The UAE has one of the best roads to drive on for those chasing the thrill of adventure. With amazing supercars and smooth roads, driving in the UAE is a dream. And the landscapes are nothing short of spectacular – rugged mountains, mesmerizing sand dunes, coastal stretches and perfect roads cutting right through them. To ensure that you experience it all, we’ve put together a list of the 6 best roads for driving in the UAE that you will love.
1. Jebel al Jaes, Ras al Khaimah
Jebel al Jaes is the highest mountain in the UAE, standing tall at a height of 6,268 feet. It is located an hour away from Dubai and is part of the Hajar mountain range. The road through Jebel al Jais has quite a rugged and rocky terrain, with a smattering of rural areas. It’s full of sharp turns and hairpin bends that require careful and expert handling. Once you reach the top, the view is absolutely breath taking and worth the sharp curves.
2. Jebel Hafeet, al Ain
Jebel Hafeet is the second-highest mountain in the Emirates standing at 4,000 feet. The mountain is around 170kms from Abu Dhabi, taking up to 2 hours to reach. Once you get there, the 7.3m long asphalt road with steep climbs and around 60 turns will keep you occupied. The twisting and turning of the snaking road as you climb up is quite exhilarating. Try to plan a trip to Jebel Hafeet on a weekday because you will definitely find a bit of a rush on the weekend.
3. Hatta Fort Hotel, Hatta
With no actual name to this road, you can reach it by taking a left just ahead of the Hatta Fort Hotel roundabout. The road isn’t more than 10km long, but what it lacks in length it makes up for in everything else. A drive here is full of sharp curves, blind corners, surface changes, sudden steep inclines and unexpected dips. You won’t be able to drive at a high speed as the surface of the road isn’t completely smooth; but more than that, this road also has a few dangerous cliffs at the turns, so you have to be all the more careful. The thrill of an adrenaline rush is what this road offers as it will certainly test your driving agility.
4. Al Taween, Ras al Khaimah
Hidden in the Hajar Mountains lies the Al Taween road. It’s slightly harder to find as the start of the road is far within the mountain range, which is why few people get up to it. The drive itself is also quite gruelling. With a 30-40 degree steep incline, some tricky hairpin bends and unpredictable gravel, Al Taween will require your absolute undivided attention. It all becomes worth it as the view of the surrounding rugged mountain ranges is stunning to behold.
5. Kalba, Sharjah
When you start off from Dubai on the Kalba-Sharjah road, it’s a straightforward road that takes you through the emirate’s industrial area. However, 50km into the drive you will see mountains rising ahead and that is where this road gains some character with plenty of S-bends for you to zoom through. The real thrill is when you enter the 1.27km tunnel and come out to the scenic beauty of Fujairah. Coastal views along a smooth road make this drive memorable.
6. Liwa Oasis
Running along the Rub al Khali desert, also known as the Empty Quarter desert, lies the road from Liwa Oasis to Al Ain. This road has no thrilling turns or sudden dips; instead, you drive through a vast expanse of roiling sand dunes that have a charm of their own. The peace and quiet of the scenery offers you a beautiful drive.
