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DRIVE REPORT The last time we ventured into Ghayati was exactly 3 years ago during our Tropic of Cancer drive. I knew that one time i wanted to come back to this area as at the time we drove only in a straight line from West to East, and the main thing i remembered about it how soft it was. Doing an offroad drive in the most remote part of the UAE needs a group of people who have a good understanding of what we can do, or not do. Restraint is important, not only because we need to cover some good ground, not burn up all the fuel, and respect the fact that recovery or breakdowns in this terrain would be very challenging. That is why i was extremely blessed over the last two days, to be amongst not just extremely capable offroaders, but more importantly, to be amongst friends. There was zero ego. Just a tight convoy of people who wanted to enjoy an adventure during the day, and a nice bonfire and laughs at night I will vividly remember our sitdown at the farm at 23.34315, 52.87325, where the friendly local invited us so we could have a nice sitdown in the shade of the palm trees. @M.Seidam was our Public Relations Officer, and having that friendly chap coming over with his two daughters to share their dates, coffee, and snacks is some of the best hospitality i've ever encountered. The original camp spot i selected where @Asif Hussain was gonna join us for the evening was just next to what we originally believed was a farmtrack, but it ended up being a track for ADNOC as new oil and gas projects and pipelines were being constructed. After meeting up with Asif bhai, we headed a bit deeper inside to a more elevated spot and away from the pipes. 23.16579, 53.12296 We enjoyed each other's company at a nice bonfire with loads of wood 🤣. The next morning felt surprisingly warm for this time of year. The leftover wood was burned up and after inspecting each others engine bays 😝, we planned for a gentle chillout drive of about 1hr while making our way to the exit point at the E15. Most of us by now were running a bit low on fuel, and the ADNOC up north at 23.67153, 52.95606 was a very welcome spot to refuel our cars and ourselves! @Ishak and his co-pilot as my SL was a blessing. You always kept the exact amount of distance, and somehow your Pajero refused to be winched by a Toyota. Another great campfire story ! @Ash S. who is still somewhat new to all of this, you drove like a champ and not a single moment would i have thought how recent you've joined the club. @Myrko you are very much in tune with your lovely Defender now, and it's so great how you've set it up with so much attention to detail! @Giacomo and @Steffi in the beautiful black Rubicon. It's such a blessing have you both on the drive and how wide both your smiles were when taking in the terrain. @Beide Worku second time's a charm! What did not work out two weeks ago worked out so well this weekend! @Sam Selim you drive the most economical Jeep with 315 tires!! I am absolutely sure you have filled your fuel tank with smiles, as you carry the warmest one! @Alexanderrr the man who doesn't even need a mattress to sleep in this tent 🤣. Man your optimism is beyond next level!! @Imran Asghar if you need a bigger than life personality on a drive, you are the one i'd pick every single time. It was so good having you on the drive, sharing stories, and i hope your night photos worked out well. @M.Seidam with copilot Abdallah all the way in the back, overlooking us like a proud dad, you were not just the best PRO, but a good friend to have and i always enjoy our time together! @Asif Hussain you became our super sweep on day two. I was so glad seeing you on the evening show up with your lovely family, and i enjoyed the food they/you made and shared so much. You are not just my mentor but also a friend, and no Abu Dhabi drive is ever complete without you! I thank you all again for joining me on my crazy long adventures! I hope we can do many more of those!

Indeed it was so lovely weekend I and Abdallah enjoyed every bit of it and meeting and sharing the passion with you all dear friends . @Frederic Thanks a lot for the kind words and the superb report which made me recall the adventure vividly . Sure will be doing those trips inshallah more and more. @Ishak I think Ilyas and Abdallah found a way to enjoy it together. Good to see you my friend . @Sam Selim you have a football magic touch in addition to the gas paddle 😉 @Giacomo @Alexanderrr @Beide Worku @Ash S. @Imran Asghar @Myrko and @Asif Hussain it was true pleasure sharing the drive and setting around the camp fire . What a tranquility 🙏 enjoy the days coming till we meet again inshallah . Best friends Best Days Seidam

Dear @Abdullah A. @Taka @Nikki1007 @Raj K@Chema @Jinu Varghese @DG707 @Matt - monkeywrench @Jabir @Kushal Thakkar @Gunjan Jain @_Piotr_ and@Danie. Thanks for joining. See attached the drive's stats from Gaia (102.5 Km over a total of 5 hours and 4 minutes) and from My Trails (103.1 Km over 3 hours and 41 minutes of actual driving time, which makes for a moving speed of 28Km/Km hour). Grear drive all of you, and great help by the Fewbie Plus members

Thanks a lot, @Ale Vallecchi and the support team @Danie @Abdullah A., for this incredible Sunday. This was my 5th drive, and easily the best one yet. The pace was perfect, and the 100km endurance format really allowed me to stretch the legs of the 392 and practice throttle control over longer distance. I’ll definitely be looking for more "Challenge" drives from Ale in the future—it’s a no-brainer! One observation for my fellow drivers: I noticed some guys stayed in their cars during stuck recoveries today. Just a tip from a racing background: the desert is a team sport! If you see someone stuck, don't just watch from the AC—grab a shovel, get out, and help 😄 Even if you don't know the technical side yet, observing a recovery from the sand is the fastest way to learn how not to get stuck yourself. Or maybe I am doing wrong running with shovel to help 😆 I’m flying back to the "Snowland" tomorrow, so I’ll be out of the sand for a couple of weeks, but I’m already looking forward to my first Fewbie ☺️ drive when I return. See you all soon!

