Best UAE Driving Roads and Scenic Road Trips from Dubai (2026 Guide)

1. Jebel Jais Mountain Road (Ras Al Khaimah)

Jebel Jais is the UAE’s best-known mountain road: the tarmac climbs high up the mountain’s flank, while the 1,934-meter summit itself sits just across the border in Oman. What makes the road worth the trip is the surface itself: more than 20 kilometers of smooth, well-maintained asphalt with many bends that never feel cramped. Since the road reopened in January 2026 you can no longer simply drive up. The operator asks visitors to book online, and a Viewing Deck Park ticket (AED 10 including VAT) covers anyone who just wants the views, while zipline and restaurant guests have their own booking. Arrive at the Jais Welcome Centre at least 30 minutes before your reservation time: if you are delayed, the operator’s terms say you forfeit the payment. Check the official Jais Viewing Deck Park page before you set off, because the road is closed temporarily after heavy rain or rockfalls. A steady, confident pace in a well-sorted sports car is all this road asks for.

From Dubai, take the E311 or E611 north toward Ras Al Khaimah; the mountain base is roughly 150 to 175 kilometers away, about 2 hours of driving. Fill up before the climb, because there are no fuel stations on the mountain itself.

At the top, the Jais Viewing Deck Park has seven lookout points, the restaurant 1484 by Puro serves lunch, and the Jais Flight zipline is close by for anyone who wants a break from driving. A Ferrari F8 Spider (from AED 3 710 per day) suits the smooth surface and the bends, and a Porsche 911 or a Ferrari 296 is just as at home on this stretch of tarmac.

2. Jebel Hafeet Mountain Highway (Al Ain, Abu Dhabi)

Jebel Hafeet’s road is regularly named one of the best paved mountain roads anywhere, and it is easy to see why once you are on it: 11.7 kilometers, around 60 corners, three lanes (two up, one down) and guardrails the whole way to a summit near 1,249 meters. It was cut into the limestone in 1980 and has been resurfaced since, so the tarmac is in excellent condition. Cyclists use the climb heavily in the early morning, which means a measured pace and good visibility matter more here than outright speed.

The drive from Dubai runs south on the E66 (Dubai–Al Ain Road), about 160 kilometers and about 2 hours. Green Mubazzarah, a public hot-springs park, sits at the base of the mountain, and the summit has wide views over Al Ain. The Visit Abu Dhabi page for Jebel Hafit has the latest visitor information. A Porsche 911 GT3 RS is another strong choice for the climb. For a more relaxed run over the same bends, powerful coupes like the Bentley Continental or the BMW M4 handle the sweepers with plenty of composure, and the Mercedes SL is a comfortable choice for the way back down.

3. Liwa Oasis Desert Highway (Rub’ al Khali)

The drive to Liwa is the UAE’s classic long-distance desert run: dunes on both sides of the road for the better part of four hours, with the Rub’ al Khali, the Empty Quarter, stretching south beyond the horizon. From Dubai, take the E11 south toward Abu Dhabi, then the E45 through Madinat Zayed to Liwa; the total is around 320 to 340 kilometers one way, roughly 3.5 to 4 hours. The whole route is paved, so any comfortable car with good air conditioning will do.

Fuel stations thin out past Madinat Zayed, so top up there or in Mezaira’a rather than risk running low on the final stretch. The old forts of the Liwa area are worth a short detour on the way. On a drive this long, space and comfort matter most: a Mercedes G63, a Toyota Land Cruiser or a Land Rover Defender gives you a large, comfortable cabin for the long straight run. The large SUV class suits this road. Stay on the tarmac throughout: driving onto the sand voids the rental’s insurance cover, and the paved road already puts you right among the dunes.

4. Al Qudra Desert Road & Love Lakes (Dubai)

Al Qudra is the easy version of a desert trip: no overnight bag needed, just an hour or two after work or before dinner. The road runs through the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve, about 10% of Dubai’s total area, and it is fully paved and open to any car. Arabian oryx and gazelles graze close to the road, so a lower speed through the reserve is worth it for their sake as much as for the photos. The Visit Dubai page for Al Qudra Lakes lists the lakes and facilities.

From Downtown Dubai, the drive out via Al Qudra Road takes about 40 to 50 minutes for roughly 50 to 55 kilometers. The Love Lakes viewpoint, a cycling track of about 80 kilometers (as measured by the RTA) and a handful of picnic spots make it easy to fill an evening, especially around sunset when the dunes shift from amber to deep red. In the cooler months it suits convertibles well: a Ferrari Portofino or an F8 Spider with the roof down fits the mood, and a Rolls-Royce Cullinan or a BMW 4 Series Convertible works just as well for a quieter pace. The Ferrari SF90 in the photo above is a hardtop coupe, not a convertible; it starts from AED 4 190 per day.

