Laureus Challenge

To meet Laureus’ expectations, Absolute Adventure delivered a fully customised experience built around exclusivity, security, operational precision, and participant wellbeing. Every element was tailored to the terrain, guest profile, and overall objectives.

Route Planning and Terrain Selection

• Selected four of the UAE’s most remote landscapes, including deserts, wadis, and mountain regions, to create a continuous and varied route
• Balanced the physical intensity of each leg with changes in terrain, creating a purposeful narrative and rhythm throughout the journey
• Designing daily 25km segments through uninterrupted natural terrains while ensuring guest safety, comfort, and scenic value required expert knowledge of the UAE’s terrain and complex logistical coordination.

Accommodation and Camp Life

• Established premium glamping sites at each overnight stop, including a private, luxury Bedouin-style camp in the Marmoom Desert
• Provided shaded rest areas, hydration points, and fully equipped medical tents throughout the course
• Arranged gourmet catering onsite to meet high culinary standards and accommodate specific dietary requirements

Operational Execution and Risk Management

• Mobilised a large-scale team of professional guides, medics, drivers, and logistics specialists to ensure smooth day-to-day delivery
• Developed detailed route maps, contingency plans, and evacuation protocols for every leg of the expedition
• Utilised high-spec 4x4 vehicles and a mobile logistics crew to transport luggage, infrastructure, and equipment efficiently between remote camps
• Coordinated with a dedicated content team to facilitate real-time coverage and post-event media production, managing their transport and access requirements across the route

Sponsorship, Branding and Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborated closely with event sponsor Sierra Space, whose representative, former NASA astronaut Steve Lindsey, completed the entire trek and delivered a talk beneath the desert stars, leaving a lasting impression on guests
• Managed branding and sponsor representation with a focus on discretion, coherence, and environmental sensitivity across each activation point

The Laureus Challenge 2022 was delivered successfully over four days, despite intense heat and the complexity of operating in remote and varied terrain. All guests completed the route safely, supported by the Absolute Adventure guides and a logistics framework that operated seamlessly behind the scenes.

Participants praised the guest experience, from the route design and scenic value to the level of service and attention to detail. For many, the opportunity to walk alongside sporting icons and fellow changemakers in such raw and inspiring landscapes was transformative.

The event raised over $330,000 to support Laureus’ global youth programmes and set a new regional benchmark for experiential charity expeditions. Its success directly led to Absolute Adventure being recommended to lead the 2024 Strive Arabia Challenge, reinforcing its reputation as the UAE’s leading provider of pre-eminent, purpose-led adventure experiences.