Sleek desert nests an extraordinary twist on ‘glamping’

”Keep watching and maybe you can see Arabian oryx, and if we’re lucky, snakes, scorpions and spiders,” says our driver Kassim as the 4WD enters Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. “They really like tourists.” My nieces, nine and six, both born and bred in Dubai, are not visitors, but they let out a playful gasp, and the gentle interrogation begins.

Just 40 minutes from downtown Dubai, but a world away in the desert.Credit:

We’re roughly 40 minutes’ drive from downtown Dubai; it’s an unremarkable journey to get to the desert on the fringe of this chrome sheikhdom, past the outlet mall, camel track and Rugby 7s stadium on the Dubai-Al-Ain Road. But now the bleak scene has transformed into a stirring caramel ocean; latte sand-dunes cresting and falling as far as the eye can see. Gazelles dart into the shrubs as we climb and fall towards the camp.

Desert safaris are nothing new in Dubai, but overnight eco-friendly glampsite The Nest by Sonara encourages you to experience this untapped side of the emirate, and its unique natural offerings, for a little longer; from dusk to dawn. Kassim drops us at camp and we’re welcomed with a cold towel and drink, though it does little to abate the sweltering May heat.

Overnight bags and school uniforms in tow, we roll up to our designer dune in an electric buggy. The calibre has been raised. Designed by award-winning Italian architect Gianni Ranaulo, these 14 slick desert “nests” are less bell tent and more like props from the film set of sci-fi remake Dune. Dystopian, but make it chic.

Our dedicated mudeef, or butler, provides a quick tour of our sunrise-facing tent (but I use that term loosely). A curving ceiling cocoons us in this crescent-moon shaped space that’s built into the sand and mimics the desert’s dunes like a cat’s eye. It’s fitted out with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors, a double bed, two twin beds on the floor for my nieces, as well as an enormous private ensuite with a shower and toilet.

An aerial view of the Sonara Camp.Credit:

A mini bar built into the rendered wall is stocked with bottles of wine, including French Chablis and Bordeaux. The guest compendium reveals an excessive AED250 ($104) corkage charge for any alcohol bought onto the camp. It seems steep, but it’s a novelty that wine and alcohol is available for purchase at the main Sonara entertainment camp, something previously forbidden in these desert tourist attractions.

Part of a trio of desert camps owned by Swiss-born Dubai expat Stephanie Reichenbach, The Nest is the first overnight iteration and, like its siblings, is solar-powered with a zero-plastic policy. Guests staying at The Nest can enjoy tapas at the lounge there or venture to the main Sonara camp for a three-course share-style meal and live entertainment. We opt for the latter and spend the early evening sandboarding, riding camels, watching falconry and doing archery.

Tucked away in the dunes, the Sonara camp is styled with lounges, fairy lights and wood-frame teepees scattered with cushions. A man dressed in traditional dish-dash is playing my favourite Arabic tune, Aisha, on an electric guitar when we arrive. Having previously lived in the emirate for nearly seven years, I’ve done my fair share of cliche desert safaris. This is a tasteful contemporary twist on a very Dubai experience.

A feast in the desert.Credit:

As the sun sizzles into the dunes, sweat beading on our flushed faces, we make our way to the lower camp for dinner and the show. The girls are served bento-style boxes filled with chicken tenders, mini burgers, penne pasta and flatbread pizza. The spread is a step-up from the jaffles and sausages on the menu at most Aussie campsites. I slowly make my way through the three-course feast of mezze dips, herb-crusted lamb rack, Black Angus beef tagliata and Provencal-style grilled local prawns, while for dessert, fresh fruit and mini desserts are presented atop a tiered cake tower.

Entertainment includes a series of impressive Arabic-themed acts involving fire, including a man in a whirling dervish skirt.Credit:

The ubiquitous belly-dancing performance has been replaced by a series of impressive Arabic-themed acts involving fire, including a man in a whirling dervish skirt. It’s a fun night, ending with a bang and a bit of cheese; fireworks and a congo line that leads us to a dance floor, where we party past 10pm (oops). It’s a restless night of minimal sleep. Despite being equipped with AC, the unit is no match for the high 30-degree temperatures. (The best months to stay are November to March.)

When we awake, one of us is a year older. The breakfast spread is birthday-ready and ever-opulent with eggs benedict in an avocado nest, fruit, smoked salmon bagels and labneh and olives. My youngest niece celebrates “the big six” with one last camel ride before Kassim drives us back to the gate. On the way, a white phantom appears in the dunes; the ever-elusive Arabian oryx. The best gift.

The details

Fly + drive
Fly to Dubai with Emirates (emirates.com), then get an Uber or taxi to the gate at Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, where a driver from The Nest will collect you in a 4WD.

Stay
The Nest by Sonara offers stays inclusive of dinner and breakfast from AED1960 ($816) a night. See nara.ae/nest

The writer flew at her own expense and travelled with assistance from The Nest and Visit Dubai.