Desert and Hatta in 7 days: the other Dubai

Three landscapes, one emirate

The emirate of Dubai does not stop at the coast. East of the city the dunes begin, protected in a 225 km² reserve; further on, about 130 km from the centre, Hatta is a Dubai enclave in the Hajar Mountains, close to the Omani border. This trip links them in a week, starting with the pre-oil city along the Creek.

It is a November-to-March trip. That is the season of highs around 24 to 31 °C in Dubai, and when Hatta's activities run, most of them open from 1 October to 5 May.

Two nights in Old Dubai

XVA Art Hotel

XVA occupies the former home of the Seddiqi family, in the heart of the historic Al Fahidi quarter, formerly Bastakiya, in Bur Dubai. Its fifteen rooms, all different, open onto shaded courtyards beneath three wind towers, the barjeel that cooled houses before air conditioning. Opened in 2003, the hotel is also a contemporary art gallery, with a craft shop and a vegetarian café open from 7 am to 10 pm local time. Rates were found from about €180 a night for a double room in March 2027, with any per-night tourism tax on top.

The Creek by day and by night

On day one, the guided tour listed in this trip covers the Al Fahidi quarter in 3 hours, crosses the Creek by abra, the wooden public boat, for 1 dirham, and leads to the spice and gold souks of Deira. It was found from about €14 per person. In the afternoon, Al Shindagha Museum tells the story of the Creek.

In the evening, the dinner cruise on a dhow, the traditional wooden boat of the Gulf, lasts two hours, from 8.30 pm to 10.30 pm, with a buffet and soft drinks; it boards at Al Seef or near the spice souk. It was found from about €45 per person.

Two nights in the desert reserve

The reserve

The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR), created in 2003 by decree of the Ruler of Dubai, covers 225 km², 4.7% of the emirate. It bills itself as the UAE's first national park. Arabian oryx, 70 in 1999, now number about 400, alongside some 300 Arabian gazelles and 100 sand gazelles; 126 bird species have been recorded. You can only go in with operators approved by the reserve, who carry its seal.

Al Maha

Al Maha is the only hotel inside the reserve, about 45 minutes by taxi from Dubai airport, off the Al Ain road. Each of its 42 villas has its own temperature-controlled private pool facing the dunes. Stays are full board and include two desert activities per person per night: a wildlife drive to see oryx and gazelles, a camel ride, falconry, archery, horse riding or a nature walk. The spa, with Sodashi treatments, has a hammam and an infinity pool. Children are accepted from age 8, according to tour operators.

Al Maha was found from about €1,880 a night for a villa in March 2027, full board and activities included, with any per-night tourism tax on top. It is the trip's most expensive item, and the reason for its shape: two nights give you four activities and two sunsets over the dunes.

As an option, a sunrise hot-air balloon flight can be booked from Dubai between October and May. Found from about €245 per person, it starts with a pick-up before dawn.

The road to Hatta

Hatta is about 1 h 30 by road from Dubai, according to the Hatta tourist office. The transfer is with a driver. The Hatta enclave borders Oman, but you stay on the Emirati side without crossing a border post.

Two nights in the Hajar Mountains

JA Hatta Fort

JA Hatta Fort bills itself as Dubai's only mountain resort. Its rooms and Terra Cabins face the Hajar Mountains; it has two temperature-controlled pools, a spa, padel courts and a small animal discovery area. Rates were found from about €355 a night for a double room in March 2027, with any per-night tourism tax on top.

What to do in Hatta

• Kayaking on the Hatta Dam lake, among the mountains, from 7 am to 9 pm local time every day; single kayaks are for ages 16 and over. Pedal boats and family boats are also available.
• Hiking: 32.6 km of waymarked trails on five colour-coded routes. Hatta Wadi Hub, 3 km from the fort roundabout, also rents mountain bikes and protective gear; its activities are booked on site.
• Hatta Heritage Village, devoted to the enclave's history, free to enter from 7.30 am to 8.30 pm.
• Hatta Honey Bee Discovery Centre, devoted to local honey, open from 9 am to 5 pm; the one-hour visit was found from about €12 per person.

Flash floods can occur in wadis, especially in winter: leave a wadi bed at the first weather warning, and do not hike in stormy weather.

On day seven, the drive back to Dubai airport takes about 1 h 30 to 2 hours.

Safety and rules

Desert outings call for reliable operators: serious accidents on dune buggies and quad bikes are frequent, and a 4x4 with a recognised operator is safer. The activities in this trip are run by Al Maha and Hatta's approved operators.

Keep an eye on the regional situation. Foreign ministries do not all give the same advice. Your country's advice:

Your country's advice is shown in the box at the top of the page.

Taking or sharing pictures of impact sites, debris or the security situation is a criminal offence. Our guide to Dubai and the regional situation has the details. The areas visited are described on our Old Dubai, desert and Hatta pages, and the desert theme gathers other ways to explore it.