After pickup from your Dubai hotel, travel by air-conditioned coach to Al Ain, the second-largest city in the UAE’s Abu Dhabi emirate.
Cradled by the Hajar Mountains on the UAE-Oman border and dubbed the ‘Garden City’ for its greenery, Al Ain was the birthplace of the UAE’s founder father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and the site of the Middle East’s first Bedouin settlements.
Admire the palm-lined boulevards leading into the city, and visit Hili Archaeological Park, home to some Bronze Age ruins. Explore the mud-brick house and tombs, and view artifacts discovered here at the museum.
Take photos at an oasis and Al Ain Zoo, and after lunch (own expense), explore Al Jahili Fort, one of the UAE’s prettiest buildings. See the towers and ramparts as you hear how this 1891 fort served to protect the city’s palm groves and as a summer base of the ruling family.
Next, pass by the camel market and visit the hot springs beneath the Hajar Mountains. Paddle in the warm waters before driving up Jebel Hafeet, the UAE’s highest peak, looming over Al Ain.
Take photos at the summit before finishing with a hotel drop-off in Dubai.
