Why you should ditch Dubai for the desert and try a Bear Grylls adventure camp and the longest zip-wire in the WORLD

HURTLING down the world’s longest zipline at a staggering 75mph takes sightseeing at speed to a whole new level.

Strapped in, face-down, with my arms and legs pinned to my sides like a skeleton competitor in the winter Olympics, my cheeks wobble in the wind as a spectacular, craggy mountain range whizzes past beneath me.

For nearly two miles I feel like I’m flying. And I can’t stop ­smiling.

You might be wondering where I am. New Zealand? Canada? Costa Rica?

All great destinations for adrenaline-filled getaways, but there’s a new adventure ­playground on the block.

Ras Al-Khaimah is the northern- most ­emirate of the UAE and home to the longest zipline in the world, Jebel Jais Flight.

It’s only an hour’s drive from the bustling metropolis that is Dubai, but the region could not be more different.

Not only has Ras Al-Khaimah got desert, mountains and sea, it’s also a great destination for an action-packed holiday.

And the Jebel Jais Flight, ­nestled in the heart of the Al Hajar mountains, provides a unique, exhilarating view of the unusual landscape.

In classic Emirati style, the attraction smashes the record for every zipline before it at a mind-boggling 1.75miles — or 28 football pitches — in length.

I reach the bottom in two minutes, by which point I’m breathless — partly from the stunning scenery but also because the rapid pace knocks it right out of you!

There are other ways to get your kicks, though, if diving head first off the highest peak in the UAE is a little too daring.

The Al Hajar region is also home to a high-speed mountain toboggan, Jais Sledder, with a 1.2-mile track that lets me live out my Mario Kart dreams as I tackle many hairpin bends, only much closer to the ground this time.

At 25mph it is significantly slower than the high wire, but in some ways it feels even faster as I career round tight corners.

The fun isn’t reserved just for the grown-ups either.

Anyone aged three and up is allowed to tackle the newly opened ride while supervised — and at just £8 a pop, it’s a steal for families.

After you’ve had your fill of thrills, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy the stunning ­scenery of Ras Al-Khaimah — or RAK as the locals call it — ­without a sheer drop.

Although, a 4×4 desert drive through the Al Wadi Nature Reserve is still rousing enough to get your heart going.

Sand swirls up the sides of the Jeep as we tackle mighty dunes, on the lookout for Arabian oryxes and gazelles that live freely across this 1,235-acre estate.

Our guide Javaid’s eyes light up as he clocks a family of oryxes, with their enormous horns, near a cluster of native ghaf trees.

SAND DUNE BOARDING

Encouraged with a bag of pellets, they edge their way closer, mouths open — and I have to remind myself that it’s what’s in the bag they’re after, not me.

This bit of the desert sits in the grounds of the flashy Ritz Carlton hotel, although none of the glitz and glam of five-star luxury is here now — only the raw sights, sounds and smells of nature.

Once feeding time is over, it’s time for me to tuck into some grub of my own at the hugely Instagrammable Sonara Desert Camp, where a delicious feast of traditional Arabian cuisine with a Mediterranean twist awaits.

Part of a dinner-and-sunset package, holidaymakers can take a camel ride and try their hand at sand dune boarding before tucking into quality grub as they while away the evening watching spectacular fire-breathing and live music performances.

And if after walking, boarding, driving and flying you’re still keen to push yourself to the limit, a trip to the Bear Grylls adventure camp, the only permanent one outside the UK, could hit the spot.

It offers primal survival courses, where holidaymakers can learn to build snares and traps, on that rare chance they find themselves lost in the desert.

My guide Paige assures me it’s not something I’ll need when I’m with her, but I’m told that kids love the thrill of the possible danger.

While RAK makes for a great destination in its own right, a real highlight is that you can so easily tag it on to a trip to Dubai or Abu Dhabi, where you can wind down after your mad adventures.

All seven emirates are within a couple of hours of one another, and can be travelled between by taxi or by hire car.

But be warned, the UAE is known for its 12-lane motorways, so self-driving is not for the faint-hearted.

That said, if you can tackle the world’s longest zipline, giant motorways will be an absolute doddle.