrained, ignorant eye, the dunes look identical. But for Almazrouei, they are as familiar as the roads of Abu Dhabi’s towns and cities may be to him now, with his family having settled into permanent homes after desert dwelling for generations. In his late teens, he went off to America to forge a future, studying to become an engineer and spending a tenure at ADNOC, before giving into his creative and cultural calling and establishing Liwa Nights with Brianne Albright, American native and resident of the UAE.
The initial idea was to set up a camp like this in California, complete with a fleet of Arabian camels transported from here to there, sharing a glimpse of his culture to a new audience, but the proposition was quashed, and he decided what better location than where it all came from.
The Camp
Liwa Nights is a boutique stay through and through – 10 tents, perched far apart in the dunes and connected to a charming central camp via sloping walkways. Being here truly feels like being in the middle of nowhere – towering sand dunes as far as the eye can see and an expanse of breathtaking sand-laden beauty that promises to cushion and threatens to swallow at the same time.
As we arrive, we’re greeted warmly by Liwa, Dhafra and Baynoona – Arabian Salukis native to this region, and pets at the camp. They huddle and fuss around us, and we already feel at home.
There is little noise, and day through night, there is a gentle silence that takes over not just your surroundings, but also your mind. The camp has been constructed with few interruptions made to the surrounding landscape, preserving it’s sweeping scenery, and follows an eco-conscious model – powered by solar energy in the day and diesel generators at night.
Designed to look like a traditional Middle Eastern house from the 1800s, using imported African wood, the central camp has a dining room, bar, indoor and outdoor seating, and a majlis. This is where you convene for the activities.
The food you are fed is as traditionally Bedouin as it gets – the lavish dinner spread features slow-cooked lamb curry, vegetable stew, lentils, rice and date ice cream, among other things. The meat, ghee and dates all come from Almazrouei’s farm, located not that far away from the camp, and paid tours of which you can book on request.
The breakfast is also incredibly traditional, so much so that when asked for a pat of butter, the staff informs us they don’t stock any. Instead, we tuck into vermicelli, Emirati-style pancakes and date syrup with some back tea.
The tents are big yet cosy, offering muted touches of luxury with air-conditioned interiors, plush drapes, thick rugs and a large double bed you’re sure to sink into. A proper bathroom and walk-in shower is kitted out with high-end toiletries – this is true glamping, and a fantastic night’s sleep is guaranteed.
The Experience
There is much to do at Liwa Dunes. The camp offers free-of-charge bikes that you can take for a spin on the camel trail connected to the property. A sunset hike through the dunes is strongly recommended, and on impossibly clear nights like ours, telescopes are brought out after dinner to stargaze and look at the moon. A bonfire is set up in an open majlis, and one can lounge around as deep into the night as he or she pleases. A concept store on site offers souvenirs of keychains, jarred spices and honey, also from the farm, to take home, along with some branded and traditional clothing.
The next morning, we go on a camel ride into the desert, after which Almazrouie graciously offers to take us for a spin in the dune buggy for some dune bashing – an experience you can book for an additional charge, along with falconry. With him behind the wheel, the ride is unlike anything we’ve ever done before. Calm and collected, he throws the buggy around, plunging down near-vertical dunes or speeding sideways to a near tip-over. Every turn is unexpected and at the end of it, we almost free fall down the Moreeb Dune – definitely the highlight of the stay.
Afterwards, he takes us through his plantations – rows of fledgling desert vegetation he is hoping to amplify to provide shade and protection to the camp from sand storms – an effort born out of his love for his home, a love anyone who stays at Liwa Nights is sure to feel.
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Deeply passionate about food, culture and community, Manaal loves telling extraordinary stories of ordinary people. Besides sniffing out a tale to tell, her favourite things to do include binging true crime documentaries, chasing cats on the streets and curating a good outfit.
