Wadi Kub attracts lovers of wilderness, especially during times of rain. Waterfalls flow from the slopes of the mountains, and flowers bloom on its gravel carpet, making it one of the most unique mountainous areas in the region. The diverse topography of Wadi Kub, pristine beauty of nature, large Sidr trees, that are more than one hundred years old, and mountains of different colors swirled together will truly reward visitors with mesmerizing views.
Fortunately, many dirt mountain roads in the United Arab Emirates are well paved and can take you to unusual and exotic places of lush vegetation. This perfectly describes Wadi Kub, which you can explore with a regular sedan car. Some parts of the route would require a car with good clearance, or perhaps 4×4, that will allow you to find remote and hidden spots perfect for camping or hiking.
If you have ever driven through Gragrah-Ghub road, you might have noticed an exit sign stating “Wadi Kub” (25.498725, 56.069059). To me, it was bluntly obvious and each time I would be passing by I was tempted to divert from the main road and explore that area. There is already one place in the UAE called Wadi Kub. It is an extension of Wadi Naqab and can only be reached by hiking for hours through the canyon of Ras Al Khaimah mountains.
The name is of no coincidence. “Kub” means “cups” in Arabic – the valley has many natural cavities carved in the rocks by the water that occasionally floods the mountains during rainfalls. But when it comes to Wadi Kub, once inhabited by Mazari tribe, that is the topic of this article – we might only speculate on the origin of its name. I suppose the name “Colorful Valley” would be much better suited here. Let me tell you why!
GEOLOGICAL MARVEL – COLORFUL VALLEY
The mountains rise, the flood rivers carry debris and mud from high above carving valleys – local “wadis”. Although the mountains in Wadi Kub we see today are just the skeleton of the Hajar Mountains that rose above the earth in all their glory millions of years ago, they still are truly a geological marvel. At first glance, it looks like a skillful painter carefully applied a palette of colors to the mountain canvas.
This harmonious blend of shades has settled amongst each other with brown, red, and green shining in their own right. Green particularly shimmers like a kaleidoscope in the rays of the sun creating a spectacular metallic shade (25.490744, 56.103079 and 25.488450, 56.107561).
MEANDERING MOUNTAIN ROADS
The Wadi Kub trail starts at the side of tarmac road (25.496570, 56.098545). After a few minutes of driving through a plain area, you will enter the road that after the turn seems to disappear behind the mountains (25.491347, 56.102787). The first section of Wadi Kub during the afternoon is in shade. Going ahead you will face a few crossroads – all of them lead to hidden areas between the mountains with dead ends. Perhaps, it is worth discovering further by foot.
Wadi Kub is a perfect location to start your off-roading journey if you are not familiar with off-roading yet or do not have an off-road car. The trail does not require any special skills, yet, it is really rewarding in terms of its beauty. There are plenty of small roads meandering between the mountains waiting for a fearless adventurer like you to explore them!
And if you would like to see stunning drone footage of Wadi Kub, I encourage you to see my video:
REMEMBER:
- Do not leave any garbage behind, including food. Even organic waste can take months to biodegrade and meanwhile it will attract animals. It may make them stop eating their natural food and rely on what humans leave behind and make them sick.
- Have always a bag ready to collect trash left behind by other inconsiderate people – in the end, you are saving nature.
- Hike or camp over gravel and rocks. In some areas, the vegetation can take years to grow back.
- Leave natural and historical items where you find them.
- Minimize cooking over a campfire, use the stove instead – it is less impact on the wilderness.
UAE OFF-ROADER GUIDE
If you are looking for more off-road trails to discover around the United Arab Emirates, I can recommend this ultimate guide that is packed with many routes, giving very detailed information and answering all questions you could have about off-roading in the UAE.
You can get it from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3eQMBbr
FIELD GUIDE TO EMIRATES
To learn more about UAE’s natural & archaeological treasures, check: https://www.fieldguidetoemirates.com
I hope you found this article about Wadi Kub off-road trail helpful and it gave you an idea of where to head to next weekend. If you are looking for more off-road trails in the UAE, I recommend you to check: Top 5 Off-Road Mountain Trails in the UAE and Do You Have Nerves of Steel? Try Esfini Off-road Trail!
