Up Jebel Hafeet

We left the Zoo about 3pm and decided we still had time to explore something else while in Al Ain. We decided to do the drive up Jebel Hafeet. It was an interesting road up the mountain... 60 corners!
Yes, it looks winding, scary and zig-zaggy, but remember, this is the UAE - this 11,7 km long snaking ascent is in fact a wide, well maintained three-lane road..!

The view up the mountain from the Green Mubazarrah.

It's amazing how different the landscape is here to where we are by the coast.

We drove all the way up the top. Part of the mountain straddles the border with Oman, but the peak at 1,249m is wholly within the UAE.

Up the top there is not much else than a parking lot, a playground and a sad looking kiosk with a poor selection of foods. The kids got an ice cream, and we walked around to take some photos. Many people had brought their BBQs and were preparing to enjoy their picnics in the sunset.

Just as an aside, Jebel Hafeet is actually not the highest mountain in the UAE, it is only the third! It is still the highest peak in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. You had a good panoramic view of both the desert and the whole of Al Ain City, and the view of the rocky limestone hills below was breathtaking.
Jebel Hafeet is also listed on the Unesco World Heritage site.