Mountains of the UAE: Jebel Jais, Jebel Hafeet and the Hajar range

The UAE is not only sand and sea: it has mountains and high peaks, the highest being Jebel Jais. In the east run the Hajar mountains, which cover most of Fujairah and pass through Hatta.

Jebel Jais: the roof of the UAE

Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah is the highest peak in the UAE, at 1,934 metres. It is home to the world's longest zipline, according to Guinness World Records.^[1][2]

Jebel Hafeet: Al Ain's mountain

Jebel Hafeet is the second-highest peak in the UAE and the highest in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, at 1,240 metres.^[3]

The mountain matters for history too: on its slopes are tombs about 5,000 years old, built of local stone with a single chamber, which mark the start of the Bronze Age in the UAE. A Danish expedition excavated them in 1959.^[4]

The Hajar mountains in Fujairah

The Government of Fujairah describes the emirate as mostly mountainous, covered by the Hajar range. Fujairah is the only emirate lying entirely on the east coast, on the Gulf of Oman, with a coastline of about 70 kilometres from Fujairah city to Dibba. The Hajar mountains give it a milder climate, and they water Fujairah with their rain.^[5][6]

Hatta: Dubai's mountains

The mountain area of Hatta belongs to Dubai. It is a town in the Hajar mountains, about 130 kilometres south-east of Dubai city. It has more than 50 kilometres of mountain-bike trails, and the highest peak in the emirate of Dubai, «Um Al Nusour», which a planned 5.4-kilometre cable car will reach from Hatta Dam.^[7][8]

And in Kalba

On the east coast, in Kalba, the Al Hefaiyah Mountain Conservation Centre covers 12 square kilometres and is home to local mountain and desert animals.^[9]