Moreeb Hill Climb: what it is and how to watch it at Liwa Festival

Hill climbing means racing up a steep slope, and in Liwa the slope is a sand dune. Local enthusiasts began racing cars and bikes up the dunes in the early 2000s, and the hill climb grew into the championship that closes the festival every year.

Tal Moreeb (also written Tel Moreeb) is about 300 metres high, with a steep side of roughly 50 degrees. Climbing it on sand takes a powerful vehicle and a careful driver.

The following timing is from the 2025–26 festival and is a guide only. Check the Liwa Sports Club (LSC) app and the organisers' channels for the 2026–27 programme.

• 31 December: electric and hybrid vehicles.
• 1 January: turbocharged six-cylinder and eight-cylinder NOS classes.
• 2 January: turbocharged eight-cylinder and six-cylinder NOS classes.
• 3 January: finals, with open, stock and Hilux classes, followed by a closing ceremony and fireworks.
• The championship started at about 6 pm each day.

• General admission to the festival grounds is free. Liwa Village is ticketed.
• There are spectator stands and spectator dunes; the organisers decide which areas are open each year.
• Competitors register through the LSC app. Spectators do not need to register.
• Wear warm clothes: the desert is cold after sunset in winter.
• Bring ear protection if you are sensitive to engine noise.

If you want to feel the dunes yourself before you watch the professionals, Mega Drive Experience × AMA runs two-hour guided quad and buggy rides from the festival, with departures at 10:30, 13:00 and 15:30 every day. A late-afternoon ride finishes around 17:30, in time for the evening programme.