Experience the great ancient art of falconry at dawn with morning safari

Four thousand years ago somewhere on the plains of central Asia a man captured a Flacon to test her predatory spirit. He tamed her, fed her and then set her free, in search of prey she soared higher and higher from far above the clouds she spotted her quarry and made her kill, but then she did not fly away from the man instead she share her catch with him.

On this occasion long ago was born the art and science of falconry. Through history falcons were held in great esteem by nomadic hunters, the privileged classes and royalty. The art of falconry rose in popularity from antiquity to the middle ages. When its influence spilled over into daily life and politics. Contact for Marina Dhow Cruise!

Laws were created to regulate falconry and even stealing a flacon became punishable by death. In many cases kings and princes were so preoccupied with falconry that they neglected their official duties.

In eighteenth century Persia falconers swore on their lives to protect a Shiakh’s flacon from misfortune.

Experience falconry on Desert safari trips: The desire to hunt with a falcon never disappears

Today falconry is a popular international pursuit practiced around the world but despite its long history and current resurgence in popularity we know surprisingly little about this remarkable art.

It is not known where exactly the falconry began some say central Asia but perhaps in the Arabian Desert. Wild falcons were trained to catch desert animals to supplement the sparse diet of the nomads.

Today Bedouins no longer live in desert, yet despite all the changes in this part of the world falconry continues to hold the powerful attraction in the city if Abu Dhabi alone there are few a thousand falconers.

Arab falconry differ in several ways from its modern European counterpart. The Falcon is send to the chase straight from the glove in the traditional manner and only edible animals are considered as quarry. In avid falconry the most commonly used birds are Saker Flacons they are captured on their migratory route at the beginning of each hunting season. Discover Arabian adventures!

Arab falconers are masters at training and taming passage falcons in a short period of time after only two weeks calm in the company of man and ready to hunt. The men come to desert in order to live nomadic Bedouin life. You can see them behind the back of camels with leash in right hand and a Flacon resting as a comrade on the left hand.                      

The main quarry is Bara Bustard which is a migratory bird that shows up by the end of the winter.