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In the year of our Lord, at the ungodly hour of 5:45 a.m., a brave band of explorers assembled at the edge of the Arabian wilderness. Sleepy eyes, steaming coffee cups, deflators in hand, and the unwavering conviction that nothing could possibly go wrong. We were wrong. After what historians will undoubtedly remember as Fred’s Great Briefing of 2026, we finally departed at 6:30 a.m. Rumour has it that Fred had intended to continue speaking for another hour, but the sun, the dunes and perhaps even nature itself urged us onward. The desert welcomed us with breathtaking views. Golden light stretched across the horizon as our convoy marched into the unknown like an armoured caravan setting out to conquer an endless sea of sand. Leading us was Fred, whose wisdom was rivalled only by his love of lengthy explanations. Close behind was JC, our fearless support lead, who repeatedly demonstrated that experience is what prevents enthusiasm from becoming an expensive repair bill. On more than one occasion, he tactfully adjusted Fred’s chosen route in the interest of keeping the entire convoy alive and reasonably intact. Then fate turned its gaze towards Jakob. Positioned fifth in the convoy, Jakob displayed extraordinary courage and an unwavering determination to investigate every possible method of becoming stuck. Again and again, the desert embraced him as one of its own. At one dramatic moment, the dunes demanded a sacrifice, and a portion of Jakob’s front bumper was offered to the desert gods. Yet the man refused to surrender. The vehicle endured. The convoy persevered. Lessons were learned. Meanwhile, Glen stood beside him like a loyal brother in arms, displaying the patience, commitment and good humour of a man who had accepted that this was going to be a very long morning. Yarem and Arthur, his young son, attacked the drive with tremendous energy. Arthur, in particular, spent much of the morning filling my rear-view mirror, following so closely and so relentlessly that I began to wonder whether he intended to overtake me, challenge me to a duel or simply remind me that youth fears nothing. Esteban, Diego and I proudly carried the banner of the Latin contingent, bringing warmth, enthusiasm, laughter and, from time to time, a somewhat flexible interpretation of radio communications. Then there was Vanessa, our marshal. To say that she enjoyed the drive would be an understatement. The truth is that she longed for greater challenges. Bigger dunes. Steeper climbs. Greater danger. Her Wrangler, meanwhile, seemed determined to remind everyone of its legendary status. And, naturally, so did Vanessa. The final section of the route was magnificent. Technical, demanding and utterly beautiful. Sharp ridges rose before us like the walls of ancient fortresses, while the convoy twisted and turned through the sands with elegance, courage and the occasional cry of, “Careful!” At last, we reached the break point. There was no shade. Not a tree. Not a cloud. Not even the faintest suggestion of mercy. The stop was therefore kept to the absolute minimum required to prevent us from being transformed into perfectly seasoned barbecues beneath the relentless Arabian sun. As the expedition finally came to an end, exhausted adventurers emerged from their vehicles. Faces were covered in sand, radios were falling silent and everyone wore the unmistakable smile of people who had once again shared something extraordinary. The desert had tested our skill, our courage and our patience. It had strengthened friendships. It had humbled egos. And it had claimed a bumper. A fair exchange, perhaps. Until the next adventure.

Hey guys, thanks again for all being out and on time this morning. Was a really good drive from my side - we moved at the ridges with building speed and complexity during our time out, and in general it went very well. I’d like to say a special thanks to @Mahesh_ @Jose Luis Campos @Sam Selim and @DP1011 for supporting today and helping with the reattempts and reroutings. Part three will hopefully appear soon…watch this space!

Dear Desertnauts. A very short and quick briefing for tomorrow's drive. We aim to spend 2 hours driving at good pace (say as close as possible to 30 Km/h. moving speed), equally divided between the clean dunes of south Lisaili and the secret dunes of Qudra. We'll take a couple of breaks, and will hopefully enjoy a nice sunset hour, close to the lakes and the herds of gazzelles that usually sprint out of the woods at this time of the day. The convoy order at the moment will be the following: @Andrew John Melvill in Second Lead @Rajath Shetty at #3 @Yerem Davtyan at #4 @Warbs at #5 @Chema at #6 @Steffi at #7 @Giacomo at Center @Ana at #9 @saumik1989 at #10 @Thomas54675 at #11 @khurram at #12 and @Piter at #13 and @J-P L in Sweep. See you tomorrow in mid-afternoon to enjoy the golden hours on golden sand.

Thank you, @ChrisW! Today’s drive was amazing! Thank you support team! @Mahesh_ @Jose Luis Campos @Sam Selim @DP1011 Now waiting for part 3! Sharing a few pictures from today’s drive!

