Jebel Hafeet is a single rocky mountain on the outskirts of Al Ain, surrounded by flat sand. On a clear day you can see for many miles across Oman and the UAE. It is the third highest peak in Abu Dhabi and the third highest in the UAE. It is also home to some of the most beautiful roads in the country.
From Dubai to the highest peak of Jebel Hafeet, it will take almost around 2 hours.
Last 3rd of December 2021, I, my husband and our friends have decided to visit the place out of curiosity from what we are seeing on pictures from social media. It also happened that the UAE National Day was going on in which we got a long weekend to celebrate and enjoy.
Actually, last year we went to Jebel Jais, it is the highest
The weather at the top of the mountain was so cool and windy, sweaters and jackets are indeed required.
Going up the mountain is not totally difficult even if we’re using a sedan, you just have to use the manual gears. (I think that’s what it’s called). Just expect to drive on long winding roads for several minutes, and it can get nauseous for those who are not used to it, just like me. 🙂
Reaching the top, you will find a simple cafeteria with lots of people inside, resting after what seems to be a long drive, drinking Karak Chai and eating their favorite snacks with their own families and friends.
A lot of people visited the place as it was holiday and a peak season. So if you don’t prefer the crowd, then you might want to visit during weekdays, also on weekends without any holiday going on. But don’t worry, social distancing is still being followed, there’s much distance between each person, because I guess, they don’t usually stay there for long time or even overnight.
It was such a magnificent scenery at the top.
The only downside of the place is that they do not have comfort room facilities so you gotta be ready. For us, we improvised and used the comfort of our car. 😀 We are okay without these facilities since we have a toilet tent which we use when we do our camping, yet there is no place we can set it up.
We are actually planning to spend the night there, however we were not able to, not only because there were no washroom facilities but also because it is not allowed to camp there since there are no camping sites nearby, and we are scared to incur fines.
There was a place called Green Mubazzarah located at the foot of the mountain yet we were not allowed to go inside. We tried to, but inspectors were asking us to provide a green result from the Al Hosn mobile application, which signifies that we must have a negative result from a PCR or swab test which should have been accomplished recently. I have the app, but it is showing gray, and not all of us don’t have it. 🙁
Due to this, we have decided to spend the night at home and enjoy the dinner with our friends.
Nonetheless, our plan of having an ‘Overnight Camping’ was aborted, but still we enjoyed our visit. We are actually unprepared since it was our first time to visit the place. It is indeed a great mountain where you can take lots of picturesque views, and spend some time with families and friends. For all the camping lovers out there, Jebel Hafeet Mountain is more of a park than a camping spot.
We would love to hear from you!
Have you been to Jebel Hafeet or just one of the camping / road trip lovers our there? Let us know your experience.
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Those views are amazing. I’d love to be able to go to the top one day.
What’s the height of this mountain? The views are really beautiful. I love road trips and visiting new places.
It is too bad you couldn’t camp there, it looks like it would be quite nice. I love all the photos you took, it looks like a lovely spot to visit for the day.
It seems to be a scenic place and you have jotted your travel so nicely. Though felt a bit disappointed as you can’t do camping but happy as you had enjoyed it in other ways.
Great pictures!
Very interesting region. Not the fan of desert areas though. But really great pictures.
Bummer that you weren’t able to camp. But wow, still lucky to see those amazing views
I have very little knowledge about life outside my “personal” bubble. This looks absolutely amazing though! Thanks for the wonderful information!
What an interesting and scenic place. I have never heard of this mountain, and I love exploring.
This was such an awesome travel article! I wish you guys were allowed inside Green Mubazzarah! We looked into visiting here once, but don’t know much about it. Can’t wait to see what you’re next adventure is!
The mountain driving makes me nervous. I hate to do it myself for sure.
The mountain driving makes me very nervous. Especially true if I am the one that has to do the driving.
Oh my goodness, Jebel Hafeet Mountain in Al Ain, UAE looks like a fantastic place to visit! The photos of the views make me want to add this spot to my travel bucket list!
Wow. That is one fantastic view! It must be an exhilarating experience to see that vastness around you.
This looks lovely. I like taking rod trips and enjoy the view sometimes. I hope you guys had a wonderful trip to there!
What a great trip! Sounds like an adventure! THanks for sharing the pictures of your travels!