Even for those with a flair for extreme adventure and a strong will to survive, coping with harsh desert terrain requires more than just fearlessness or raw instinct. Add a great new skill to your own or your children’s lives by learning how to build a shelter, build your own fire and use basic navigation skills with Mleiha Archaeological and Eco-tourism Project’s newly introduced 2-hour ‘Surviving the Sands’ activity.

Ideal for anyone starting age 10 and above, the activity will be held amidst the archaeological site’s stunning landscape of multi-hued ochre and golden sand dunes, surrounded by towering, rocky mountains. The informative and hands-on tutorial will offer simple yet effective emergency tips and techniques, designed to beat the odds, even in the most unforgiving desert environment.

Staying hydrated is key to survival in a desert, and participants can learn the art of making drinking water with just a container and sheet of plastic to create a solar still that mimics the greenhouse effect to trap moisture from the soil.

Safeguarding of physical safety will be covered by a tent-building exercise, engaging participants in learning how to build their own shelter.

Fire is essential for preparing food, keeping warm at night and fending off predators. Mleiha’s survival experts will teach the techniques of building a proper fire pit and stack; and show ways to light a fire using flint/steel and other methods.

Since tracks disappear with every wind that sweeps across the desert, adventure enthusiasts will learn how to tap into an ancient Bedouin tradition of using the sun and stars as compass cues for navigating the dunes and sandy stretches of this expansive landscape.

Although humans can survive up to three weeks without food, Mleiha’s ‘Survival Package’ aims to leave nothing to chance. Participants will be taken on a tour of the majestic desert landscape to identify native flora and fauna to satiate one’s hunger in a survival scenario.

The activity is priced at AED 150 per person. More information about the Mleiha Archaeological Centre’s ‘Survival Package’ can be found at: discovermleiha.ae or contact +971 6 802 1111/+971 50 210 3780