Four surprising facts about Ski Dubai

Penguins are not the first animal you think of living in the desert but, in Dubai, anything is possible. Meeting the Ski Dubai penguins is an experience few can forget, adult or child, and is one of the park's most popular attractions. Part of a global wildlife preservation effort, the venue is home to a cute colony of adorable king and gentoo penguins. You can meet them up close with a special Peng-Friend encounters, learning more about the extraordinary habitat where they're raised, fed and encouraged to mate in order to keep their species going. Peng-Friend funds also help support Ski Dubai's penguin conservation, education and research partners.

All 22,500sqm of Ski Dubai's snow park and slopes are blanketed in thick, frosty snow to bring the complete Alpine experience to life. In a truly unique fashion, the snow is created by spraying a mist of water and compressed air, orchestrating a real-life snowfall every day. And it doesn't ever go to waste – the old snow is recycled and used for Ski Dubai's air conditioning system to help keep the venue cool.

With all the snow and extensive cooling systems, you would imagine Ski Dubai comes with hefty utility bill. Luckily, the team that put together this remarkable attraction designed it for efficiency, so it only uses up as much energy as an average-sized hotel. Not only is the snow recycled, but the whole structure is created in such a way that power consumption in the hottest month of the year is only a little more than the coldest.