Wikiloc | AUH-Ghayati Trail

@_Herman_ I’m fairly sure they all share the same automatic gearbox, a ZF 8-speed. The final drive ratio can change between models. My 2024 Rubicon is 4.56 (default is usually 4.10). I’d expect the 2L to be 4.10 or 4.56 too.

Thanks all for this super fun drive! @Ale Vallecchi

@Ale Vallecchi, support team and everyone. Thanks for the great drive. Today was a really long drive - but an epic one with all experiences and learnings from driving at 80kph across the dunes to super technical stuff. Thanks and get some good rest all.

Had a similar disaster like Albert. But I m still making an attempt. Reaching 20 minutes late. If lucky enough will be able to catch up with the group.

I agree on graph and paper 2.0 looks good. While driving i did not feel the initial pick and the power you get from 3.6 in comparison to 2.0. I felt fast but i dint feel the power and torque. This is just my opinion on the road. Only some one who has tested these on the sand would be a better judge.

Me either interested to find how my new 2L turbo is going to perform against my old 3.6L. On road, the small distance I drove today after taking delivery didn’t find much difference, rather awaiting for the next weekend to experience my first off-road with the new 2L Turbo. Perhaps I can share my experience after that. Cheers.

@Dan S

Hi @Emanuel sure the rims might help but the main aim is, I believe, to stay present, balanced and deliberate when riding or crossing dune ridges. I need to lose a bit of my grip on the steering wheel, relax. Ride with an “neutral throttle” and let my Jeep work. My “light” rig and its short wheelbase do act immediately if I pull or steer a bit to harsh. “Smooth is safe” 😁. I think we are all blessed @Gaurav structured Carnity, where we can practice (so many times), gain confidence and Team spirit / camaraderie is encouraged. c u soon 👊

Fewbie Drive Report – Murquab to Qudra Secret Dunes Thank you mostly everyone for joining yesterday’s drive and for arriving on time, despite the multiple road closures on Hessa Street and Umm Suqeim Road due to what may have been a cycling race. A Strong Convoy We had a solid convoy of experienced Fewbie drivers, joined by a mix of FB+ and Intermediate levels, with @J-P L providing Support, which created a free‑flowing, well‑paced drive with just the right amount of challenge and learning moments. Warm-Up & Skill Building We started by moving westward through Murquab, warming up on familiar dunes, ridges, and approachable technical terrain. This was a great area to practice: controlled side sloping smooth ridge riding steady hill climbs Everyone handled this section nicely, keeping the energy positive and the convoy tight. Sabkha Break We stopped on the sabkha for a short break, some socialising, and a round of spontaneous random questions that kept everyone entertained. Perfect weather, good company—always a nice midpoint reset. Into New Territory We continued toward Qudra and passed through an area I hadn’t explored before. The dunes there were tight, technical, and required precision, which made the terrain engaging but also where we encountered our main incident of the day. Thomas’ Pop-Outs In those tighter formations, Thomas slid off a low ridge, causing sand to build up against the sidewall of his front-right tire, resulting in a pop-out. Because his Jeep wouldn’t engage a drive mode and was stuck in neutral, we first pulled him onto a flat patch using the recovery rope. After fixing the front tire, we discovered a partial pop-out on the right rear tire, which we reinflated. Thomas also shared that he had opted for 7.5-inch rims instead of 8.5-inch, which may have contributed to the pop-out tendency with his current tire size. Thank you to @J-P L, @Abdullah A., and everyone who jumped in to help—solid teamwork as always. Given we were close to the end of the drive and right by the track leading out, @Thomas54675 exited early to get his Jeep checked. He mentioned he’ll likely be switching to the 8.5-inch rims going forward. Final Stretch – Qudra Secret Dunes The rest of us continued into the Qudra Secret Dunes for the last 45 minutes or so. A great way to end the afternoon—fast, flowing, fun. Judging from your comments and your passengers’ feedback, I think we all enjoyed that final section. Roles & Acknowledgements A big thank you to: @J-P L – Support (Centre Forward) @christian – Second Lead @frederic demolder – Sweep Excellent work keeping the convoy smooth, safe, and coordinated. Also, thank you to everyone who already shared positive feedback posts on the forum—much appreciated and great to see. Closing Glad to hear so many of you—and your passengers—enjoyed the drive. Wishing you all a fantastic weekend ahead, and looking forward to seeing you in the sand again soon.