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In a region known for record-breaking attractions and glossy, sky-high ambitions, one homegrown travel group is quietly rewriting the adventure playbook. Hero Experiences Group, founded in Dubai, is not in the business of ticking boxes. Instead, it’s carving out something much more personal: meaningful, high-end experiences that are immersive, culturally rooted, and memorable.
Forget the usual tour bus experiences. This collection of adventure brands – spanning eco-luxury desert safaris, hot air ballooning, aerial observatories, and nature-based outdoor escapes – caters to the kind of traveller who’s less interested in seeing and more intent on actually experiencing.
A Different Kind of Desert Safari
The group’s flagship brand, Platinum Heritage, offers a desert safari unlike any other, one that celebrates heritage, conservation and authenticity with meaningful storytelling.
The Heritage Collection takes guests on a journey through time in fully restored 1950s Land Rovers, the first motorised vehicles to ever drive in the UAE. These gentle nature drives follow designated routes to protect the delicate desert ecosystem, allowing guests to encounter native wildlife and experience the desert as it was meant to be. The evening unfolds in an authentic Bedouin camp, built from natural materials, where guests enjoy traditional Emirati cuisine, cultural performances, and stories passed down through generations.
The Platinum Collection offers a more contemporary, ultra-luxurious interpretation of the desert safari. Travellers explore the Royal desert grounds in the latest Land Rover Defenders and retreat to a tranquil oasis with elegant private cabanas for a fine dining experience under the stars, and a sophisticated atmosphere.
Reach New heights
Then there’s Hero Balloon Flights, a premium hot air balloon operator offering sunrise flights over the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. These aren’t your standard balloon rides. Guests take off from elevated sites in refurbished cabins, drift low enough to spot oryx and gazelles, and experience falcon shows mid-air before retreating to a secluded desert breakfast curated by a Michelin-starred chef, and inspired by the four elements guest encounter while on this desert retreat. It’s a rare mix of elegance, wildlife, and tradition, all in one quiet, golden morning.
A unique view of Dubai
More urban in spirit is The Dubai Balloon, a tethered helium balloon located at Atlantis, The Palm (GRAZIA even hosted its very own immersive event there). It lifts passengers 225 metres into the air (that’s roughly the height of a 75-storey high-rise building), offering panoramic views of the palm-shaped island and Dubai’s greatest architectural hits. While it caters to tourists, it’s just as appealing for locals looking for a fresh vantage point (or a unique place to propose). There’s even an on-site café overlooking the Aquaventure beach and the Dubai Balloon (great for intimate celebrations) and retail shop to round out the visit.
For the Adventurers
For schools, corporate teams, or anyone craving something more rugged, Absolute Adventure delivers nature-based challenges designed to build confidence, foster connection, and ignite curiosity. From kayaking to hiking, these outings are intentionally raw and stripped back, but executed with high safety standards and seamless organisation.
The Saudi Expansion
In Saudi Arabia, Hero Experiences Group is bringing its signature storytelling approach to one of the world’s most exciting emerging destinations: AlUla. Platinum Heritage Saudi offers exclusive eco-luxury desert journeys through the protected Sharaan Nature Reserve, one of the kingdom’s most pristine landscapes. Guests can explore ancient rock inscriptions, admire sandstone formations, and witness the biodiversity of the Arabian desert—all while steeped in cultural authenticity and a firm commitment to sustainability. A lavish dinner set amongst latern-lit canyons promises to end the evening on a high note.
Meanwhile, as the only hot air balloon operator in AlUla, Hero Balloon Flights Saudi lets travellers take it all in from above. Guests float high over AlUla’s otherworldly terrain, witnessing 200,000 years of history, including UNESCO World-Heritage Site, Hegra, from the quiet serenity of a sunrise balloon ride. It’s a humbling, cinematic perspective on a landscape that has captivated explorers for centuries.
For more information, visit hero-experiences.com.