Good afternoon @JC_E@Maneesh Madayan@baris@Jakob T@Glenn W@Shane Phillips@DELRIO@Artur Davtyan@Anish S@Esteban Ayala@Sandeep Padhi@Vanessa8580 Thank you all for signing up! This will be a gentle beginner level drive with the aim of getting comfortable of driving in the dunes and with the great support that signed up this means we will be by your side every step of the way. Some pointers for tomorrow: 1. Please try to arrive by 5.45AM. Then you have enough time to deflate your tires (14psi if HT tires, 12psi if AT tires) and set up your flag. Latecomers will be sent back. 2. If this is your very first drive, please watch the newbie briefing video attached in this drive topic. This way you'll be ahead of the curve even before starting 3. Feel free to bring passengers but make sure everyone is always strapped in during the drive. No exceptions. 4. We will be using Channel 10 on the walkie talkies: 446.231 Mhz. We will test each radio before heading out. If you struggle how to program it, you can just put the radio in VFO mode and enter this frequency. If you do not have a radio yet we will carry a spare you can lend for your first drive. No doubt it will be a fun morning out. Bring enough to drink and some protection from the sun. See you soon!

Congratulations @Ana for being our member in the spotlight for this week! Close to having done 30 drives with us, we always enjoy your presence on our drives and hope for many more to come!

Thanks for letting us know @Menon Arun - look forward to seeing you next time, and hope you feel better soon! -------------------------------- @DP1011 @Kishor @Enrico - Mountain @Jose Luis Campos @saumik1989 @Sam Selim @Kirill K @JC_E @Steffi @Yury.bel @Andrei S @Infaz @khurramm @Diego @Mahesh_ Hey guys - looking forward to seeing you all in the morning! The drive order will be as below. We will aim to meet for 06.00 and get moving by 06.20 or so - so please be on time and ready to get setup! We will use Channel 10 (446.23125). Our goal will be to simply surf the crests and ridges of Qudra for a couple of hours, refine our ridge riding skills, and escape before the heat arrives! If you have any changes of plan from this point onward, please reply here in the forum. Many thanks!

Thank you so much guys !!! I love our little community and enjoy being in the sand . I thank to the amazing team of leads and support team for everything I leaned so far and keep learning each time , and thank you fellow drivers for beautiful memories. I will see some of you on the dunes this Sunday

What an awesome drive to end the weekend, really good pace following some of the best ever lines through Lisaili @Ale Vallecchi. Stunning bunch of people that all drove exceptionally well 😁

@Ale Vallecchi, the support team and the amazing drivers - thank you very much for the Sunday afternoon fun! See you in the sand soon!

Yo!! Behold,, We got Shakespeare in carnity

It was a very nice drive this morning, thank you everyone! Thanks @Frederic for choosing routes to keep my bumper intact Also Tahoe demonstrated quite a decent fuel consumption:-)

Great drive, very subtle increasing the difficulty and the pace. Enjoyed it very much, thank you guys. I promise next time I’ll supervise the shoveling closer to the action 🤣 some pics

Thank you @ChrisW for the great ridge riding sequal, and for everyone riding and supporting the group today. Hope to join the next installment of the series soon. Was amazing seeing the trio of Vultures on the route.

Hi Ana, indeed it's always a good time when you're part of the crowd 😁

Hi Desertnauts / Team Carnity, First of all, a huge thank you to everyone who organized and supported the recent Newbie Drive. As a complete beginner, I couldn't have asked for a better first experience. The briefing, guidance, and patience from the marshals and experienced drivers made me feel confident throughout the drive. I absolutely loved it! The adrenaline rush of driving through the dunes was incredible😤, and I can't wait to join many more drives with the community. Not sure if I can post here about below query, kinda new here.😁 After sharing my experience, a few of my colleagues have become really interested in trying desert driving too. We'd love to join together as a group if possible. I was wondering if the club ever organizes corporate or private group newbie sessions, or if there's a way for a group of friends/colleagues to participate in the same introductory drive. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, and once again, thank you for such an amazing first desert driving experience!

Hi @Lvc Great to see you are enjoying the experience! We don't do specific group drives apart from the club-organized club drives, but we have Newbie level drives on most weekends, so they can perhaps sign up and you can all sign up for the same Newbie level drive. Of course it depends if you are talking about 2-3 colleagues or 15-20 colleagues 😁. Anyways, if they have a 4x4, some basic offroad tools like you purchased, they are good to go if they signup. If you guys are together on the same drive it will be a very cool experience for all of you!

