The word means “crescent-shaped dune” in the Turkic languages of eastern Europe and Central ... So we drove out into the middle of the broad stony basin until we found a 50-foot-tall barchan ...

With world-class museums, action-packed theme parks, and alluring sand dunes, this Middle Eastern hub is the perfect place for a stopover - or an entire trip.

Every year through the end of April, droves of people flock to Zulfi, more than 200 kilometres northwest of Riyadh, where adrenaline-seeking motorists drive superpowered cars across steep dunes.