Are you ready to step into a fairy-tale-like land? Wadi Tayyibah – where the hills are covered by green grass, birds accompany you on the route through the lush gardens with their carefree trill and warm rays of sun drop down to the valley to warm you up in those cool evenings. You will not believe you are in the United Arab Emirates!
UNEXPECTEDLY GREEN LANDSCAPE OF WADI TAYYIBAH
I have probably been quite ignorant when it comes to the Fujairah mountains. I visited a lot of places in this region but none of them actually stole my heart. Do not get me wrong – I love the vivid nature of the United Arab Emirates so much! But for some reason, I always focused to discover places in much higher parts of the Hajar Mountains. That day that I visited Wadi Tayyibah I unexpectedly changed my mind and I think you can guess why – just look at the photos!
RUINS OF HOUSES AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS
The valley of Wadi Tayyibah starts around the village of Al Uyaynah (25.451111, 56.165750) and ends around Asimah village (25.416444, 56.167028). It is a lovely place for off-roading, camping, cycling, and hiking. The road that goes through the valley is mainly stone road, however, you can see the remaining red tarmac at times, consequently destroyed by rainwater, which used to be the main route between Dibba and Masafi years ago, known as the East Coast Road. The route is still in use, mainly by locals people to reach their farms.
Along the way, you can see ancient ‘falaj’ (the traditional system of narrow, mud-walled water channels used to irrigate fields), lush date palms gardens, and other planted trees. There is so much history here – if you decide to climb on the top of the hills you will unexpectedly find old ruins of houses and farms standing still throughout probably hundreds of years.
QUIETNESS BETWEEN THE HILLS
I assume it could be a popular trail for hiking as that day in the middle of the week I met a group of young boys backpacking. It was a time just before sunset so I guess they camped at night somewhere between the mountains.
Not to worry – if you would like to find your own peaceful and secluded place, there are a lot of small entrances on both sides of the valley of Wadi Tayyibah leading to the inside of the green hills, where the water makes its way through when it rains. Alternatively, you can climb on the top of the hill and enjoy the mesmerizing view from there. You might also be lucky to come across some natural pools or running springs as well. All of that truly gives you a feeling of a fairy-tale-like land.
HERITAGE MUSEUM AND FRIDAY MARKET
There is a heritage museum nearby (25.414694, 56.167167), so if you have the opportunity I recommend visiting it to have an insight into how local people used to live before in Wadi Tayyibah in the United Arab Emirates.
If you are planning to drive back to Dubai, it is also worth visiting the Friday Market (25.291820, 56.112499), which actually operates every day and is a very popular shopping spot in the United Arab Emirates for local people. You can buy fruit and vegetable, camping stuff and a lot of traditional things.
As precautions, I always have to mention – check the weather before your trip! As this route is in the valley it is likely to be flooded after rain. And hurry up! The valley is in full bloom only during the wintertime. Below you can check a short clip I made in Wadi Tayyibah. It is a truly magical place!
Below you can see the video from my trip to Wadi Tayybah:
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 not only make them stop eating their natural food and rely on what humans leave behind but also it may 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/2UrKZdo
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 Tayybah helpful and it gave you an idea of where to head to next weekend. If you are looking for more places to visit nearby, I recommend you to check: Masafi Mountains – Unexpected Off-Road Discovery or Al Ghail Village – Where the Mountains Meet the Desert.
