Chasing the sun on the mountains of the UAE

I am a beach person, a good book, the smell of sunscreen and the sound of undulating waves is all I need. I am fortunate to be living in Dubai and blessed to have beach days pretty much every day of the year. After the lockdown was lifted this year, everyone was craving to be outdoors more than ever before, the beaches were getting flocked with people in search of fresh air and being outdoors. We cooled off on the beautiful beaches that Dubai has to offer in the Summer of 2020. But as the temperatures started to cool off in the UAE, the mountains called me, and I had to go. I decided to explore the different peaks of the UAE, to chase the winter sun and see it rise from beyond the horizon.

In this blog, I will be sharing my newfound love of trekking across the mountains of the UAE with some tips and suggestions that will be helpful for amateur hikers like me and even for the far more experienced ones. My recent adventurous expeditions include trekking on Wadi Showka Dam, Yanas Mountain, Wadi Shah in Ras Al Khaimah and Fossil Rock in Sharjah.

Some points to consider when you are going trekking:

1) Go with a group of experienced trekkers and never trek alone. I was introduced to trekking by my friends who are experienced trekkers that showed me the way as I accompanied them on these treks. I had done a few treks with my family before on holidays to Switzerland where cable cars transported us atop the mountains and exciting legs helped us trek your way down to the bottom. My experience of trekking in the UAE was way different than in Switzerland. The mountains in the UAE are dry and rugged and the trails are not defined.

2) Chasing sunrise at the crack of dawn and finally seeing it rise above the horizon can be a magical experience that will surely take your breath away, but this also means that you will require additional planning. Planning the drive to the bottom of the peak and the trekking up the mountain must be calculated keeping in mind the varied fitness levels of all the participants. Wikiloc is a good app to help you plan your trek loop and for directions. Once on top you also need to keep a track of time and calculate your descent to avoid the mid-day sun which can be quite strong here in the UAE.

3) The most obvious essentials you will need are enough water, energy bars, snacks, hats, sunglasses, sunscreen and the not so obvious ones for moderate hikes would be hiking shoes, sticks, gloves, hydration tablets, headlamp, first aid kit and kneecaps (Yes, knee caps as sometimes the fittest of all can have their knees give way.) The key is to travel light. Wadi Showka, Ras Al Khaimah – (Easy to Moderate) If you prefer to follow the easy trail, then as soon as you reach the Wadi Showka Dam you will see a long flight of stairs going into the horizon. This will take you right to the top of the mountain where you can see the sunrise from. For the moderate trail, you can set your trek as much or as little as you intend to do depending on your fitness levels. We did the latter and out of the 4 treks, the sunrise we witnessed on this trek was the most spectacular.

Yanas Mountain, Ras Al Khaimah - (Moderate) Not recommended for beginners. The last 9 KMS of the drive to the hiking trail from the bottom of the mountain is an unpaved windy road so it is a must to go with a 4x4. Once you reach the top the trails are marked with faint yellow paint dots every 100 m so watch out for them in case you lose track. There are small little villages along the way as you go deeper into the trek. Picture the morning dew lifting from the air as the sun comes up defining the horizon with the hues of pink, blue, purple, and amber with the backdrop of the rugged terrain of Ras Al Khaimah’s mountain range. This mystical mountain peak should be on every trekker’s wish list.

Wadi Shah, Ras Al Khaimah – (Difficult) We started off at the bottom of the Bear Grylls Explorers Camp in Ras Al Khaimah. This hike is intense and not suitable for beginners. I had done my own research to find out the fitness level required for this trek before joining my friends as I had been warned it was a difficult trek. After reading the mixed reviews online I decided to do it anyway. The mountain range here was quite rugged and dense with the topmost peak which was almost inaccessible and hence the view of the sunrise from the highest peak that we reached was not a 360-degree landscape like from that of the other mountains.

Fossil Rock, Sharjah – (Easy to Moderate) This is a popular trek with the residents of the UAE. With its easy access from Dubai, the trek can be anywhere from easy to moderate depending on the route you decide to take. Fossil rock juts out imperiously from the terracotta desert in Sharjah. We needed a headlamp to navigate our way through the trek in the wee hours of the morning. You can either go through the desert or choose the rocky path to climb up to the peak. We chose the latter to climb up and descended through the sand on our way back. The peak was showered in the warmth of the morning sun and beautiful vistas of what looked like a perfect marriage between the rock and the desert. This scenic hike was mesmerizing as we sat on top of the peak appreciating the beauty of it all.

I have done all of the above expeditions as day trips out of Dubai. If you wish to explore the cultural, historical and the rich heritage of both Emirates then I have the below hotel recommendations for you to consider. In addition to exploring the beautiful beaches and other adventurous activities that both Emirates have to offer you could add the above treks as a day trip out of either Ras Al Khaimah or Sharjah to your itinerary.

1) Cove Rotana RAK 2) Hilton Resort & Spa RAK 3) Waldorf Astoria RAK 4) Ritz Carlton Al Wadi RAK 5) Chedi Al Bait Sharjah 6) Mysk Kingfisher Retreat Sharjah