The man who is familiar with every single sand dune in the desert

As a child, Salam Almazrouei and his friends would engage in a daring game in the desert, one that would make most people uneasy.

In the dead of night, despite being too young to drive in many places, they’d venture out into the vast sea of sand dunes between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia, turning off their headlights once they were deep within.

Guided only by the moonlight, they’d race to see who could make it back home the quickest.

Clearly, this was a game filled with risk. A wrong turn, a breakdown, or getting stuck in the soft sand could leave you stranded, miles away from help, and at the mercy of the scorching desert sun that could turn the day into an oven-like ordeal.

“But we never lost our way,” he says.

For Almazrouei, these endless dunes, stretching out in every direction, are as familiar as city streets to an urbanite. Though the winds may shift the sand from time to time, the landscape, he insists, never loses its sense of familiarity.

This part of the Liwa Desert, also known as Rub’ al Khali or the Empty Quarter, has been the home of Almazrouei’s Bedouin ancestors for generations. While his family now resides in Abu Dhabi’s cities and towns, their bond with the desert remains unbroken, and they make frequent returns.

Now, at 46, he wants to share that connection with others. Drawing inspiration from his own travels as a student and engineer, Almazrouei began brainstorming ways to help people from outside the UAE experience the magic of Liwa.

“Initially, I had the idea of creating a camp in California, with 70 Arabian camels,” he recalls. “But due to concerns over foot-and-mouth disease, it wasn’t allowed. So, we decided to bring the idea to life here instead.”

Engulfed by sand

“Here” is a place of almost otherworldly beauty. A smooth, undisturbed expanse of sand stretches endlessly into the horizon. By night, it is bathed in the glow of countless stars beneath a velvet sky. By day, it is bathed in the brilliance of sunlight and clear blue skies.

It’s the very definition of isolation. A two-hour drive southwest from downtown Abu Dhabi, passing through the town of Zayed, followed by another hour’s drive south until the road vanishes into the endless desert.

To welcome visitors, Almazrouei, with support from his father, Ibrahim Almazrouei, has created Liwa Nights – a refined desert camp set on a gentle slope at the edge of the Empty Quarter.

On the outside, the tents’ white, sand-weathered exteriors appear utilitarian. Inside, however, they offer an indulgent glamping experience.

Pulling back the Velcro-fastened entrance reveals a cool, air-conditioned haven, adorned with luxurious drapes, a traditional rug covering the floor, and illuminated by a tasteful lamp hanging from the tent’s high ceiling.

Inside, you’ll find a spacious, cozy double bed with crisp cotton linens, a dresser, a wardrobe, a full-length mirror, and a coffee table with chairs. A side curtain parts to reveal a private bathroom, complete with a flushing toilet and a shower stocked with premium soaps.

If you can tear yourself away from the endless desert view and adjust to the profound quiet of being so far from civilization, a restful night’s sleep is all but guaranteed.

“I don’t think of it as a hotel, but as an experience,” says Almazrouei. “When you step into your tent, you’ll be astounded by how everything has been thoughtfully designed by us. Inside, you’re enveloped in luxury, but step outside, and you’re immersed in the desert.”

For dining and entertainment, Almazrouei has built a more permanent structure nearby. Styled to resemble a traditional Middle Eastern home from the 1800s, crafted with imported African wood, it includes a dining area, bar, indoor and outdoor seating, and a souvenir shop.

On warm nights, lit by fairy lights or the soft glow of a campfire with cool desert breezes, it’s the ideal spot to relax with a refreshing drink and listen to desert stories. During the day, it serves as the hub for activities like camel treks, falconry displays, and adrenaline-pumping 4x4 dune ing.

The best time to visit is from October to March, during the cooler months. The site is closed in summer when temperatures soar. The heat is said to ease only in late August, when a bright star named Sulhail rises above the southern horizon.

For those seeking an all-year-round option, the luxurious Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort sits just beyond the dunes.

Thrill ride

If Almazrouei is behind the wheel for a Liwa dune ing adventure, get ready for a wild ride. With skills sharpened from his moonlit desert races, he’s a fearless driver, plunging his dune buggy down near-vertical slopes or leaning it sideways along ridges, coming close to tipping over.

He navigates using the color of the sand, the vegetation, and the contours of the land, aiming straight for Moreeb Dune, an immense sand slope that rises above the flat plains. Once a year, crowds gather for the Liwa Festival, a multi-day event that features thrilling 4x4 races up the dune. This year’s festival will run from November 22 to December 4.

On the return journey, Almazrouei parks the buggy on a dune above the Liwa Nights camp. There, partially buried in the sand, is one of several large water bladders that are regularly filled to provide water for the tents. The water is trucked in because locally sourced water is too salty.

This is one of the few visible signs of human presence in the area, which Almazrouei is committed to preserving. Before establishing the camp, he says he hired 60 people for two weeks to clear the site of trash left behind by campers during previous Liwa festivals.

He is currently setting up rows of solar panels with the goal of making the camp fully self-sustaining with renewable energy. Additionally, he says he has planted over 700 palm trees in the past year as part of an ongoing initiative to provide shade and promote wildlife in the area.

“We want to keep it authentic and romantic, a place where people can disconnect and unwind for a few days,” he says.

Amy Zhao, a US-based engineer who was recently working in Abu Dhabi, is among those who have experienced Almazrouei’s hospitality at Liwa Nights – and had a somewhat less serene ride in his dune buggy.

“I absolutely loved it,” she says. “It’s such a thrilling and one-of-a-kind experience. The tents were incredible.”