Featuring lavish greenery amidst red sand dunes, the Liwa Oasis is a large oasis area in the Western Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Located on the northern edge of Rub’ al Khali, the world’s largest uninterrupted desert, Liwa Oasis is about 97.6 km south of the Persian Gulf coast and 150 km southwest of the city of Abu Dhabi.
Liwa Oasis’ traditional branch of the economy is date farming. There is widespread use of drip irrigation and greenhouses. The oasis is the birth place of the ruling families of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. In 1793, the ruling family Al Nahyan moved their residence from Liwa to Abu Dhabi.
The nearby Moreeb dune, 22 km south of Muzayri, is 300 meters high and is one of the largest dunes in the world. It attracts people every year during the Liwa festival with a large number of international and local visitors coming to see the offroad and camel racing events.
Irrigation to the Oasis
Liwa Oasis benefits from a water table that lies close to the surface and which has supported agriculture and animal husbandry for generations. This creates a dramatic contrast in the landscape between green date palm groves and tall orange-red sand dunes.
Liwa Oasis in Films
East of Liwa Oasis, in the Rub’ Al Khali desert, was the set of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and it was used to represent Jakku, a desert planet. The desert landscape of Liwa was filmed to represent the planet Arrakis in the 2021 film ‘Dune’. Further, the desert scenes of Sonic the Hedgehog were also filmed from here.
Liwa is an amazing place to do and enjoy incredible and awesome things. Let’s check some of them:
UAE’s Tallest Sand Dune – Tel Moreeb
Tel Moreeb, also known as Moreeb Dune, is UAE’s tallest sand dune and one of the world’s biggest dune hills to climb. It is more than 300 meters high and features a slope with 50-degree inclines, creating an exciting and challenging location for motorsports enthusiasts. It is one of a key attraction of the Liwa Oasis in the UAE.
Black Camel Farm
Liwa Oasis has its own breed of camels known as the Liwa camels. Liwa camels are originated from Saudi Arabia and are black in color. Lucky visitors can see herds of black camels crossing the red sands of the Liwa Desert.
Forts in Liwa
Liwa Oasis features two forts built more than a century ago and seven others of that era which were reconstructed in the 1980s. These forts reflect the commitment of the tribal groups of the past to protecting their land. The Dhafeer fort in Liwa, which is constructed to defend against encroaching tribes, resembles a sand castle in reality.
Night camping in Empty Quarter dunes
The Liwa Overnight Camping tour will boost your trip to the Empty Quarter with energizing dune bashing sessions, views of the menacing Tel Moreeb dunes, and an overnight stay to appreciate the coolness of this uninhabited land. Furthermore, you have a fantastic opportunity to explore the desert landscape if you happen to visit it at the time of a full moon.
A Walk in the Desert
A walk always fosters a sense of connection with nature and is both calming and energizing. You may experience the powerful sand dunes beneath your feet and the desert wind on your face while walking through the Liwa desert.
Explore the rise and fall of the dunes with a dune-bashing experience. The natural desert landscape of the region has many spots that provide recreational opportunities for tourists.
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