Al Qudra Lakes

The Al Qudra lakes were dug and filled in the desert south of Dubai and planted around, and although entirely artificial they have been colonised: flamingos, swans, herons and a long list of migrants now use them, and gazelle and oryx range in the surrounding Al Marmoom reserve. One lake is shaped as the word love in Arabic script, visible only from the air. The Al Qudra cycle track runs past them for about eighty-six kilometres through the desert.

What you actually see

• The birdlife - flamingos, swans and migrants on lakes dug from bare desert.
• The cycle track - about eighty-six kilometres of dedicated cycling route through the sand.
• Love Lake - a lake cut into the shape of an Arabic word, legible from the air.
• The Al Marmoom reserve - oryx and gazelle in the desert conservation area around the lakes.

When to go

November to March; summer heat makes the site dangerous in the middle of the day. Dawn and dusk are best for birds. Weekend evenings bring barbecue crowds.

Honest expectations

There is no shade and no reliable facilities; water and sun protection must be carried. The lakes are artificial and the setting is littered at weekends. Sand blows over the access roads and a low car can get stuck off the tarmac.

Nearby

Dubai Miracle Garden is north, and Hatta is southeast.