All activities / Overlanding / Expedition Driving / Empty Quarter
Overlanding / Expedition Driving in Empty Quarter
The Rub al Khali, the largest continuous sand desert on earth, spreading across the south of the Arabian Peninsula, with dunes rising hundreds of metres above dry salt flats. Saudi Arabia holds the greatest share, usually entered by four-wheel-drive convoy from Wadi al-Dawasir.
Why here
The Rub al Khali, the Empty Quarter, is the largest continuous body of sand on the planet, a sea of dunes the size of France stretching across the south of the Peninsula, and Saudi Arabia holds most of it. A multi-day expedition here is proper deep-desert travel, not a dune-bashing afternoon. Convoys of four-wheel-drives push a hundred kilometres and more from the last town, climbing dunes that top 200 metres and crossing the pale dry lakebeds between them, then make camp where there is no light but the stars and no sound at all. This is the desert of Wilfred Thesiger's crossings and the Bedouin caravans before him, and it is still empty. Because there is no infrastructure and real risk in getting lost, it is travelled only with a licensed operator running a convoy, satellite communications and the wildlife-reserve permits the interior requires.
Best months
The only sensible season is November to March; from spring the daytime heat becomes extreme and dangerous. Nights in winter can drop close to freezing on the open sand, so cold-weather gear matters as much as sun protection. Deep-desert travel requires a convoy of multiple vehicles, satellite communication and permits, all arranged through the operator; solo self-driving is not advisable and much of the interior needs conservation-authority permission.
Getting there & around
Most expeditions stage from Wadi al-Dawasir, reachable by domestic flight or a long road drive from Riyadh, then run three to four days and nights into the sands. Operators provide the four-wheel-drive vehicles, camping equipment, meals, navigation and the required permits; guests do not need off-road experience but should be ready for basic camping and long days in the vehicle. Book well ahead, since these are small-group departures on fixed dates.
Skill levels: beginner, intermediate
Schools & guides (2)
Abha Trips
OutfitterAbha Trips is a Saudi operator with bases in Riyadh and Jazan that runs a three-day, all-inclusive expedition into the Rub al Khali, the Empty Quarter, the largest continuous sand desert on earth. Groups depart from Riyadh and stage at Wadi al-Dawasir before driving more than 600 kilometres across dune fields and dry lakebeds in four-wheel-drive convoy, setting up camp for meals and nights under the stars far from any settlement or light. Trips cover all equipment, food and transport.
Saudi Arabia Travel and Tours
OutfitterSaudi Arabia Travel and Tours is a licensed expedition outfitter based in Abha, operating under Ministry licence 400008093 with a second office in Jeddah. Its four-day, three-night Empty Quarter expedition departs from Wadi al-Dawasir and pushes deep into the Rub al Khali by four-wheel-drive, camping across the high dunes and the rocky desert margins, with all equipment, meals, guiding and permits arranged for the group. It also runs research and field expeditions across the Kingdom.