Dubai: The Gulf News Overnighter Fun Drive, supported by Al Futtaim Motors — Toyota is being held on January 13 and 14 (Friday and Saturday) under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler's Representative in the Western Region.
This Fun Drive, the 31st in the series, once again traverses the spectacular Liwa region, which is the entry point to the Empty Quarter or the Rub Al Khali desert. The camp will be located at Tal Moreeb that boasts one of the highest sand dunes in the world, at an altitude of about 900 feet (300 metres).
The Fun Drive will start from Mafraq Hotel, where check-in will begin at 6 am on Friday. The first car will be flagged off at 7.30 am for the eight-hour drive to reach the Tal Moreeb camp.
The first batch of cars should reach the camp at around 4 pm, where participants will stay overnight and drive home the next day after breakfast. There will be no off-road driving on Day 2.
The Gulf News Fun Drive was designed to give people an opportunity to experience the desert. The first one was held in 1986 and a total of 75 four-wheel drives participated.
In 1989, Gulf News added another dimension to the Fun Drive by converting it into a two-day event, with an overnight stay in the desert. Since then, every Overnighter Fun Drive has had 750 cars participating. In response to an overwhelming demand for more off-road events, Gulf News now also organises the Friday Fun Drive.
The route is mainly through tricky sand and gravel sections and will be a test of concentration, endurance, patience, and off-road driving skills. There are plenty of tricky stretches that are bound to test the driving prowess of veterans, and also give novices an opportunity to hone their off-road driving skills.
Abdullah Butti Al Qubaisi, General Manager of the Abu Dhabi Motors Club (ADMC), said the Gulf News Overnighter Fun Drive is being held with the support of the Abu Dhabi Motors Club.
"We are pleased that the Gulf News Overnighter Fun Drive has returned to the Western Region for the second time. We are happy to support events of this nature which provide people the opportunity to explore this area, while keeping in mind the environment and rules of the desert," he said.
Jum Ali Khan is Route Director and Jack Pearce is Convoy Leader. Project leaders Alan Passmore, Saliya Jayaweera, Gary Wheeler, and Nigel McReynolds have put in hundreds of hours and thousands of kilometres driving and testing the fabulous route designed by Jum Ali Khan. Around 65 highly experienced marshals will be present along the route to assist participants. A team of over 350 Gulf News personnel will man check-points and take care of organisational details.
IATC will be in charge of vehicle recovery.
- 6am: Check-in begins on January 13 (Friday)
- 750: Number of cars that participate every year
- Vignettes: for 4wd enthusiasts
