Jebel Hafeet Mountain Drive: visitor guide

What to expect at Jebel Hafeet

Jebel Hafeet is the UAE's second highest peak at 1,249 metres and offers one of the most spectacular and accessible mountain experiences in the country. In fact, a beautifully engineered 12km road winds from the base of the mountain through 60 hairpin bends to a summit that commands unusual panoramic views across Al Ain, the Oman border mountains and the vast desert plains below. In addition, the road is completely free to drive and open 24 hours.

The Drive

Also, the site road is often regarded as one of the best driving roads in the Middle East. The smooth, well-maintained tarmac winds through dramatic limestone escarpments, the mountain's orange-red rock faces exposed by the road's construction reveal millions of years of geological history, including marine fossils from the Eocene period when this area was submerged beneath the Tethys Sea. Moreover, the road climbs often from the base at about 300 metres to the summit at 1,249 metres, with the views becoming progressively more dramatic as altitude increases.

Each hairpin bend reveals a new vista, Al Ain's date palm gardens and residential areas far below, the flat desert extending to the Omani border, the distant Hajar Mountain range. Moreover, the drive takes about 20–25 minutes at a comfortable pace. At the summit, the temperature is typically 5–8°C cooler than Al Ain below, a welcome difference in the shoulder-season months of October and April.

Summit Views

The summit area has a viewpoint platform, a small café and the Mercure Grand the site hotel, the latter worth visiting as a non-guest for the unusual restaurant terrace views. Generally, on a clear winter day, the panorama extends to the Hajar Mountains extending into Oman to the east, the desert of Al Ain spreading south and west, and on exceptional days to the distant outline of the Abu Dhabi coastline to the northwest. Sunrise and sunset from the summit are often spectacular, the limestone turns striking shades of orange and amber in the low light.

Green Mubazzarah Hot Springs

At the base of the site, the Green Mubazzarah park is a natural oasis created by geothermal water that emerges from the ground at about 38°C. The park has chalets with private hot spring pools available for hire by the hour (AED 30–50 per session), a public park area with playgrounds and picnic facilities, and some of the most beautiful mountain views available at ground level. Combining the summit drive with a hot spring soak at the base creates a perfect the site day.

Practical Information

The site sits 10 kilometres south of Al Ain city centre and about 140 kilometres from Abu Dhabi city (2.5 hours driving). The drive from Dubai to the site takes about 1.5 hours via the E66. Besides, the mountain road is entirely free and open at all hours. Fill your petrol tank in Al Ain before driving up. There are no petrol stations on the mountain. The best times to visit are at sunrise or sunset for the most beautiful light, or at night for the unusual star-filled sky above the dark desert below.