Road trip to the mountains of Hatta, United Arab Emirates

Having been a person who has always loved nature and landscapes, living in a country like UAE, leaves you with no choice than to accustom with the citylife even when you are looking for something off-beat. But, like someone quoted, “the voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes”, there is a sort- of landscape in every land and if you have the eye for it, there would not be a reason to reconcile.

Things to do in Hatta:

Hatta, mountain range between border of UAE and Oman, was one such place for me during the late summers/winters every year,One time just an off road drive to the mountains out of sheer boredom, Another time was camping overnight in the wadis on Al Madam Road (Yes with a tent set up).Roll up stacks of wood to keep warm and for an ultimate Alaskan Camping mood.

Ways to get to Hatta:

For those of you who are planning to vacation in Dubai this winter, if desert safari is too cliche, this is for you. Hatta is a place that should not be missed if you are looking for a building- free environment, cooler climate (because of its altitude) and are up for a long drive . Hatta is easily accessible from Dubai with a distance of 130 km, if you take the Sharjah-Kalba route. Hiring a four wheeler vehicle to drive through these mountains for an off-road dune bashing experience is the best way you can enjoy the wadis, but if you do not prefer to drive, you can go for the Hatta Mountain Safaris that take you on a scenic mountain exploration and through the natural water pools and towards the Hajar mountains.

Where to stay:

Well, if you chose to not camp overnight here but prefer the well-known Hatta Fort Hotel, where we stayed for about two nights. The hotel has individual chalets among st the mountains giving an absolute ambiance of paradise in UAE, addition to this they also have shisha and drinks by the pool which are a must try. The resort also has some outdoor games like air gun shoots, archery and indoor games like table tennis, pool and so on. This is definitely a place I would come back to.

Those of you who like bike rides, and want to try something different from going in circles within the city, a weekend bike getaway to the Hatta mountains, or Jabel Hafeet in Al Ain, would be an absolute quench to your riding thirst.

This blog is also for those who has been living in the UAE for many years, but have not had an opportunity to visit the wadis and pools of Hatta.