Thanks to all for recovery , guidance and support 🙏 🙏. Vanessa, Fred... Is there any badge for most stuck ups

Morning buddy! Didn't we fix you tyre 2 months ago in the desert?

DRIVE DESCRIPTION Following the success of our first session with @DP1011, we're heading back into Qudra's rolling dunes for the second instalment of our ridge riding series. This drive is all about building confidence, refining technique, and learning to read the terrain. We'll take a relaxed approach with plenty of opportunities to discuss lines, share tips, and practise key skills with the club. Whether you're looking to reinforce the fundamentals or fine-tune your ridge work, this session is designed to help you become a smoother, safer, and more confident desert driver. Come ready to learn, practise, and enjoy the dunes. 🕖 DRIVE DETAILS Level: Fewbie and above When: 1 August 2026, Saturday Meeting time: 6AM - Sharp (Without any exceptions). Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/QVVoZVP4GWfFFB2n8 (24.864519, 55.402720) Approximate finish time: 9.30AM 🚗VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS Any proper 4x4 vehicle. If in doubt, please mention on the drive topic. Front and rear tow hooks / recovery points. 8–10 inches minimum ground clearance 🎒 WHAT TO BRING Loads of water, snacks, smiles, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. We also recommend adequate protection from the sun and closed shoes. 🧰 OFFROAD GEARS Tire deflator and Tire pressure gauge. Air compressor. A programmable Walkie-talkie radio. Off-road safety flag. A proper shovel. First-aid kit and Fire extinguisher. ✅ RSVP Confirm your attendance by clicking on "GOING" in the Calendar Event. Your name will appear on the RSVP list. If the RSVP is full, add yourself to the waitlist. As soon as a spot becomes available you will be moved automatically to the RSVP list. The RSVP closes one day prior to the drive Latecomers will be turned back (no exceptions) No RSVP = No Drive Please withdraw your RSVP if plans change Repeated no-shows may result in 1-month suspension

Good morning @J-P L. I have moved you from the Waitlist to the Manage tab. Welcome to the drive, and thanks for joining. See you tomorrow.

Hello everyone, Newbie here! I’ve just bought my 4x4 and am looking forward to learning from you all and enjoying the dunes together. I hope this is the correct place for my introduction. Vehicle: Brown 2023 Nissan Patrol Super Safari (stock) Experience: I did some light dune driving in a Tahoe Z71 in 2012 before leaving Dubai. Having returned after 14 years, I would consider my experience very limited and rather rusty. Recovery points: The vehicle has factory front and rear towing/recovery points. I will have all the required equipment: programmable two-way radio, safety flag, tyre-pressure gauge, tyre deflator and air compressor. Looking forward to meeting everyone, learning the ropes and enjoying the drive! Cheers, Baris

Thank you @_luke_ Sure, we are waiting for your comeback 😎

Well, there is only one way to find out.

Thank you, everyone! Truly grateful for all the support and encouragement. Honestly, Intermediate was always a level I looked up to, so finally getting promoted feels amazing. 💪 Looking forward to learn more and share many more off road adventures!!

In case you still need to buy offroad equipment, we can recommend Dragon Mart 1: Proceed to the EB section: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tTUuZUDpkMycUhjg8 where you will find two-way radios. The Crony MT777 or Baofeng UV5-RH is easy to program and use. If you walk around you will also find pressure gauges, deflators, shovel, and air compressors (buy a compressor that is big enough to inflate 4 tires, not the tiny ones that use cigarette lighter plug). You can also get an offroad flag here that you can attach to your vehicle with a suction cup. Another option is Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/0eWiaSuN https://amzn.eu/d/0gExNNIR https://amzn.eu/d/0bMjxN8e https://amzn.eu/d/0bwX4zn1 Two way radio won't be available on Amazon. Only Dragon Mart sells them (or some hunting shops).

Congratulations @Infaz, always knew you would get to this level! Enjoy the new challenges and all the new learnings.

