Hatta, Jebel Jais and Khor Fakkan gear up for winter visitors

The UAE's mountainous areas offer fresh air, new attractions and outdoor experiences as the weather cools

Ras Al Khaimah's Jebel Jais is the highest peak in the UAE and an important tourist attraction. Photo: RAK Tourism Authority

With cooler weather on the horizon as we roll towards November, the UAE's mountainous areas are getting set to welcome tourists back to their peaks.

Hatta, Jebel Jais and Khor Fakkan are among the country's most popular areas, and they come into their own in winter when temperatures dip and people seek outdoor experiences. These three destinations have recently benefited from investment and development to "transform them into new tourist treasures", said state-run news agency Wam on Friday.

Hatta: camping, kayaking and sustainable waterfalls

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  Hatta Caravan Park is being billed as the region's first luxury caravan park. All photos: Dubai Holding

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  Hatta Caravan Park opened to the public on October 1, 2021.

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  The park is home to 11 bespoke caravans.

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  The caravans have a range of amenities, including a TV, kitchenette and free Wi-Fi access.

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  Each caravan is designed to house two adults and two to three children.

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  Prices start from Dh1,350 per night at Hatta Caravan Park.

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  The new addition was made to Hatta Resorts and Hatta Wadi Hub during its fourth season.

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  Barbecue stations and fire pits are available for families.

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  Another new addition is Rovers, a four-wheel off-road electric scooter experience.

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  Guests can explore the rocky mountainous terrain in a new way with the Rovers.

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  Hatta Mountain Biking at Hatta Wadi Hub also has e-bikes.

Over the past few years, the city of Hatta has turned into a tourist destination famed for its natural scenery that spans across the mountains. The Hatta Dam and Hatta Lake also make the area a popular choice for those who enjoy camping, swimming and kayaking.

Hatta Season 4 recently launched at Hatta Resorts and Hatta Wadi Hub and will run until April next year. It includes the return of popular attractions such as the Twin Zipline, which was introduced last year, the Hatta Drop-In, where guests can slide into the water with doughnuts, skis and body boards, and Cannon, a human slingshot.

Since the launch of the Hatta Master Development Plan in 2016, visitor numbers to Hatta have increased from 60,000 per year, to more than a million in 2020, said Wam.

The newest plans for the area include a 5.4 kilometre-long chairlift, the Hatta sustainable waterfalls project and the construction of hiking trails leading to the highest peak in Dubai - Jebel Umm Al Nisour.

The new cable car route will fly over Hatta Dam Lake and the departure station is being built on an upper platform above the Hatta Dam.

Set to open in 2022, the Hatta Sustainable Waterfalls project will use the slope of the upper dam to create a natural waterfall. The water used will be collected at the end of the stream, recycled and pumped back to the top of the dam.

Khor Fakkan's spaceship-inspired rest house

Sharjah's Al Suhub Rest House offers amazing views from its mountaintop base. Wam

In the neighbouring emirate of Sharjah, lots of new developments in coastal Khor Fakkan have made the area one of the country's most popular winter regions.

Al Suhub Rest House - a distinctive circular structure, with a diameter of 30 metres that's located almost 600 metres above sea level to give visitors panoramic views of the area is a new addition that's been getting a lot of attention. There's also water fountains, beaches, a restaurant and a 730-metre walkway surrounded on all sides by towering palm trees. The Shees Park is another new addition to the area.

Al Rafisah Dam, which was originally built in the 1980s, offers fantastic scenery overlooking a large blue lake, with boating facilities and a backdrop of the Hajar mountains. The site has recently had an upgrade with a new visitor centre and rest areas.

Jebel Jais will host 51-km Highlander UAE hike

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  Highlander UAE will be the first long-distance, multi-day hiking adventure in the GCC. All images courtesy RAKTDA /Highlander UAE unless otherwise mentioned.

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  Launching in November, Highlander55 is a self-guided three-day trek through Ras Al Khaimah's mountainscape.

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  Fadi Hachicho, managing director of Highlander UAE (left) and Raki Phillips, Chief Executive Officer of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority speak at the preview of Highlander UAE.

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  Jurica Barac, CEO Highlander Global (left) and Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (right) at the media preview of Highlander UAE. Courtesy RAKTDA

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  Highlander55 will run from Wadi Ghalilah to Shimal.

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  The long-distance trail will take hikers to the highest point in the UAE on Ras Al Khaimah's Jebel Jais. Courtesy Hayley Skirka

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  The inaugural edition of Highlander55 in Ras Al Khaimah will lead hikers along clearly flagged routes with more than half situated off-trail.

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  Participants must carry everything they need for the trip to be self-sufficient, with routes designed to challenge hikers physically across the rugged terrain of the Ras Al Khaimah mountain landscape.

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  The Highlander UAE experiences will also include sessions such as yoga, Leave No Trace Talks, travel talks and the chance to share local folklore around the campfire.

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  Highlander experiences are not a race and hikers will come together at night to enjoy campfires and local cuisine under the stars. Courtesy Hayley Skirka

As the tallest peak in the UAE, the summit of Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah remains one of the most important tourist attractions in the country.

This region is popular with cyclists, hikers and adventurers year-round and enjoys cooler temperatures than much of the rest of the country, with winter weather getting quite cold at the top of the mountain. It's also home to the longest zip-line in the world, and in November will host the inaugural Highlander UAE hiking trail for outdoor enthusiasts ready to take on a 51-kilometre challenge.