(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Thirteen intrepid individuals are all set to participate in the 3rd edition of the Camel Trek, organised by the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center (HHC), taking place from January 21 to 27.
For seven days these trekkers will form a convoy that will traverse the rolling sand dunes of the UAE desert, covering a total distance of 350 kms. They will live in the past when Bedouins used to navigate the wide desert expanse - traveling at day under the sun and sleeping at night under the stars.
They will also be deprived of any modern technology and will have to rely on the 'ship of the desert' - the camel - to carry them throughout the journey.
Khaleej Times caught up with some of them on Thursday afternoon as they were undergoing intensive survival training the past few days prior to their trek on Saturday at their camp site in Al Nakhra, off Dubai-Al Ain road.
British expat Rhian Adams, said she's all prepared for the journey. "I've learned how to saddle up the camel; perfected the mounting and disembarking - all of these have to be very precise," she shared.
She added: "It's a good thing I'm a fitness instructor. Physically I'm up for the challenge but some of the obstacles can be language barrier - we have to communicate properly with our Arab guides. At least I know some basic Arabic phases like 'help me', 'need to go to the bathroom', etc."
Adams said some of them have experienced soreness in the inner thighs during the first few days of the training and that's normal, according to the trainors.
Aside from the physical training, trekkers are also required to mentally prepare themselves and get acquainted with the camels.
"It is important to build a bond with the camels," Hina Webb, a lawyer from UK, told Khaleej Times.
"You have to learn how to move with your camel. You need to trust your camel. They know the path and they will always choose the easiest path," Webb explained, as she was feeding her camel with apples as treats.
For Emirati Hamdan Saee Al Rumaith, the Camel Trek is his way to connect with his forefathers. "This is how they lived in the past and now I'm doing it."
Mohammed Ali Obaid Bin Huraiz, manager of CEO's office at HHC, said: "The aim of the 'Camel Trek' is to create a similar atmosphere to the one in the past when Bedouins used to navigate and travel in the desert. It is about sustaining an iconic symbol of the desert environment.
"It requires a high level of fitness and prior training to join the trip. Participants have to get used to riding a camel and learn ways to deal with them and how to travel in a convoy as well as getting tips about the nature of life in the desert," he added.
The select group of riders, composed of eight males and five females, including three Emiratis, have also undergone rigorous health checks to ensure they are fit to undertake the arduous journey.
At the end of their training on Thursday, the trekkers were taught how to tether their camels. Then they took a short rest at a nearby canopied majli, sipping on qahwa to relax a bit and prepare themselves for an exciting journey ahead.
Watch a video of detailing the 3rd UAE Desert Camel Trek in the video below (Video by: Leslie Pableo)
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Angel Tesorero
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