Congrats @Diego - great to see you come through and now start to help our members! Nice to see Freddy included a picture of the first car you supported on a drive... 😉

DRIVE DESCRIPTION Never driven in the desert before? Our Beginner-Level Drive is the perfect introduction to off-roading. Learn the basics, meet fellow enthusiasts, and enjoy an unforgettable morning. But even for seasoned enthusiasts it's a great opportunity to relax and bring friends or family along. Our plan is to explore the Al Qudra / Al Hatmah area and do our best to keep a cool head No previous off-road experience required! MUST READ AND COMPLY BEFORE JOINING Environmental Policy Offroad Flag Guideline Two Way Radio Guideline Off road Driving Etiquette's Emergency details for all off-roaders Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities 👋 FIRST TIME JOINING OUR OFFROAD CLUB? Before joining your first drive, please introduce yourselves on the drive topic with: Vehicle make, model, year and colour Previous off-road experience (if any) Confirmation that your vehicle has front and rear recovery points (tow hooks/eyelets) Confirmation that you have: Programmable two-way radio Safety flag Tyre pressure gauge Tyre deflator Air compressor 🎥 Mandatory: Watch the Newbie Video Briefing before attending your first drive DRIVE DETAILS Level: Newbie and above (all levels) Meeting time: 06AM Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/eVRYY1sf7qUCNWjj9 Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), smiles, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Approximate finish time: 9:30-10AM 🚗 LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE: This drive is limited to 12 cars only. If the RSVP is full, you can add your name to the waitlist, once anyone drops, you will be moved to the RSVP list. RSVP will close a day prior to prepare a convoy list. ⚠️ IMPORTANT RSVP RULES Members without an RSVP will not be allowed to join. Late arrivals will not be allowed to join. If you cannot attend, please cancel your RSVP as early as possible. Repeated no-shows after confirming attendance may result in a one-month suspension from club drives. 📅 READY TO JOIN US? Please RSVP using the calendar below and clicking on "GOING".

https://loc.wiki/t/277342171?wa=sc This had laughing out loud! Fantastic! Onto the next adventure for sure

Thanks! See you there

Hi @Ale Vallecchi I have a burst tyre which could not be sourced today. Will check again in the morning

Hi @ChrisW thanks for adding me to the list even with the removed rsvp 😂😂😂get over here! I cannot make it tomorrow so removed the rsvp earlier today, sorry for confusion

Hi @Shane Phillips welcome to Carnity ! I’ll send you a WhatsApp to help you out, no worries.

Welcome @baris thanks for the introduction!

Congratulations @Infaz

Hey @Yerem Davtyan i can't make any promises but we will be careful. I am anyways planning a more scenic style of route coming Sunday.

Hello @Lvc. Unfortunately only promoted Fewbies can join this drive. I am sure it will not take too much for you to reach the level. Keep joining a few more Newbie drives and you'll be able to apply for promotion online. Thanks for asking.

Congratulations @Infaz!

Thank you so much, Fred! A big thank you to all the marshals and the amazing support team for your guidance, patience, and encouragement throughout the journey. Looking forward to many more drives, new adventures, and continuing to learn while supporting the club wherever I can!

Hi @Ale Vallecchi I haven’t seen the meeting point location on the drive details. I am not sure if I am missing some messages. Could you pls share the meeting point. Thank you!

