The road less travelled

Talk of the town: Top Gear magazine featured a shoot on the famous road, and UK TV show, 'Fifth Gear', dedicated a whole segment to it.

For biking and driving enthusiasts, the 11.7 km stretch of road that winds through the Jebel Hafeet Mountain range is the stuff of fantasy (or car commercials). The mountain itself is the second tallest in the UAE—at various points the road rises to a steep 1,200 m—and there are 21 corners to challenge the gears.

Jebel Hafeet is set in the neighbouring emirate of Al Ain, and is a two-hour drive from the city centre. While the view from the top is pretty, there’s little else up there to inspire non-road junkies to visit.