Explorer sent a novice driver to Fossil Rock to compare her own experience with the UAE Off-Road guide.  Find out how she got on.

One of the coolest things about living in the UAE is the enormous expanse of desert just sitting on our doorstep. This unending, shifting landscape provides a vast playground for the thousands of enthusiasts that live here. But for newbies to the UAE, or even those of us who just haven’t summoned up the courage to head off-road yet, it can seem like one big, daunting mystery. 

I recently bought a Mitsubishi Pajero and, having been in Dubai for a year, I decided it was time to bite the bullet, grab a copy of Explorer’s UAE Off-Road, and get out there. Did I know what to expect? No. Did I have the right equipment? No. Was I scared? Absolutely.

I was lucky enough to be going with a bunch of experienced drivers, all in serious off-roading machines: Nissan Xterras, GMC trucks and so on. We decided on a trip to Fossil Rock, which, according to my copy of UAE Off-Road, is a ‘great desert drive for beginners’. It’s also not far from Dubai at all, so would make the perfect day trip.

Where we’re going, we don’t need roads
Setting off from Dubai in fog, the experienced drivers were excited that the damp air would harden the sand, making it easier to drive on. I wasn’t convinced we should be heading out into the desert with limited visibility and no chance of topping up the tan.

Sure enough, as the paved road gave way to sand on leaving Al Awir, the sun burnt through and we stopped to deflate the tyres. Using my newly acquired Explorer tyre deflators and a pressure gauge, I had all four tyres down to a suitable pressure in no time. Even when I was a bit enthusiastic with one of them, an experienced driver jumped in with his compressor and put me back on track.

Sand-tastic
Venturing onwards, a clearly defined track in the sand led us east, and in no time there was sand banked into soft hills either side. Picking up some courage, I followed one of the trucks away from the track and up the dunes. Before I knew it I was crashing up and down these sandy crests, perilously crossing narrow ridges, my heart beating fast, getting sand absolutely everywhere. As somebody more used to spending time on water, the sand dunes seemed less forgiving, and I made plenty of mistakes out of sheer panic. After ending up in a basin at an alarmingly unnatural angle, I learned three rules:

-Never descend a dune sideways – turn into the slope and head straight down.
-Keep the momentum going – don’t slow down on approach to a hill.
-Take caution at the top of a dune – check what’s on the other side, and always think two steps ahead.
 

Been there, dune that
Within no time on this drive, you feel in the middle of nowhere. Taking a breather, I looked around at the endless sea of sand and it was magical. Even better was knowing I had got there (almost) by myself. No tour, no guide, just a group of friends taking the day as they pleased. From the base of Fossil Rock, the view was incredible, and I was beginning to realise what all the fuss was about. 

The route to Fossil Rock is great for beginners (if in doubt, follow the powerlines), but by no means an easy feat. If I hadn’t been in convoy with experienced drivers keeping an eye out for me and telling me how to get myself out when I got stuck, I would still be in the desert living off camel milk. But with a little help, I found I had the courage to drive on terrain I didn’t even know it was possible to drive on, and can’t wait to get out there again.