Nestled in the countryside of Al Ain, the world-class roads leading up to the Jebel Hafeet viewpoints alone is worth taking a trip up here. The stark moonscape is hauntingly beautiful with its jagged tips and unique dinosaur shaped peaks. There’s not much to look at landscape wise in the UAE being a dessert it’s hard to find beauty in nature unless you search for it, but Al Ain is the exception to the rule and Jebel Hafeet is a perfect representation of that.
An Eleven km long majestic journey up the rocky pass is said to be one of the world’s best driving roads. It boasts 60 corners ranging from tight hairpins to fast sweepers. A quick glance at the map, at its sheer drops and serpentine twists and turns, confirms that this is no hype. The infrastructure of the road presents a high standard with no potholes and fairly new tarmac during the whole route. The surface is really smooth. On the way up it's a 2 lane driving road and a single lane driving down.
The fascinating mountain road ascends into the cloud incorporating many photos stops along the way. The road is a mixture of fast straights and sweeping curves that merge perfectly from one to another forming this amazing driving road in the middle of the desert.
The road scales the mountain and ends at a parking lot with only a hotel and a palace belonging to the country's rulers. Try to take this drive in the late afternoon so you can catch the sunset from the top of the mountain. Being the second highest peak in the country, when you do reach the top, the view becomes more bleary the higher you get, but even so, views of Oman and Green Mubazzarah are simply stunning.
Jabel Hafeet Known for great driving roads was built by Strabag International of Cologne, Germany. Built so that rich residents can get their kicks in their million-dollar toy cars, still remains an adrenaline-pumping journey amongst speed enthusiasts. However, a threat here are the handful of vehicles that drive at the speed of light, and the main risk on this road is coming around a blind corner to discover a vehicle proceeding toward you at high speed. Be cautious while driving through the magnificent scenery.
Tombs on Jebel Hafeet:
Hafeet – literally "Empty Mountain" The name of Jebel Hafeet is because of its old cultural importance and discoveries beehive tombs at the foot prints of Hafeet Mountain. It belongs to the time of the Bronze Age which is around 3200 to 2600 BC old.
Travel Information:
Hotels are widely available in Al Ain, which makes it a perfect base to explore Jebel Hafeet and Al Ain region. There are several other attractions in the region such as Al Ain Zoo, Green Mubazzarah, Al Ain Palace Museum, and Wadi Adventure.
Green Mubazzarah is one of the most important attractions for tourist at the bottom of the Jebel Hafeet. This contains springs of hot water, which convert into small lake afterwards. Multiple ponds and jocose are present on Green Mubazzarah. It also contains children play park. The place is well designed and decorated for the tourist attraction.
Transportation:
Own transportation or can call for a taxi from Al Ain to reach the mountain top.
Public transport is not available
Entry fee: Free
Parking area: Available
Best time to visit :
During sunset (5 pm to 6 pm) as one can see the Mountain View from atop.
Restaurant:
There are two types of restaurant available on the top for refreshments