Green Side Of The Desert

Beyond the rolling desert dunes and glittering malls, the middle east is home to a trove of eco-friendly, sustainable resorts. You don’t have to sacrifice your eco-credentials while travelling around the middle east – whether you need a quick trip away from the city or want to completely break away to an oasis of alm, there’s a sustainable, luxurious lodge waiting to welcome you.

- Christine Van Deemter

AL MAHA DESERT RESORT, UAE

Drive just an hour southeast from Dubai International Airport and you’ll arrive at Al Maha Desert Resort, a welcome and romantic respite set in the protected Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. The all-inclusive intimate resort is modelled on a Bedouin village, with the billowing drapes of the luxury tented villas inviting you to slow down and take in the silence and beauty of the desert.

Camels, Arabian oryx and gazelles roam free in the reserve and are just a horse ride or nature drive away, with guides passionately sharing their extensive knowledge of the desert’s unique fauna and flora. Al Maha takes sustainability seriously and incorporates solar panels, recycled water, LED lighting and eco-conscious materials throughout the resort. Each private tented villa features a terrace and plunge pool, with Arabian touches like carved wooden chairs and antiques dotted throughout.

As a special touch, binoculars and art supplies are also available, in case inspiration hits and you want to immortalize the dunes on canvas. Not feeling particularly Picasso-ish? Head to the spa for an Arabian rasoul treatment with steam and mud to leave you feeling cleansed and refreshed.

FEYNAN ECO LODGE, JORDAN

If you truly want to get away from it all – including the crowds at Petra and the Dead Sea – head deep into the Dana Biosphere Reserve to Jordan’s first eco-lodge.