Ask a car enthusiast in the UAE for the best driving road in the country and the answer comes back almost instantly: Jebel Hafeet.
Ask a family which day trip surprised them most, and a lot of them say the same thing, Al Ain, for completely different reasons. It’s the greenest city in the UAE, a place of palm groves, mud-brick forts and slow afternoons, and it feels a long way from Dubai even though it’s only about an hour and a half away.
The good news is that you can do both in one day. Here’s how.
Getting there
The route is simple. From Dubai take the E66, the Dubai–Al Ain Road, and follow it almost all the way. It’s a straight, wide highway through the desert, with sand dunes on both sides once you pass the city’s edge. Around 130-150 km depending on where you start, roughly an hour and a half without traffic.
Two things to know about this road.
You’re crossing into Abu Dhabi. Al Ain belongs to the emirate of Abu Dhabi, and speed cameras there are known for being strict. Stick to the posted limit, not the speed everyone around you is doing.
It’s a boring road, and that’s a risk. Long straight highways at a steady speed are exactly where people lose concentration. If you’re tired, stop. There are fuel stations along the way.
Al Ain: what to see
Al Ain Oasis
Start right in the centre. The oasis is a huge palm grove, thousands of date palms irrigated by the falaj, a traditional water channel system that’s been used here for centuries. Shaded paths run through it, and even in the warmer months it’s noticeably cooler under the palms than in the street outside.
It’s part of the Cultural Sites of Al Ain, which were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2011. Wear comfortable shoes; the grove is bigger than it looks from the entrance.
Al Jahili Fort
One of the most photogenic forts in the country, and easy to reach by car. The round tower with its stepped battlements is the classic image of Al Ain. Inside there’s a small exhibition, and the courtyard is a pleasant place to rest before the next stop.
The camel market
If you want something unfiltered, go to the livestock market on the edge of the city in the morning. This isn’t a tourist attraction, it’s a working market where people come to buy and sell camels, goats and sheep. Be respectful, ask before taking photos of people, and expect someone to offer you a “tour” for a tip.
Al Ain Zoo
If you’re travelling with children, this is the obvious stop. It’s a large, well-kept zoo and safari park with space for the animals, and a good couple of hours in the cooler part of the day.
Jebel Hafeet: the reason drivers come here
Just south of the city, a single mountain rises straight out of the flat desert. Jebel Hafeet is the second-highest peak in the UAE, about 1,240 metres, after Jebel Jais. And the road to the top is the main event.
It’s around 11.7 km long with about 60 bends, from wide sweeping curves to tight hairpins. The surface is excellent. There are three lanes, two going up and one coming down, which means you can take the climb at your own pace without a queue building up behind you. Motoring journalists have been putting it on “greatest driving roads in the world” lists for years.
If you’ve rented something sporty for your trip, this is the drive you rented it for.
How to drive it properly
“Greatest driving road” doesn’t mean “race track,” and a few rules make the difference between a great drive and a very bad day.
Watch out for cyclists. Jebel Hafeet is one of the few serious climbs in the country where cyclists train, especially early in the morning and on weekends. They can often appear around blind corners – give them plenty of space.
No racing and no stopping on the road. Police patrol the mountain, and it’s not uncommon to see cars pulled over. For photos, use the designated viewpoints and car parks along the way, never the carriageway itself.
Air conditioning and the engine. In hot weather, a long uphill climb places a heavy load on the engine. Monitor the temperature gauge, if anything seems amiss, pull over at the nearest scenic overlook and let the vehicle cool down.
At the top
There’s a hotel near the summit, car parks and viewpoints with a view over Al Ain on one side and Oman on the other. Come for sunset, the desert turns orange, then the lights of the city come on below you. On a clear winter night, the stars are far brighter than anything you’ll see from Dubai.
It’s also noticeably cooler up here than in the city, sometimes by quite a lot in winter. Bring a jacket.
Green Mubazzarah
At the foot of the mountain is Green Mubazzarah, a park with lawns and natural hot springs. It’s a good place to stop after the drive, especially with children, and a nice contrast after the bare rock of the mountain.
Practical details for a rental car
Check your mileage allowance. The round trip from Dubai to Al Ain with the drive up the mountain and around the city comes to roughly 300-350 km. If your agreement has a daily limit, this trip can use it up in one day.
Watch where the navigation sends you. Al Ain sits right on the Omani border, and the neighbouring town of Buraimi is in Oman. Some routes lead towards border checkpoints. A rental car can’t cross into Oman without paperwork arranged in advance, so if your navigation suggests a route through the border, don’t follow it.
Fuel isn’t a problem here. Al Ain is a big city with plenty of fuel stations. Fill up before you head up the mountain.
Which car? Any car will get you to Al Ain and up the mountain; the road is fully paved. A comfortable sedan or SUV is perfect for a family trip. But if there was ever a reason to rent a sports car or a convertible, this is it.
When to go
October to April. Al Ain is inland and in summer it’s often even hotter than Dubai, which makes walking around the oasis and forts hard work. In winter, the weather is ideal.
A good plan: leave Dubai in the morning, spend the middle of the day in the oasis and at the fort, drive up Jebel Hafeet in the late afternoon, watch the sunset at the top, and head back to Dubai after dark. If you want to see the sunrise from the summit, stay the night.
Want to pick the right car for Jebel Hafeet or check your mileage allowance before the trip? Drop us a message on WhatsApp – we’ll gladly help.
