arabian partridge on sir bani yas island

For those of you who celebrate the holiday — Merry Christmas! We’re coming to the end of 2020 — a year when we weren’t able to travel nearly as much as we’d hoped. So, knowing that there’s a lot of pent-up demand to travel, and since it’s Christmas, we thought we’d offer up 12 different itineraries inspired by that old Christmas song (which many people find supremely annoying, but whatever) — The Twelve Days of Christmas.

So here’s the first day!

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…

…a partridge in a pear tree.

Did you know that the partridge can be found not only in Europe, but also in Northern Africa, the Middle East and into Asia? Well, it’s true. One of the middle eastern species of partridge — the Arabian Partridge — is generally found on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. But as part of a wildlife conservation effort, back in 2017, the Arabian Partridge was introduced to the stunning nature preserve on Sir Bani Yas Island, in the Arabian Gulf.

Never heard of Sir Bani Yas Island? It’s one of the largest islands in the Arabian Gulf, Sir Bani Yas Island is a protected reserve just off the coast of Abu Dhabi, founded by His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Home to free-roaming wildlife, including the near-extinct Arabian Oryx, the island offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience the wildlife native to the Arabian Peninsula.

You can visit Sir Bani Yas island. And we can send you there. We have access to cruise itineraries that include Sir Bani Yas Island as a port of call, but if you’d truly like to lose yourself to the beauty of this Arabian desert isle, we’d suggest a stay at the Anantara Al Sahel. With only 30 villas spread through lush savannah, Al Sahel is one of the best Abu Dhabi luxury resorts, where you can experience the destination in a truly immersive way. Wake up to the sight of wild gazelle. Embark on desert drives in a wildlife sanctuary. Explore the flavours of Africa, inspired by these unique surrounds. Located in natural grasslands in the interior of the island, guests of Al Sahel also enjoy access to the facilities of sister Anantara resorts Desert Islands and Al Yamm.

This is a truly insta-brag-worthy vacation. Many seasoned travelers have never even heard of Sir Bani Yas Island, but now that you’re in the know, why not give us a call so that we can make this happen for you?