Liwa and Tal Moreeb: a packing list for 2–3 nights in the dunes

Liwa is far from everything, and that is the point. Visitors quoted by Khaleej Times drove about four hours from Dubai and about three and a half from Al Ain. Once you are in the dunes near Tal Moreeb, the nearest shop is not close and the nights can be colder than people expect. This list is for two or three nights with your own vehicle and your own camp.

What to expect there

• Cold mornings: during the Liwa Festival in December 2024, campers told Khaleej Times that temperatures dropped below 10 °C, with 9 °C at sunrise. There can be fog between the dunes in the early morning.
• Noise: during festival weeks there is dune racing, drifting and music until late. One visitor said his group could not sleep at all.
• Two ways to camp: the same report describes official camps for rent and free sites where people set up their own gear. Which areas are open, and on what terms, changes from season to season.
• Soft sand everywhere: stakes, chair legs and tyres all behave differently than on hard ground.

One regular visitor said that after dinner his group moves to a secluded spot on a quiet hill to sleep. If you want the same, choose the spot in daylight, check that camping there is allowed, and stay well clear of tracks where cars race or drift.

Before you leave

• Route and access: plan the route, check which areas are open to camping this season, and tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.
• Fuel: fill up at the last station before the dunes.
• Water: carry enough for everyone for every day, for drinking and cooking, plus a reserve in case you get stuck.
• Tyres: Dubai Police advise drivers in the desert to keep monitoring and adjusting tyre pressure. Bring a gauge and a compressor to pump them back up for the road.
• Recovery: a shovel, a tow rope and sand tracks. Khaleej Times quotes the first rule of off-road driving: go as a convoy. If you can, travel with a second car and agree a plan for pulling each other out.

Shelter: tent, shade and anchors

Take the tent you trust most in wind. Read why tents collapse in desert wind before you choose. In the dunes, normal stakes hold very little, so add weight: each Sand Bag Stake is a bag you fill with about 9 kg of sand and tie to a corner or guyline.

Daytime shade matters as much as the tent. The Waypoint Tarp is a shade structure that attaches to most vehicles without a permanent mount, with a one-pole design that Kelty says you can leave up overnight. It gives you a shaded area beside the car for cooking and sitting. Guy it out well, and take it down if the wind picks up.

Sleep: plan for a cold sunrise

A morning around 9 °C feels colder after a night on sand, because the ground keeps drawing heat from you. A light summer bag is not enough. The down Galactic 30 is labelled for about −1 °C; the 30 in the name is the US label of the model, not degrees Celsius and not a comfort figure. Two Galactic bags can be zipped together for a couple. Our guide on how to read comfort and limit ratings explains what the label does and does not promise.

Under the bag you need a pad, not just a mat. With a car you can carry the Waypoint SI, the biggest and thickest pad in the Kelty range, and its stuff sack doubles as an inflation tool. Pack earplugs too.

Kitchen and order in the car

There are restaurants in the area, but many groups cook in camp; one visitor said cooking their own meals raised the level of fun. Keep the kitchen organised so you do not unpack the whole car for one spoon. The Camp Galley hangs off the roof rack and holds spices, tools, utensils, cutting boards and plates in separate pockets. The Car-Go-Box has three colour-coded storage pods in a folding case, so food, cooking gear and recovery gear each have their own place.

Everything you bring in, you take out. The Trash Pak mounts on the outside of most cars and is built to withstand intense sun and wind, so rubbish rides home outside and the smell stays out of the car.

The full list for 2–3 nights

• Tent you trust in wind, footprint, extra guylines and sand anchors.
• Shade that attaches to the car.
• Sleeping bag for nights below 10 °C, a thick pad, a pillow, a warm hat and dry clothes for the night.
• A blanket for the evening and the early morning.
• Water for everyone, plus a reserve.
• Stove, fuel, pots, cool box, and a way to keep food off the sand.
• Low chairs and a small table.
• Tyre gauge, compressor, shovel, tow rope and sand tracks.
• Torch or headlamp with spare batteries, power bank, first-aid kit.
• Rubbish bags and a way to carry them home.
• Earplugs.