A Guest Post for Wild World Travel by Neha Singh

A postgraduate in Mass Communications, Neha loves everything about life. Traveling is extremely close to her heart and writing came to her naturally. An avid trekker & explorer, who often takes off some time from her busy life for mountaineering, she loves meeting new people & gets attached to their culture very easily. Her ambition is to explore as many places as she can in her life. She strongly believes in Gandhian principle – “simple living high thinking”.

There’s so much to love about Dubai, but what really makes me fall for this entertainment hub of the world is the fact that the city truly has something for everyone, even for the wildlife enthusiasts. Here’s a list of some of the best tourist destinations in Dubai for those who can’t do without wildlife.

The Marine Life, Dubai Aquarium

No matter the attractive lures of the Dubai mall you just can’t miss the giant Dubai aquarium located on the ground floor. The aquarium has over 140 species of aquatic animals and over 300 sharks and rays. It contains an approximate 33000 marine creatures in its 10 million litre water tank. You can also view the king crocodile that is 750 kg.

Located right next door is the Dubai underwater zoo with host of underwater activities. Go snorkelling with sharks or ride the glass-bottomed boats over the piranha-filled waters. If you are an adventure-seeker, you can also go scuba diving with the sharks, under supervision.

Happy Feet (Penguins), Ski Dubai

At Ski Dubai, you can come face to face with cute species Penguins. The newest residents of the snow park, you can watch the penguins having fun while they dive in the pool through a glass window. You can also meet the penguins up close and personal under the supervision of the trainers. Get changed into special snow gear and after a special safety briefing you can meet these amazing creatures up close.

Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project (DTRP), Madinat Jumeirah

Every Wednesday and Friday you can see the rescued turtles in the rehabilitation pens at Madinat Jumeirah. The aquarium team from Burj Al Arab can be seen coming down to feed the rescued turtles. In 2004, the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project was started to nurture and ultimately release injured and sick sea turtles back into the ocean. Over the years, over 500 turtles have been rehabilitated and have been released in the Arabian Gulf. DRTP tracks the turtles when they are released to check how they are doing in their natural habitat. This is a free activity and there is no need to book a table at the restaurant. It is a real learning endeavour for adults and kids alike.

Falconry, Dubai Desert

Remember the scene from ‘The Mummy’, where the character Ardeth Bay whistles and the falcon comes and stands on his arm? Well, that does not just happen in movies. Emirati people take falconry very seriously. You can visit the Falcon museum and see how the Sheikh Zayed Falcon Release Project works.

The private falconry experience at Platinum Heritage allows you to see the birds up close, and feed them under the supervision of the trainers. A special Fazza Championship of Falconry is held every year for which hundreds of enthusiasts turn up to see these beautiful winged birds.

Camel trekking, Dubai Desert Safari

If its Dubai, then you have to experience an exotic camel ride in its pristine desert. The quintessential experience of trekking across the sand dunes, comfortably seated on the back of the camel, is one thing that you must not miss out on. The Rayna travels camel tours give you the pleasure of camel riding followed by an educational session, photo ops, and desert experience.

Say hello to Wild Oryx, Dubai Desert Conservation Center

The government of Dubai have strived hard to bring back the Wild Oryx (species) from the brink of extinction. This white-haired relative of antelope can be seen grazing on the native grass of the desert dunes. You can track and view these beautiful beasts by taking a wildlife tour available with many reputed tour operators that drive you across Dubai’s Desert Conservation Center in an open roof-top land rover.

Dubai is not just about the skyscrapers, glitz and glamour of shopping. It has a lot more to offer if you’re ready to go beyond the obvious tourist places. The warm locals are forever ready to help you out with your queries and quests for off-the-beaten-track adventures. While in Dubai, don’t hold yourself back and explore as much as you can. The Bedouin city of Emiratis can surprise you at every step.

Images are copyright of Neha Singh and Liam Quinn.