Detour #06: Jebel Hafeet Street, UAE
Rising abruptly out of the desert the monolith of Jebel Hafeet is a daunting mass of rock. An uninviting interruption to the horizon bordering the United Arab Emirates and Oman. But find your way off the highway to Jebel Al Hafeet Street and you will discover a driver’s oasis.
If you - and your car - can handle the heat then this is one the best drivers’ roads on the planet. Originally built to serve a summer palace and subsequently a fancy Mercure Grand hotel, few have any reason to visit, except for the thrill of the drive.
The road has two lanes for the ascent and one for the descent, all seemingly surfaced by the same asphalters that laid the Yas Marina Grand Prix circuit. This road is smooth. From base to summit is barely seven miles but with around 60 direction changes from fast kinks to cambered hairpins it could well be the ten-minute drive of your life.
At the peak you’ll find a car park, with evidence in burnt rubber that you’re not the only petrolhead to make this pilgrimage. Go early in the morning for the sunrise, or at night when the cooler air will make life easier for man and machine. The entire road is spectacularly lit so you can keep driving up and down until dawn if you wish. And, trust us, you will.
Words Nik Berg Twitter | Instagram
Photography Tom Salt @seesaltwork
Roadbook
Class: Mountain pass, desert
Name: Jebel Hafeet, Street
Route: Al Ain to the top of Jebel Hafeet
Country: UAE
Distance: 7 miles