As winter arrives bringing a welcome drop in temperatures across the UAE, thoughts turn to making the most of the great outdoors. From zip lining to skydiving, jet-skiing and dune-bashing, there are thrills aplenty to calm your inner adrenalin gremlin here in the UAE. So whether you want to hone your off-roading skills, learn a new hobby or simply get your heartbeat racing, here are some of the best adventure activities in the UAE.
1. Take to the dunes
The vastness of the UAE's desert has long beckoned explorers often travelling in trailing camel caravans. Today's adventurers prefer quad bikes or dune buggies, a stripped down vehicle with a roll cage that's specially designed for sand dunes; either way it's best to book with an experienced tour company to help conquer what's guaranteed to be dusty and challenging terrain. If a 4x4 is more your style for off-roading, you can either hire a driver or book a short course to learn how to take a 4x4 into the desert safely; a skill that can then take you driving across the UAE and into Oman to explore its deserts, tracks and wadis. Contact a local off-road enthusiasts club such as Emirates Offroaders to help polish your skills.
2. Skydive over the Palm
If you're looking for high-voltage bursts of adrenaline, jumping out of an aeroplane at 4,000 metres is probably the one for you. The best-known skydive experience in Dubai is organised by Skydive Dubai over the Palm Jumeirah for the chance to enjoy views of the island and Dubai’s skyline as you plummet at 190 km per hour. Skydive Dubai offers tandem jumps during which you are safely harnessed to an experienced instructor and, if you are bitten by the skydiving bug, it also runs a sky diving school to teach the skills and know-how required to take your first solo jump safely; this includes a day of theory learnt on the ground and seven jumps which costs from $2,700. The same operators also offer sky diving over a desert drop zone for landing onto vast tracks of the desert. A tandem skydive above the Palm Jumeirah is priced from $707 in the winter season. Expect to pay more if you want video and photographs to commemorate your dive.
3. Jet ski around the Burj Al Arab
The waters of the Arabian Gulf are relatively calm and make for the perfect playground for you to jet ski without breaking your tailbone. If you head out from Kite Beach, a jet ski is the perfect vehicle for getting close to coastal landmarks such as the Burj al Arab, while those seeking a little more adventure can zip around the Palm Jumeirah and to Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR). If you love to be seen, Hydro Water Sports, which operates from near the Burj, also offers a ride for two in a jet car, which has the body of a bright yellow sports car, and a wild ride on a Flyboard or Jetpack, both of which will see you powered above the sea by jets of water. Jet-skiing with Hydro Water Sports costs from $205; its jet car costs from $816; and a flyboard or jetpack costs from $160; all for 30 minutes.
4. Parasailing at Khorfakkan
Nicknamed the bride of Sharjah's eastern coast, Khorfakkan sits on a pretty crescent-shaped bay and welcomes an increasing number of local tourists for weekend breaks. Alongside, fishing, kayaking, diving and jet-skiing, beachgoers can also sign up for thrilling views of blue skies and the coastal strip below by dangling from a parachute at the mercy of a speedboat. What could be more fun? Parasailing at Khorfakkan Beach costs from $36 for one person and $68 for two people.
5. Fly over Jebel Jais on a zip Line
Pushing off from a platform, attached to a zip line with your legs held in a harness straight out in plank position behind you, is probably the closest a human being may get to achieving bird-like flight. If birds could travel at speeds of up to 160km, that is. Based at Jebel Jais Peak in Ras Al Khaimah, 1,680 metres above sea level, Jais Flight currently holds the record for the world's longest zip line. The wire is 2.8 kilometres long and takes three chilling minutes from start to finish; screaming is optional. If you're not feeling brave enough to take off, Jebel Jais is well-known as a base for all kinds of adventures from: the Jais Sledder, an undulating track designed to take a sled for two down the mountainside for an eight-minute ride over 1,840 metres at up to 40km per hour; a Bear Grylls Explorers Camp teaching desert survival skills; an hour-long rope course with different levels, suitable for children aged six and above; and, numerous hiking trails.
6. Mountain bike around Hatta
Mountain bikers raring to escape city life should head to Hatta, the enclave in the Hajar mountains about 90 minutes by car from Dubai, to explore its 50 km-long, colour-coded (green for beginners to black for the expert) mountain bike trail that's easy to traverse without a guide. You can bring your own bike or hire one at Hatta Wadi Hub; look out Arabian gazelles and oryx en route. Those who prefer exploring on foot can opt for one of Hatta’s well-marked hiking trails along wadis and foothills; landmarks include the Hollywood-style white Hatta sign and the large mural of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, founders of the UAE, emblazoned on the side of Hatta Dam. Hatta also offers e-bikes for the lazier among us.