Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary

Services:
Winter (October – March) 7:30am – 5:30pm Summer (April – September) 6:00am – 6:00pm Things to take along: Binoculars, Camera and a Bird guide Important Reminders Inside the sanctuary hide: Quiet zone, No Phone, No pets, No food, No drinks, No Smoking

Just metres away from the bustling city of Dubai, you’ll find stunning birds in the wetlands of Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary.

Known as the ‘Cape of the Creek,’ Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary covers an area of 6.2sqkm and features a variety of salt flats, intertidal mudflats, mangroves, and lagoons that birds use for their nests and individual habitats. 

Ras al Khor Wildife Sanctuary is one of the few urban protected areas in the arid zone. It is a wetland of global importance under the Ramsar Convention and recognised as an Important Bird Area by Bird Life International. The sanctuary is fenced off to protect the area and is closely monitored by the Dubai Municipality.

This wetland reserve also serves as a breeding ground and home for crustaceans, mammals and fish, but it is the flamingos that steal the show in winter. Look closer among the mass of pink feathers and it's possible to spot grey herons, great egrets, reef herons, cormorants, black-winged stilts, sandpipers, osprey and more.

There are three bird hides located on the perimeter of the sanctuary which are free for the public to access during set daylight hours. These hides are the first step in an ongoing project to develop the protected area.