Where do you feel you can enjoy the best nature adventure in the UAE? Undoubtedly, your first thought would be Dubai. But that’s not the only place in the UAE where you can enjoy a thrilling adventure in pristine nature. Believe it or not! Ras Al Khaimah, the emirate set north of Dubai, is fast replacing Dubai as the adventure hub of the UAE. While there is a long way to go for this emirate to match Dubai’s unrivalled adventure standard and diversity, with just a handful of adventures, Ras Al Khaimah has already gained the status of ‘ The Adventure Capital of the UAE’. So, for all adventure enthusiasts visiting Dubai, we encourage you to spend a day in Ras Al Khaimah during your UAE holiday so that you can enjoy an unhurried yet adrenaline-filled experience adventure. Check out this one day trip to Ras Al Khaimah itinerary that you can add to your UAE holiday. To spend one full day in Ras Al Khaimah, it is best to arrive a day before so that you can dedicate the entire day to adventure thrills amid the splendours of the emirate.
Reasons to visit Ras Al Khaimah on a UAE vacation
- Ras Al Khaimah is still an upcoming destination in the UAE. This means it is scarcely crowded and its scenery feels untouched. So, you get to explore a slower pace of life in the lap of nature.
- Enjoying attractions and adventure sports in Ras Al Khaimah is more affordable and less commercialised than in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
- Ras Al Khaimah presents a breathtaking natural scenery – from its sweeping coastline on the west to the golden deserts at its heart, and the majestic Hajar Mountains on the east. This offers a picturesque yet contrasting hues of azure waters, golden sands, and auburn, rugged terrains.
- You will find accommodation, transport, tours, shopping and dining cheaper than in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
One Day itinerary – Ras Al Khaimah
Morning
Start early morning and enjoy a long drive to Jebel Jais – the highest peak in the UAE. Stop by 1484 by Puro for a hearty breakfast before you proceed to your adventure experiences in Jebel Jais. The scenic drive to Jebel Jais from Ras Al Khaimah city centre would take about 45 minutes. So, enjoy the views of the changing landscape as it transforms into the majestic Hajar mountain terrain and soak in its beauty in the morning sun. After you get to Jebel Jais, take a short stroll to the Jebel Jais Viewing Deck Park to see its beauty from impressive perspectives. This is the perfect spot to capture some mesmerising snaps of Jebel Jais’ sweeping panoramas. Adventure lovers! Gear up for the Jebel Jais Flight – zipline experience. If you are pumped up for extreme adventure, try the Jais Sky tour, where you zoom through the cragged valley on six ziplines. For non-zipliners, Jais Sledder – a toboggan ride, or a short Via Ferrata trek are ideal choice. You must pre-book your Jebel Jais zipline tickets and other adventure activities in advance.
Afternoon
In the afternoon, head back towards the city. Stop en route for a Middle-Eastern or international lunch. If you are planning for extreme desert adventures like dune bashing, we suggest that you have a lighter lunch. Then, head to the Al Wadi Desert or Awafi Desert, where you spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying desert sports like dune bashing, sandboarding, and camel rides. A desert safari Ras Al Khaimah experience offers a slow, uncrowded desert experience compared to those in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, making it one of the best places in the UAE to take time and cherish the beauty of the deserts, untouched by tourist overcrowding.
Evening
Stay for a breathtaking sunset viewing in the secluded solace of Ras Al Khaimah’s golden dunes. Then, take part in Arabian cultural activities like henna painting, or enjoying a tanoura show or belly dance before delving into a rich spread of a BBQ dinner. Later, head back to the city. If you are wondering where to stay in Ras Al Khaimah, don’t fret! There are plenty of options right from budget hotels to luxury hotels like Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah or The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Hamra Beach. Your one day trip to Ras Al Khaimah concludes with an overnight stay in the hotel.
Conclusion
You can visit Ras Al Khaimah as a day trip from Dubai, as it takes merely two hours to reach this emirate from Dubai. But we feel that Ras Al Khaimah has a calm yet rugged scenery that is so unlike Dubai that you definitely should soak up the ambience here, along with the adventures it has to offer. So, spend a day in Ras Al Khaimah and get introduced to this happening spot in the UAE that’s sure to make you fall in love with it for being so serenely slow-paced, breathtakingly picturesque, and offering an amazing collection of adventures that adds the thrill factor to your UAE holiday.
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