The popular Wadi Shah.
Elevation: 600m
Time: 10:30 Hrs
Distance: 16,5 km loop
Cellular and data services: Unavailable most of the time
A revisit to our first
ever hike in UAE.
This is the first hike we did in UAE a few years ago. We came back this year to do it again, to find the Hidden Oasis, and spend the night at the top. Few years ago we did the hike in one day, which resulted in such a rush, that there was not enough daylight to properly see the second half of it as we almost ran down to finish it before dusk, we didn’t see the Hidden Oasis and we cut probably the best part the Donkey path. This time we decided to do it the right way, the no rush.
Wadi Shah is probably the one of the most popular hikes in UAE and it’s the only one where we met other people. However we were the only ones camping at the top, just us and nature. The surroundings are astonishingly green and alive with sounds of birds and grasshoppers after the winter season.
The beginning of the hike is quite flat, but does involve some bouldering. The valley changed quite a bit from the last time we paid it a visit, the severe rains back in 2018 reshaped the landscape with additional gravel and larger boulders. Halfway to the top you’ll see the most iconic part of the wadi - the dry bedrock river. Short climb from it, an abandon oasis, perfect place to recover before making the last bit of the ascent.
Camping.
If you’re planning on camping, there are loads of options as the hillside is riddled with abandoned farm terraces. They are completely level and have a very even surface (dried mud). We thought that we chose the top-most terrace, however in the morning we saw an additional terraces that sits nearly at the peak with even better views.
The donkey path &
secret oasis.
From the top you will see a farm and a path leading to it, follow the path, when you reach the farm you have a choice to do a rock climbing descent or follow the farm’s donkey path on the right. To see the hidden oasis you need to follow the donkey path. Going along the donkey path adds several kilometers, but it’s a much prettier route. It also gave us some food for thought as to how the donkeys are able to traverse this hard and punishing terrain.
Easy way down.
It’s a long easy walk down, with scenic views of Jebel Jais and the road winding up it’s slope.
Best time to enjoy this specific route - spring as the valley takes on a completely different look. Check the weather forecasts though, as rain in this region can be very heavy and show up with no notice which can result in flash floods.
The End.
As the temperatures already rose up to 38C during daytime, we are calling it an end to a fairly successful hiking season, albeit somewhat short. The take-away however would be the realisation that UAE is not all desert and cities, it’s so much more than that.