I went to the winter sun hotspot known for adventures – with world’s longest zip line, toboggan rides and extreme hikes

THE achromatic silhouette of the ­mountain scope emerges successful the region arsenic we thrust done the barren desert.

It looks ­ominous, similar a ­location from the movie Dune.

But possibly that’s due to the fact that my caput is connected overdrive reasoning astir what awaits astatine the apical of the peaks.

Not agelong aft I’m staring crossed a yawning valley, hoisted horizontally onto a zipline and astir to beryllium launched implicit the cliff edge.

This is Ras al Khaimah, 1 of the lesser known Emirates that collectively marque up the UAE.

While for the infinitesimal it remains successful the shadiness of its amended known neighbours Dubai and Abu Dhabi, aggravated improvement and ambitious plans for the portion mean it could soon beryllium connected a par.

RAK, arsenic it is besides known, is carving retired a niche arsenic a destination for adventure.

Depart with a scream

Which is however I find myself connected the borderline of a precipice astir to zipline crossed a vale astatine 100mph.

Lasting 3 adrenaline-fuelled minutes and covering a fear-filled 1.75miles Jais Flight is the longest zipline successful the world.

The waiting is the worst bit.

With specified a unsafe activity, information is paramount which means thorough checks earlier each thrillseeker is launched disconnected the broadside of the rocky, sand-coloured Jebel Jais mountain.

Most depart with a shriek and seconds aboriginal they are lost, conscionable a dot successful the distance. Finally it’s my turn.

Whizzing down caput archetypal does unusual things to one’s face. Imagine a canine gleefully putting its caput retired of a car window, lingua flapping, portion travelling astatine afloat velocity on a motorway.

After the archetypal unreserved (and yes, a scream) comes a feeling of gliding similar a vertebrate implicit the melodramatic landscape.

Thanks to the utmost magnitude of the zipline, determination is besides clip to genuinely admit it.

But that is not each the Hajar Mountain scope has to connection adrenaline junkies.

A ­little little down the quiescent winding roads is the terrifying Jais Sledder toboggan ride.

Much similar the zipline, it’s massive. As your toboggan ascends dilatory to the top, it climbs and climbs. And conscionable erstwhile you deliberation you are astatine the summit, it climbs again.

But what goes up indispensable travel down.

It feels overmuch faster than its apical velocity of 25mph arsenic it hurtles astir crisp corners with thing but sheer drops below.

It’s an implicit buzz and besides large worth for wealth astatine conscionable 50AED (£10) a ride, oregon 120AED for 3 goes for anyone who believes fearfulness is simply a byword for fun.

There are much thrills to beryllium had successful the mountains of Ras al Khaimah.

Bear Grylls Explorers Camp offers utmost ­experiences, with guests staying successful a campy and learning endurance techniques approved by the TV personality.

Opening soon volition beryllium Via Ferrata, an utmost hiking trail, featuring ladders and zipwires allowing non-expert climbers to ascend the mountain.

But for maine it was clip to permission the rugged terrain and caput to the sportfishing colony of Al-Rams to fto my imaginativeness spell connected an adventure.

Here I boarded a accepted woody boat, with its decks covered successful colourful rugs, destined for a pearl workplace successful the waters of the Persian Gulf.

There our guide, dressed successful accepted clothing, explained the past of pearling.

His storytelling was aided by the usage of props including past maps that would person been utilized hundreds of years agone successful the pursuit of the precious gems.

It was intolerable not to conjure images of the jewels being traded astatine bustling markets and representation those who dived for them ­centuries agone contempt the precise existent hazard of death.

Stepping disconnected the vessel aft we were brought backmost to shore, it felt a shame to person to instrumentality to reality.

The UAE has a estimation for luxury, and RAK is nary different, playing big to apical edifice brands including Ritz-Carlton, Hilton and InterContinental on the 40 miles of soft, wide sandy beaches.

Thrilling journey

I stayed astatine the Waldorf Astoria which was intolerable to fault.

Superb restaurants from a accepted grill to a vibrant Japanese ­eaterie were among the highlights of the sprawling 5* resort.

It besides includes the Al Hamra play people which, during my stay, was playing big to immoderate of the world’s apical golfers astatine a DP World Tour event.

From the hotel’s beach, an service of cranes astatine enactment crossed the h2o were signs of the aggravated operation taking spot successful the region.

RAK volition soon diagnostic the UAE’s archetypal casino — Las Vegas behemoth Wynn is presently gathering a 1,500-room edifice connected a man-made island. It plans to unfastened successful 2027.

And determination are already immoderate large worth mid-range hotels offering four-night stays with flights from conscionable £885pp.

Already a destination for thrill seekers, Ras Al Khaimah is seemingly connected a thrilling travel of its own.