Kashtah in the dunes

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For a true Arabian experience, sleep among the sand dunes and beneath the stars — but wrap up warm as desert evenings in winter can be surprisingly chilly. Book your campsite in advance to be set up with a tent in the desert. Fuel up on fresh Arabic coffee in the morning before heading out to enjoy activities such as dune bashing, camel riding and sandboarding. Then turn your gaze upward, where the night sky serves up different constellations during this magical season. Below are activities you can experience while camping in Saudi this winter.

What to Do

Camel riding

During most Saudi camping excursions, called kashtah, visitors can saddle up a dromedary, also known as an Arabian camel. For more than 3,000 years, camels have been a part of life on the peninsula, transporting goods and people and providing milk and meat.

Firelit evenings

After a day of sand dune adventures, warm up around a campsite firepit. Try traditional food and drinks like Arabian barbecue, warm camel’s milk or Arabic coffee, listen to stories and Arabic music, and find winter constellations in the night’s sky.