The ‘secret’ Emirate where you can safari right next to a five-star hotel

Gripping my phone in one hand, I’m trying to film the Arabian sand gazelles as they run alongside our jeep. With the other, I’m clinging to the seat in front as we hurtle down a terracotta dune in the Al Wadi Desert.

The animals know that this jeep means humans, which means feeding time, which means as we finally come to a stop and the warm sand seeps into my sandals as I exit the car, I’m surrounded.

The tiny gazelles, with their wide doe eyes, long lashes, and sharp, curved horns, jostle each other out of the way to get closer to the slowly softening pellets in my hand.

A herd of Arabian oryx – a kind of antelope – join the gazelles and tentatively edge closer to the group. While most look harmless, our tour guide, Ernest, grabs a long silver pole from the car and warns us to keep our distance from a male with one horn, who lost the other in scraps with his mates.

A hole gouged out of the thick plastic at the back of the jeep proves that, although these animals are beautiful, and despite them being herbivores, they are to be treated with caution and respect.

It feels as though I’m on safari and miles from civilisation, but I’m on the 1,235-acre Al Wadi Nature Reserve in Ras al Khaimah, a short walk from the Ritz Carlton, where the best room is priced at £3,730 a night (for two).

You may not be familiar with the name, but Ras al Khaimah, the northernmost of the United Arab Emirates’ seven territories, is emerging as the new adventure capital of the Gulf.

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Known as the ‘Nature Emirate’, this little-known place has got mountains, desert, coastline and unique wildlife — all within a stone’s throw of the luxury resorts and hotels the UAE is famed for.

My evening in Al Wadi perfectly encapsulates all that Ras al Khaimah, or RAK as it’s commonly shortened, is: one moment, I’m surrounded by what feels like nothing but desert, and 10 minutes later, I’m walking into the swish Farmhouse by Syrco for a multi-course wine-paired tasting menu.

The emirate with a difference

Ras al Khaimah has been on the map for the past few years, distinguishing itself from flashier counterparts Dubai and Abu Dhabi by focusing on its natural assets.

It is home to Jebel Jais, the highest point in the UAE at 6,345ft (1,934m), and has endless opportunities for exhilarating activities: hike-and-fly paragliding, hill-bagging and the world’s longest zipline — the list goes on.

A Bear Grylls Explorers Camp, nearer the base of the mountain, welcomes thrillseekers for overnight wilderness courses and camping trips.

Although we only had time for archery and shooting air rifles (I was crap at both), the camp has become a popular stop for families, tourists, and coworkers on team-building exercises to safely explore the harsh, rocky terrain.

It’s a similar story at Camp 1770, the highest campsite in the UAE, teetering at 5,807ft in the Jebel Jais mountains. Led by mountaineer and guide Fadi Hachicho, it attracts hikers from around the world.

An evening at the site included a short walk across the Hajars (rocks formed by the collision of Tectonic plates some 70 million years ago), followed by a soundbath.

As a virgin soundbather, I didn’t know what to expect, but found myself having an out-of-body experience while lying on a yoga mat and listening to immersive, resonant sounds from singing bowls and chimes. It felt surreal in the stillness of the mountains.

After, we watched the sunset over tea and local sweet snacks, while chatting to strangers around a campfire — not an experience I expected to have in the UAE, but the perfect way to disconnect from the city below.

I can safely say that the longest zipline in the world – the Jebel Jais is a must. It is located higher in the Hajar mountain range and attracts thousands of thrill seekers each year, all ready to whizz across the range at up to 100mph.

Prices start at £83. In comparison, prices for the X Line Dubai Marina, the longest urban zipline in Dubai, start at £145, and across the board, RAK is considerably cheaper.

A small aircraft flight at the Jazirah Aviation Club also gives a spectacular panorama of the coastline (a 20-minute flight starts from £104).

It’s a great way to get a bird’s eye view, and it’s relatively good value. A comparable experience in Abu Dhabi starts at £120, while a gyrocopter flight in Dubai will set you back around £250.

Culturally, I was impressed by a pearl-farming excursion (prices start at £52), which included taking a boat out past the mangroves, camels bathing in seawater, and learning about the ancient art of pearl collecting. We watched an oyster get shucked and a pearl extracted.

The experience was unique and opened a window into the cultural traditions of the past in the area, but other cultural experiences left me a little cold.

Dhayah Fort is featured in most of the promotional pamphlets you’ll see. It’s free to explore, but the visit took all of 30 minutes, and as someone who loves a heritage site (and once visited Hever Castle three times in one year), I was hoping for a little more. I will say, in true millennial fashion, that it did make for a great Instagram photoshoot.

The verdict

Ras Al Khaimah is the only emirate with mountains, sand, sea, and a city. As USPs go, this is pretty compelling, especially given its much lower price point when compared to its neighbours.

I stayed at the Intercontinental (from around £165 a night) and Anantara (from £175 per night), two five-star resorts that open out onto the ocean, which is still warm well into October.

As someone who is used to swimming in the frigid English Channel, the sea feeling like a warm bath was a welcome change.

And the value is clear: a night in the same standard of hotel in Dubai will set you back about £575.

If you’re looking for a deeper cultural experience, Oman might be a better choice. Given it’s just over the mountains from RAK, a twin-destination holiday that incorporates both is always an option.

Twinning this trip with Dubai is another idea for those who want to visit more than one emirate, or lower the price of a trip to the UAE.

If you just want culture, go to Oman. If you just want luxury, go to Dubai.

But if you want a combination of both with a sprinkling of adventure, for a lower price, go to RAK.

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