A day trip to Al Ain and Jebel Hafeet
Overview
Al Ain is a city in the eastern region of the emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Known as the Garden City for its palm groves and natural springs, it is an inland oasis bordering with Oman.
It is a perfect day trip from Abu Dhabi, taking approximately 1.5 hours to reach by private car or 2.5 hours by local bus. The highway joining the two cities is well constructed, smooth and a very pleasant drive, with peak speed limits of 160km/h.
Being inland, Al Ain is hotter than Abu Dhabi, so bear in mind that traveling in the height of summer will not afford you the most comfortable of visits. I’d highly recommend traveling between November to March and have written more on the weather and best times to visit UAE in my post on Abu Dhabi.
Al Ain is replete with history and ancient archaeology, with Bronze Age remains such as tombs and artifacts on top of the rocky towering Jebel (Arabic for ‘mountain’) Hafeet and also within the Al Hili Archaeological Park and Al Ain National Museum. As soon as you drive through the city, you’ll be greeted with greenery, tree-lined avenues and curated parks, thanks to the plentiful water supply that trickles down from Jebel Hafeet. There are no sky-scrapers in this town, with 7-floor limits on new buildings, a stark contrast to the buzzing Emirati neighbour cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
From the relaxed neighbourhood of the city itself, to the dense vegetation of the Al Ain Oasis, to the towering heights of Jebel Hafeet overlooking Al Ain, this area within the UAE is well worth a visit. Here are my highlights!
Itinerary
Al Ain Oasis
Jahili Park
Jahili Fort
Jebel Hafeet
Dinner at Shape Restaurant
Al Ain Oasis
This UNESCO World Heritage Site covers 1200 hectares and has an operational falaj (ancient irrigation system) which enables over 147,000 date palms and fruit trees to survive in some of the harshest climates known to man. The meandering pathways allow passage through this lush oasis, showcasing how agriculture has looked in this region for millennia.
As well as dates, there are mango, orange, banana, fig and jujube (sidr) trees. Individual plots and working farms are separated from each other by historic boundary walls. The falaj system of ground level and below-ground level aqueducts delivers the water to farms many kilometres away. The water comes from both the Hajar Mountains and the nearby Jebel Hafeet.
Visitors can see the intricate waterways up close once within the oasis grounds. Entry is free but I would highly recommend paying the 20 dirhams for buggy transport tour around the roads. There is also an option for shaded bicycle exploration or traversing by foot but Al Ain is inland and can reach unbearable temperatures so best not take the risk if it’s warm.
The oasis is open from 9am – 5pm, seven days a week.
Jahili Park
Jahili Park is one of the largest and most beautiful in Al Ain. With many lawned areas, art displays and playgrounds, it’s perfect for families seeking time together on weekends and also for those wanting to find some quiet time away. There are many species of desert flowers growing and manicured garden beds on display.
Jahili Fort
If you want to step back in time and succumb to nostalgia and history, then plan to go to Jahili Fort. It’s one of the largest in the UAE and was built by Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa the First.
A door of goodness is opened in glory’s chapter,
Inscription above the main entrance at Jahili Fort
Where joy and happiness with high glory reside,
The blessings of honour said “Mark this house,
A house of high standing built by Zayed bin Khalifa.”
Jahili Fort was built as a symbol of power, to control the local tribes (via the majlis – ‘meeting place’) and as a royal summer residence. Abu Dhabi’s rulers would leave the intense summer humidity of the coast for the more temperate weather of Al Ain, where there is lower humidity, fertile land and fresh water.
Visitors will find a rudimentary gravel car park out the front and it’s possible to walk around the walls of the square fort from the outside. Once entering fortress through the large wooden gate flanked by two turrets, you’ll find yourself in a large open courtyard and can walk around to view the three cylindrical towers. Each tower displays narrowing concentric tiers as once ascends.
Make sure to check the opening times on the website as we arrived just in time at 3.45pm and they were nearing closure at 4pm.
Jebel Hafeet
Arabic for ’empty mountain’, Jebel Hafeet is located on the border of the UAE and Oman, in the region of Tawam. It is considered an outlier of the Al Hajar Mountains.
Access is via the winding Hafeet Mountain Road, which extends for 11.7km along some acute angles and ascends to 1,200m.
Along the way you’ll pass various viewing points where you can park your car and take some beautiful pictures of the scenery before you. At the top is a large car park, cafe, hotel and a palace belonging to the country’s rulers. There is a long fence demarcating the border line with Oman and the imposing mountains on the other side are incredibly barren, brown, rugged and beautiful.
Dinner
There is definitely not the same ‘foodie culture’ in Al Ain as you will find in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. However, you’re much more likely to find some authentic Emirati food that’s incredibly tasty and served in restaurants that are often decorated in the traditional Bedouin style. Keep a look out for dishes such as kibbeh, sojouk, hummus and moutabal, grilled halloumi, shish kebab, balalit ma khoboz wagafi (sweetened thin noodles with cardamom, saffron and omelette) or the machboos deyay (chicken cooked with yellow rice and simmered in stock). Many of these local staples have been replaced in the larger cities by international style fare, so it’s worth experimenting with your palate when in Al Ain!
As it turns out we were short for time so stopped in for a quick dinner at Shape Restaurant on the edge of town. It’s an extremely quaint little restaurant if you’re after some speedy but flavoursome meals, fairy lights, outdoor wicker chairs and cactus decorations. We went with a slightly more international flair and ordered the grilled seabass and beef ragout which was whipped up in a jiffy and served with a side of mashed potato with black olives and tomato, green beans and complementary crisp bread with cream dip. Delicious!
