Platinum Heritage was founded to support conservation and celebrate the culture and heritage of Dubai. Everything we do is shaped by this mission; our camp is powered entirely by solar energy, and Platinum Heritage has contributed more than AED 1 million towards desert conservation, offering authentic food and entertainment, to avoiding dune bashing and offering free tours to young students at local charity schools.
Our desert experiences showcase Dubai’s cultural heritage and natural environment through engaging and educational activities that offer insight into the region’s traditions, wildlife and landscapes. Here are some of the practices we follow across our desert safaris to support the preservation of Dubai’s cultural heritage and natural environment:
Wildlife Drives in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve
Platinum Heritage is the first and only desert safari company in Dubai to offer gentle nature drives instead of dune bashing which is very environmentally damaging. In fact, dune bashing is the leading cause to severe desertification which is an environmental degradation where desert vegetation and wildlife is lost.
Our wildlife drives are conducted by our Conservation Guides on set tracks in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve where there is a focus on entertaining and educating guests with insights about the native fauna and flora of the desert. The wildlife drives in the Heritage Collection are in vintage Land Rovers and in the Platinum Collection they are in modern Land Rover Defenders.
See Also: Our Commitment to Conservation and Heritage
Heritage Desert Camps
At the Dubai Sustainable Tourism Awards 2019 our desert camps were awarded as the most sustainable in the industry. Platinum Heritage was also recognised as the overall Renewal Energy Leader in the tourism and hospitality industry in Dubai. All of our desert camps are built traditionally out of raw materials like wood, stone and goat hair inside a Royal desert retreat. We operate our camps with solar power and have implemented robust waste reduction and recycling procedures in all of our operations.
Emirati Cultural Heritage
We bring Emirati cultural heritage to life with our vibrant camps, authentic cuisine and traditional entertainment. Our guests take a step back in time and experience what Dubai was like 50 years ago. We introduce them to the Bedouin way of life and give them the opportunity to learn about the rich traditions of these nomads of the Arabian desert.
Local Cuisine
One of the best ways to learn about a culture is through trying its cuisine. Unlike most of the desert safari companies in Dubai, our Heritage Desert Safaris showcase the authentic cuisine of Dubai. Our Morning Desert Safaris feature traditional Bedouin breakfasts with famous local dishes. On the Evening Desert Safaris guests are treated to a 4-course dinner of local favourites like lamb ouzi, camel meat stew and kibbeh. Throughout the experience guests are introduced to the cultural significance of the dishes; this is a culinary journey where guests get to learn and savour delicious food from the region.
Some of our other practices include:
- Recycling
- Our education school programmes
- Desert Clean ups
- Refillable water bottles instead of plastic
- Online education and resources
- Local employment
Discover more about our commitment to conservation and heritage.