Do you know your roles and responsibilities while off-roading? Offroad driving is one of the most famous adventure activities in the UAE. But due to the nature of this adventurous motorsport sometimes things do get unpleasant and everyone involved needs to know their roles and responsibilities clearly. Desert worthiness vehicle: While off-roading, every vehicle get pushed to its limit and for this reason, every off-roader needs to maintain, check and fix existing vehicle problems before every drive. Follow your owner's manual schedule maintenance for extreme driving (harsh environment) intervals and not standard road driving intervals. Preventive maintenance will save you much hassle and time in the long run. We are not mechanics - As much as Carnity trip lead and support offer the first level of vehicle assistance when things go wrong, but they are not mechanic and no one should rely on that emergency support to avoid any maintenance. We are not an Insurance provider - In case of an accident, please follow the UAE road accidents procedures and check with your car insurance company about off-road coverage and recovery plan (if any). We are not a desert recovery company - If your vehicle breaks down during the drive, Carnity trip lead and support will try as much as they can to help, but their vehicles aren't tow trucks to recover a dead vehicle or partially working vehicle out of the deep desert. There are professional desert recovery companies like AAA to assist you and take full responsibility for not causing any further damage while recovering a non-moving vehicle from the desert. We will never leave you alone - In case you ever need to leave your vehicle inside the desert to arrange insurance or recovery, then Carnity trip lead and support will drive you down to the nearest tarmac exit. Mechanical Damage / Failure: Every offroader is responsible for his/her own car failure/damage. Especially in the offroad use some minor long-pending issues might amplifies due to the off-road stress and it should not be blamed on anyone other than the owner of the car. If you have any remote doubt that something might fail in the upcoming off-road drive, then please get that fixed first and then join for next week's drive, rather than taking chances and/or increasing the existing damage. It's always a good practice to join a newbie drive first after some crucial repairs or maintenance to test your vehicle again and then join the Fewbie drive and then Intermediate (as per your off-road rank eligibility). Breakdown log reporting: Every trip lead is reporting the vehicle breakdown after the drive. Occasional breakdowns or accidents are totally acceptable, but repeat breakdown of the same vehicle will not be appreciated. Please look into repeat vehicle breakdown seriously before it becomes a concern for everyone. Two cars involved in an offroad accident: Please decide on the spot, whose fault it is, and report to the neighboring police station for appropriate green and red paper for repairs. Most insurance companies don't cover offroad damage so please make sure if you drive expensive 4x4 with comprehensive insurance, please check your offroad cover properly. Take a lot of pictures and videos of the accident site as Police always ask for this and also save the coordinates of the location as sometimes police like to revisit that area to verify the accident. Single car damage in offroad: In case your car flips or rollover or have any impact damage, take a lot of pictures and videos of the incident as Police always ask for this and also save the coordinates of the location. Tow point failure damage: Every offroader is responsible for their own car tow point strength, integrity, and load taking capacity. If your car tow point fails during "ANY" sort of recovery and damages the other offroader car, then you will be liable for all the damages including the car, driver, and passenger bodily injuries. To avoid such a situation always recover gently and gradually increase the intensity of the tug. If you still suspect that a lot harder tug is needed use the support strap, dampers, or sandbag to secure both ends of the tow rope. Damage while recovering: As much as every trip lead and support are trained to prevent the damage while recovering any vehicle, but the ultimate responsibility of any damage while recovering lies with the owner of the stuck car. Scenario 1: In some cases when your car nosedive in the sand pocket, the front bumper damage is already done, but it becomes visible when your car gets fully recovered out of the pocket. Scenario 2: While recovering a stuck car by a tug, if the stuck car doesn’t stop early enough after the recovery and hit the recovering car, then the stuck car owner is at fault and liable for all damages involved. Lubes / Spare Sharing: Many offroaders do carry a lot of spare fluids, oil, coolant, and other spare parts for emergency situations. If your car breaks down and someone offers you their spares or lubes, have the courtesy to pay or replace that in the next drive. Offroad Gear: Every offroader is 100% responsible for his/her own off-road gear, tools, and equipment and should know how to use them safely and how to take care of them in terms of regular maintenance (if any). If you lend your tow rope to someone, it's your responsibility to make sure that it doesn't have a knot. If you lend your jack, either stay around to see if it's placed on flat ground to not bend or brief them properly. If you lend your toolbox or tools, you need to make sure it's used as intended and they don't break. If you winch someone, you should know your winch capacity to do the recovery safely. If you lend your compressor, make sure it's not overheating or wait for it to cool down. Shovel, flag, radio, etc. is also your own responsibility & share it at your own risk. Off-road Promotions: As per Carnity Off-road Structure every off-roader has been assigned an off-road rank based on your driving skills, vehicle capability, and overall attitude towards off-roading. These promotions, ranks, and structures are in place to make sure that everyone is completely safe including you and your vehicle during all off-road drives. Due to safety reasons, there is zero-tolerance while promoting offroaders in Carnity off-road club. Once anyone applies for the off-road promotion, the request goes to all trip lead with who you have driven to access your off-road progress. Mostly all promotion requests are accepted immediately. For some, we request them to do a couple of more drives with the feedback in which you need to improve. Please accept and respect this club policy to help us maintain a safer off-road experience for everyone. Emergency details for all off-roaders: Please fill up all Emergency details here and also take a print out to keep the same in your glove box. It is mandatory for all off-roaders driving with Carnity Off-road Club.

A safety flag is one of the most important safety items during desert driving. It improves your visibility to other vehicles, allowing convoy members and approaching vehicles to spot you well before reaching the top of a dune. Every off-roader is required to carry and use a proper safety flag on every drive. Flag Requirements Your safety flag must meet the following requirements: * Height: The flag should extend 2–3 metres (7–10 ft) above the roof of your vehicle. * Mounting: Install the flag vertically using a sturdy pole, preferably mounted to the roof or side window. * Visibility: The flag must remain upright and clearly visible throughout the entire drive. Approved Flag Types The following flag types are welcome: Solid colour flags National flags Sports team flags Charity or social cause flags Custom personal designs Not Permitted The following are not permitted: Towels, rags, torn cloth, safety vests or plastic bags used as flags Political or religious flags Flags representing other off-road clubs Commercial advertising or brand promotion flags Flags containing offensive language, symbols or images Respect the Club Your safety flag represents both you and the Carnity Offroad Club. Please choose a design that is respectful and appropriate for a family-friendly environment.