Dubai rewards drivers who leave the city. Within roughly two hours in any direction the towers give way to mountains, wadis and open desert, and the roads themselves are part of the attraction – well surfaced and clearly signed. These five drives cover the range, ordered from the classic to the committed. Distances are from central Dubai; check road and attraction opening status before you set off, especially in summer.
Jebel Jais: the big climb
The UAE’s highest peak rises to 1,934 metres in Ras Al Khaimah, and the road up it is a long, well-engineered climb with switchbacks, viewpoints and noticeably cooler air at the top. It is roughly two hours from Dubai, and the sensible rhythm is an early start, a slow climb with stops at the viewing platforms, and coffee at the top before the descent. Adventure attractions operate near the summit if you want to make a day of it. Fill the tank before the climb – there are no fuel stations on the mountain road itself.
Hatta: the easy first road trip
If you have never driven out of Dubai, start here. Hatta is Dubai’s own mountain exclave in the Hajar range, about ninety minutes from the city, and the drive mixes fast highway with gentle mountain curves at the end – scenic without being demanding. The payoff is Hatta Dam, where you can kayak on its calm water, plus a heritage village and cooler mountain air. It works as a half-day, but an overnight turns it into a proper break.
Jebel Hafeet: the driver’s road
Above the garden city of Al Ain stands Jebel Hafeet, Abu Dhabi’s highest peak and the UAE’s second tallest at 1,249 metres. The summit road is the draw: a ribbon of hairpins built purely for the pleasure of the climb, cited by motoring writers among the region’s great driving roads. Time it for late afternoon so the descent lines up with sunset over the desert. At the foot of the mountain, Jebel Hafit Desert Park offers hiking and 5,000-year-old tombs if you want more than the drive. Al Ain is roughly ninety minutes from Dubai, so this pairs well with the city’s forts and oasis.
Liwa: the desert commitment
South of Abu Dhabi, where the road runs out of farms and into the Empty Quarter, lies Liwa. This is the long one – the best part of three hours each way from Dubai – and the reward is the Empty Quarter itself: dunes running to the horizon. The drive itself is fast, straight desert highway, which is its own kind of theatre. Treat it with respect: fuel up whenever you can, carry more water than you think you need, and stay on the paved roads unless you have proper off-road equipment and company.
Al Qudra: the weeknight escape
Not every drive needs a day. South of the city, the Al Qudra area offers desert within thirty to forty minutes of the Marina – home to a well-known cycling track and the Al Marmoom desert reserve, which is known for its oryx, and equally good for an evening drive when the light goes gold. It is the answer to “we have two free hours and want out of town”.
Choosing the right car for the road
Match the car to the drive. Mountain roads reward strong brakes and an engine that pulls happily uphill; desert highways reward comfort, range and good air conditioning more than drama. If you are renting, choose a company that publishes its full fleet openly so you can pick the right tool before you land – operators like Billionaire Luxury Car Rental list their range online, which makes it easy to match a car to the route you actually plan to drive rather than whatever happens to be at the counter.
Notes that apply to all five
A few habits cover every drive on this list. Start with a full tank and top up before mountain or desert legs, because stations thin out quickly once you leave the city. Carry water even in winter. Summer midday heat makes outdoor stops short and unpleasant, so in the hot months leave early or aim for late afternoon. Tolls apply on some Dubai routes and are charged automatically – your rental company will bill them back to you later. And on the remote legs, tell someone where you are going; the roads are excellent, but the desert is still the desert.
About the author
The team at Billionaire Luxury Car Rental, a rental company based in Dubai. We spend our days helping visitors and residents get on the road, and we write about the practical side of driving in the Emirates – from rental norms and toll systems to the roads worth the fuel. This article was prepared with AI assistance and checked against official tourism sources.
