Sir Bani Yas Island, Wildlife Drive
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Sir Bani Yas - by ahab from Pixabay
Description
*** This tour no longer seems to be operated except by the Anantara hotel directly *** Ṣīr Banī Yās is an island turned wildlife reserve located 170km southwest of Abu Dhabi and lying 9km offshore from the coastline at Jebel Dhanna. The name originates from the Bani Yas tribe who first inhabited the area. The reserve houses thousands of free roaming animals such as the Arabian Oryx, gazelles, giraffes, Somali ostrich as well as sea turtles, dolphins and over 100 species of birds. This tour includes a pick-up and transfer from the Jebel Dhanna Jetty to the Anantara Desert Islands hotels for lunch followed by a 1h30m wildlife drive aboard a large 4x4 (shared vehicle). Customers will then be transferred back by ferry.
Access & Transport
Customers will need to arrange transport to the Jebel Dhanna Jetty and back, about 2h30m-3h00m drive from Abu Dhabi city. The rest of the logistics, including the 20' ferry ride, will be handled by the operator and is included in the tour price
Instructions & Recommendations
Note that bookings should be made at least 3 days ahead of the requested date. Any missed/no-show or late arrivals will not be entertained and will not subject to refund.
Environmental & Social
The reserve has an obvious conservation objective, but the tour is clearly commercial in nature and involves a large carbon footprint related to transport.
Conclusion
The Wildlife Drive on Sir Bani Yas Island is an enjoyable experience although customers should not expect anything quite comparable to a Kenya or Zimbabwe safari in terms of animals' density and impressiveness. The main issues are cost and logistics (it is a long drive away from the cities of Dubai or Abu Dhabi) so that we would not recommend that option to international travellers with limited time in the UAE. Rather, we think this is best done as a weekend getaway for Abu Dhabi residents with maybe a stay at an hotel near the ferry terminal or, of course, in one of the hotels on the island but that would not fall under the scope of this tour option and the budget would be much higher.
Key positive
Best wildlife option in the Abu Dhabi emirate
Get to see many ungulates such as the Arabian Oryx in the wild
Key negative
Long drive to the pick-up point
Expensive and not great value
Suitability
Suitable for anybody aged 2 and above but best if children are at least 6yrs old to really enjoy it. Not recommended for pregnant women or people with neck or back pain. For guests with mobility issues, separate arrangements may be required. No details available regarding 4x4 and ferry suitability
About this Rating
TYPE
Desktop
RESEARCHED IN
May 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:2h 45m
est. visit time:5h
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