As part of Oman's 45th National Day celebrations, a team of explorers will retrace the historic 1931 crossing of Rub Al Khali desert by Sheikh Saleh bin Kalut and British explorer Bertram Thomas.
Rub Al Khali – known as the "Empty Qarter" – is one of the world's hottest and driest environments. The incredible – and first recorded – 1931 expedition took 60 days. The explorers completed the journey with negligible supplies as they combated sandstorms, searingly hot days and freezing nights while negotiating with warring local tribes along the way.
This present day re-creation will be conducted on foot and by camel as was the 1931 trek. It is scheduled to take two months and will be undertaken by a team of Omani and British explorers.
Omanis Mohammed Al Zadjali and Amour Al Wahaibi and British explorer Mark Evans will depart from Salalah on Dec. 10 and plan to arrive in Doha by the end of January in 2016. The journey will cover some 1,300 km and traverse the unforgiving landscape through three countries: Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
"We are proud to be undertaking this historic and challenging expedition, and look forward to starting the journey in a little over one months’ time," said Evans, the team leader and general manager of Outward Bound Oman, according to Arabian Business.
"One of our key objectives is to encourage and inspire young people, and instill the idea that success in life can only be achieved by sustained hard work, willingness and team spirit."