Dubai: Officials have urged campers to follow the guidelines for the new designated winter camping area outside Dubai city.
They should obtain a permit from Dubai Municipality and obey camping rules in the Al Aweer winter camps zone located off Emirates Road.
The official winter camping season started in October and lasts until the end of April. The municipality has guidelines in place for long-term camps and has reserved a swathe of desert for the leisure activity.
The camps must be made from “temporary materials” that can be completely dismantled and removed at the end of the permit.
However, those camping for only a few days can continue to pitch tent anywhere in the desert, said Jaber Al Ali, head of the municipality’s inspection section. They don’t need permits and are not liable to pay a security deposit or fees for camping.
Winter camps pop up in Dubai deserts every year as people head outdoors to enjoy the cool weather.
In September, the municipality announced the designated camping location was shifted from the previous site in Al Warqa’a to the new location in Al Aweer.
The move was made “in order to improve the camping services provided by the department for the public during winter season” as the new location “meets all safety and environmental requirements”, the municipality said in a statement.
Since October, almost 160 people have applied to set up their winter camp in the new designated area of Al Aweer, Al Ali said.
As long as the winter camp is made of temporary materials that can be completely removed from the site when it is time to leave, campers can apply for a lot in Al Aweer.
It costs Dh300 per month to camp there and each site is fixed at 400 square feet. There is a minimum booking for three months, meaning all campers must pay a minimum of Dh900. A Dh2,000 refundable security deposit is also taken for the camp site.
Campers who break camping rules are liable to lose the deposit. To encourage campers to follow rules, the best camp site owner will be honoured by the municipality.
More details are expected to be announced towards the end of the winter camping season.
All payments and paperwork can be submitted on site at the Al Aweer municipality office in the winter camp area, which is located off Emirates Road (formerly Dubai Bypass Road). The office is open daily from 7.30am-7pm.
The campers receive a permit that must be displayed at the camp site and presented if asked for by officials.