5. Dubai to Hatta (Hajar Mountains)

Hatta is a Dubai exclave in the Hajar Mountains, close to the Omani border. The direct E44 road runs near Omani territory around Al Madam, and Gulf News reported in 2018 that non-GCC drivers were being turned back at the checkpoint there. We cannot confirm what applies today, and Brook Drive cars may not enter Oman, so plan a route that stays inside the UAE: head north on the E311 or E611, join the E102 (Sharjah–Kalba Road) past Shawka, then turn south onto the E44 toward Hatta. Check the route on a map before you leave, and do not follow any detour toward the border. Total distance is roughly 120 to 135 kilometers, about 1.5 to 2 hours depending on the route.

The scenery shifts from flat gravel plains to rocky wadi walls as you approach Hatta Dam, where kayaks are available on the turquoise reservoir (see the Visit Dubai page for Hatta Dam). The Hatta Heritage Village and Hatta Wadi Hub, with its zipline and mountain-bike trails, round out a half-day trip. A Nissan Patrol (from AED 830 per day) is comfortable on the mountain road with room to spare, and a Jeep Wrangler, a Ford Bronco or an Audi Q8 are just as comfortable on this paved route.

6. Fujairah & East Coast Drive (Khorfakkan Road)

The Sharjah–Khorfakkan Road is the fast way to the Gulf of Oman coast. It runs 89 kilometers from Sharjah through five tunnels, the longest of them the 2.7-kilometer Al Sidra tunnel, to Khorfakkan. From Dubai, plan on roughly 120 to 140 kilometers and 1.5 to 2.5 hours, most of it on a smooth dual carriageway.

Once you are on the coast, Al Badiyah Mosque in Fujairah (dated to the 15th century and often described as the oldest in the UAE) and Snoopy Island near Al Aqah for snorkeling are the classic stops. A Dodge Challenger makes an easy, relaxed cruiser for this coastal stretch, while a luxury sedan such as the Mercedes S-Class or a Rolls-Royce Ghost trades some character for a quieter, more cushioned ride on the highway sections.

Each car has its own daily mileage limit (200 to 250 kilometers, shown on the car page), and extra kilometers are charged separately. Compare it with the round trips above. Al Qudra, at about 100 kilometers, fits any limit. The Jebel Jais, Jebel Hafeet, Hatta and Khorfakkan round trips run from 260 to 350 kilometers, which is more than one day’s limit on most cars. Liwa, at about 650 kilometers, is closer to three days’ allowance than one, so treat it as an overnight trip.

Traffic on all of these routes falls under Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024, in force since March 2025. It raised penalties for serious violations such as reckless driving and extreme speeding, with fines of up to AED 200,000 in the most serious cases and the possibility of vehicle impoundment or arrest. If a car is impounded because of a violation during the rental, the release fee and related costs are the renter’s responsibility under the rental agreement. None of the roads above call for anything close to that: every one described here is a public road built for ordinary traffic.

Radar covers all of these routes. Abu Dhabi removed its old speed buffer in August 2018, so on the roads to Jebel Hafeet and Liwa the posted limit is the limit, with no cushion above the number on the sign. Driving to the posted number rather than the camera’s threshold is the safer habit everywhere in the UAE.

Brook Drive cars are for use inside the UAE only: taking a car into Oman is not allowed. That matters on two of these routes. The summit of Jebel Jais is across the border, so stop at the viewing decks on the UAE side, and on the way to Hatta follow the route that stays inside the UAE.

Salik, Dubai’s toll system, charges automatically at gates around the city, including Sheikh Zayed Road (E11), which you take toward Abu Dhabi and Liwa. Abu Dhabi’s Darb system opened two new gates in May 2026. The Ghantoot gate, on Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Street, charges AED 4 per crossing around the clock, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Street is the official alternative. Salik and Darb tolls are billed to the renter separately after the rental ends; they are not included in the daily rate. Current tariffs and gate maps are published by Salik and Darb.

Before any long mountain or desert drive, check tyre pressure: UAE summers are hard on cooling systems between May and September. Basic insurance is included in Brook Drive’s daily rate, but any damage, even a small scrape in a car park, needs a police report before a claim can be filed. Tourists need a passport, a home-country driving licence and an International Driving Permit, and UAE residents a UAE licence and Emirates ID; the FAQ answers the common questions about documents and booking. Plan these trips between late October and April if your schedule allows: the cooler air makes every stop along the way far more enjoyable.