Camping in the UAE when you have camped elsewhere: what is different

If you have camped in the Alps, the Rockies or the Scottish hills, you already know how to pitch a tent, layer up and read a map. The UAE will still surprise you. The ground, wind, sun exposure and overnight temperatures all create different challenges here, and gear that works well at home can let you down on the first night. This guide covers what to change, briefly, with links to the detail.

The ground: sand and rock

Most UAE camping happens on two surfaces, and neither suits the thin wire pegs that come with most tents. A standard tent peg driven vertically into loose, dry sand offers very little holding power. On the gravel plains and in the Hajar Mountains the ground is often hard rock under a thin layer of stones, and thin pegs bend.

• Sand: bury something wide instead of pushing in something thin. The Sand Bag Stake is a fabric triangle that Kelty says you fill with about 9 kg of weight, such as sand or rocks, and tie your guyline to. A stuff sack filled with sand and buried in a trench works on the same principle.
• Firm ground and gravel: use strong pegs. The NoBendium II Stake is hexagonal high-strength aluminium with a long tapered point, made for tough ground. On bare rock no peg goes in: tie off to large rocks that will not move, or use weighted bags.

The full method is in our guide to pitching a tent on sand.

The wind: evenings, not storms

In the desert the wind often rises in the late afternoon and around sunset, just as you are setting up. Pitch with the narrow end of the tent facing the wind, use every guyline, and do it before you unpack anything else. Low tents with short, strong poles usually cope better than tall family tents. Sand gets everywhere in the wind: keep doors zipped and bags closed, and shake the tent out before packing.

Shade is essential camping equipment in the UAE

Even in December the midday sun is strong, and there are almost no trees. At home a tarp is something you carry for rain; here it is for shade. Noah’s Tarp comes in a range of sizes that Kelty describes as covering groups of 1 to 20 people; the Noah’s Tarp 12 is one of the larger ones, for a family or a group sitting together. Poles are sold separately: a typical pitch uses two Staff Poles, or you tie one side to the car or to anchors. For a beach or a desert day spot, Kelty says the tripod of the Sunshade With Side Wall makes windy days a breeze, and its wall moves with the sun. Any shade structure still needs to be secured, or taken down, as the wind builds.

More on pitching shade in tarps and shelters for the UAE sun.

Cold nights: what to expect in the UAE mountains

Winter days are warm, so visitors pack light. Desert nights are cool, and the mountains are colder. On Jebel Jais, the highest peak in the country, the National Centre of Meteorology recorded 1.8 °C on 5 January 2025, and one visitor told The National that her group had to rush back on an earlier trip because they were not prepared for the cold. That was a cold spell, not a typical night, but mountain nights can drop close to freezing in winter. Wind makes it feel colder and strips heat from you faster, even though it does not lower the air temperature itself. Our sleeping bag guide explains how to build a sleep system for these nights.

Water planning for UAE desert and mountain trips

There is no water on most routes and at most camp spots, so every litre comes from the car. Hikers here are usually advised to carry about a litre for every hour on the trail and to keep more in the car (The National). Treat that as a starting point: heat, effort and the length of the route change it. Wadi pools are not a water source. How we plan it for different trips is in how much water to carry.

Flying in: fuel and stoves

Gas canisters cannot fly, so plan to buy them in the UAE. A stove that has held liquid fuel can travel only if it is completely empty and cleaned of fuel and vapour, in checked baggage, and only with your airline’s approval (IATA, MSR). Check your own airline’s rules before you pack. Bulky things such as chairs or a large tent are often easier to buy here: see camping gear to buy after you arrive.

The rules: check the exact place

There is no single national rule for where you can camp. Each emirate sets its own, some popular places close to tents or require booking, and some rules apply only to one site or one operator. Check the current rules for your exact spot before you go. Our guide to UAE camping and hiking rules collects what we could confirm, with sources.

• Anchors for sand and for gravel, not only the pegs in the tent bag.
• Shade for the middle of the day.
• A warm sleep system for mountain nights from December to February.
• More water than you think, and a reserve in the car.
• Fuel bought locally; the rules for your spot checked before you leave.