Liwa - The Empty Quarter Experience Abu Dhabi

1. The Empty Quarter The Empty Quarter desert's fine golden and red sands shift with the winds to form dunes hundreds of feet high and visible as far as the eye can see.

2. Why is it called the Empty Quarter? The Empty Quarter is the direct translation of the Arabic word Rub' Al Khali, which is the original name of this massive desert area. The name was given due to its continuous and expansive nature.

3. What is the Empty Quarter famous for? The Empty Quarter, or 'Rub Al Khali' in Arabic, is the world's largest sand desert that so intrigued the likes of Lawrence of Arabia and the explorer Wilfred Thesiger. It stretches across vast swaths of Arabia, including the south western corner of Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates. The place is known for its great sand dunes and a ride through those hilly dunes, finally reaching 'Tal Moreeb' which in English means 'Moreeb Dune', one of the highest in the Middle East region. Also LIWA is famous for its Dates festival.

4. Who lives in the Empty Quarter? About 80 percent of it lies in Saudi Arabia, while its eastern edges extend to the United Arab Emirates, and its southern border is in Oman. Parts of its southern and southwestern limits lie in Yemen. Though its name suggests that no one lives there, many tribes have lived and still inhabit the region.

5. Weather in the Empty Quarter The region is classified as “hyper-arid”, which means that it lacks water for the growth of plants or survival of animals. Rainfall is less than 3 cm (1.2 in) every year. The daily temperatures are between 47 °C (117 °F) and 51 °C (124 °F).

6. How big is the Empty Quarter? The Arabian Peninsula's Empty Quarter, known as Rub' al Khali, is the world's largest sand sea, holding about half as much sand as the Sahara Desert. The Empty Quarter covers 583,000 square kilometers (225,000 square miles), and stretches over parts of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. The Empty Quarter is a magnificent sea of dunes that has been untouched by mankind.

7. Can you visit the Rub al Khali desert? Overnight desert safari on request; all camping equipment, breakfast, lunch, dinner included. Liwa days tours and Liwa overnight camping in Rub Al Khali gives you chance to discover the best parts of Rub Al khali and to understand the Bedouins life. We also provide fixed camp for special request.

8. Does anyone live in the Empty Quarter? Although the region includes a few towns, not many people live in the Empty Quarter because of the intense heat and scarce water. Sand dunes themselves present challenges, impeding the movement of people and vehicles. In the sandy terrain of the United Arab Emirates, on the northern edge of the Rub' al Khali, an oasis brings green to the desert. The T-shaped, 100-kilometer stretch of date plantations and small towns comprise the Liwa Oasis, home to about 20,000 people in Abu Dhabi.

9. What is the difference between oasis and desert? An oasis is an small patch of vegetation surrounded by desert. Communities have traditionally planted strong trees, such as palms, around the perimeter of oases to keep the desert sands from their delicate crops and water. An oasis is an area made fertile by a source of freshwater in an otherwise dry and arid region.