Morning Newbie Desert Drive - Faqa to Bab Al Shams - Dubai - 29 May 2026

[Frederic]

Welcome to the club @Esteban Ayala!!

[Ishak]

Welcome to Carnity @Esteban Ayala

[Pramod Sathyaseelan]

[Emanuel]

Newbie Drive Report – Faqa to Bab Al Shams

Thank you to everyone who arrived early and were ready for the 7:00 AM briefing—great discipline and much appreciated.

This was a newbie-heavy drive, including @Esteban Ayala's first Carnity drive—welcome! I hope you had an enjoyable introduction to desert driving. Welcome back @Rajath Shetty and @Ghaithh after a break. Hope you had some fun while getting used to things again.

We supported a few of you during setup with tips to improve performance, including guidance for Pajero drivers on managing ABS/traction systems. @Mariem and @Pramod Sathyaseelan, please take time to learn your Prado and Fortuner offroad  features (especially 4L and diff locks if you have them) to build confidence.

We started with a gentle warm-up through Faqa, heading west through slightly bushy terrain. Some drivers also practiced hill climbs with Aser’s guidance—great effort refining control and cresting technique. Followed by a break on the sabkha. Entering a different dune patch, we encountered very soft, technical sand, where you all handled stucks and refusals well as a team. I also needed a hand with some shoveling to get me moving again. We exited and continued along the sabkha edge dipping in and out of the dunes here. We saw plenty of camels and gazelles here too.

The final dunes were again challenging, but you managed well, with good teamwork and learning throughout. After a Prado transmission overheating stop, JP and I ventured forward and found a nearby track ~400m north, giving us a quicker exit as we were running late. From there, we overlanded smoothly to Bab Al Shams.

Thank you @nitesh for a good Second Lead and for @Aser Support in the back as Sweep. You were pretty busy yesterday. Overall, a high-learning drive—well done for your progress, teamwork, and perseverance. Looking forward to the next one!

Here is the track we made together yesterday. You all should be proud of yourselves. That was some drive yesterday. We covered an amazing 70kms and saw some nice parts of the desert here.

[Emanuel]

The Relive video I made of our drive can be found here: NB Faqa to Bab Al Shams Desert Drive

Finally for today, each drive has a special Gallery where you can post photos of our drives together. The one for this drive is located here.

Wishing all of you a wonderful Eid break and see you next time in the sand.

[Esteban Ayala]

Morning guys.

Had a blast yesterday and left me eager for more.

Was really fun and was also great to learn quite a few thing on the drive. Thanks to the experienced team members that organized and supported the drive. @Emanuel @Aser & @nitesh.

I was great to meet the rest of you.

See you soon on the dunes.