We’ve all seen souped-up SUVs ripping past crowds and climbing the daunting dunes in awe-inspiring internet clips. We also have friends who, in their weekend warrior avatars, go splashing sand frequently at the many popular off-road destinations, including Ras Al Khaimah, which is the venue for the latest edition of the KT Desert Drive. And we have friends who’ve recounted their private desert safari drive experiences a million times over in the past. All for a good reason! The fact is the whole act of traversing beyond the tarmac is so much fun, but it also provides several benefits that we actually had to make a list. Here are a few examples:
1. So, you’ve worked for a few years and now have bought yourself a fancy SUV. But besides office and grocery trips, your sport-ute stays in your garage catching dust for the most part. Going off-road offers a great opportunity to do things a 4×4 SUV was built to do, and it also allows you to test your vehicle’s advertised limits (preferably in the company of experts).
2. It’s a great way to hone your driving skills. Yes, you may have impeccable road etiquette and exceptional navigational skills within the city, but if you want to take your driving to the next level, you have to go off-road. And if you need to gain some technical expertise before you venture out, you can always register for a desert driving course offered by any of the driving institutes near you.
3. It is a great way to meet new people and make new friends. Signing up for a membership at one of the many 4×4 clubs will grant you access to a whole new network of individuals who share the same passion. Also, thanks to the amount of coordination and teamwork involved in organizing and facilitating these trips, it offers a valuable lesson on comradery and social obligations.
4. The UAE is known for its brilliant neon signages, football-field-sized lit-up billboards, and some incredible architectural lighting, but if you miss the view of the blanket of stars that lay shrouded due to these bright luminaries, venture out and away from the city and get a glimpse of those ancient twinkling lights, a view we share with our ancestors.
5. Iconic pieces of architecture have brought worldwide fame to this Middle Eastern nation, but many lesser-known sites have archaeological relevance that may pique your interest. The UAE offers many parks, tombs, and fossil sites to explore, especially if you are a history buff.
6. In the digital age, where anything and everything can be captured, without a seemingly complicated SLR camera or the fear of running out of film rolls, the desert and the mountains offer a great venue for shooting nature videos and Instagram-able shots that can either go on Google drive for memory’s sake or be uploaded onto a photo silo website which you can then monetize.
7. RAK is a choice vacation spot, even for locals and expatriates, offering a wide variety of cuisines, retail experiences, and even sporting venues. But if you want to take a short break from the hustles and bustles of the city, the deserts offer the perfect getaway. The serenity of the empty sands is known to have a positive effect on mental health, even to the likeness of yoga, for some.
One way to reap many of these benefits is to sign up for the KT Desert Drive scheduled for the 26th of November 2022. Online tickets go on sale from the 15th of November 2022 and are available at https://www.ktdesertdrive.com/online-booking/tickets.php. For more details, check out https://www.ktdesertdrive.com/index.html
The KT Desert Drive is also supported by:
Jeep and Trading Enterprises (Lead sponsor); Goodyear (Strategic sponsor); Castrol Magnatec: SUV (Exclusive lubricant sponsor); Nature Valley (Nutrition sponsor); Baskin Robbins (Gold Sponsor); Al Hamra Golf Club (Hospitality partner); Jeepers Edition (Support); Cafu (Mobile fuelling partner); Al Ain (Water partner); Abela & Co. (Lunch sponsor)
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