The best things to do in Hatta fit into one day if you start early: leave Dubai by 6:30am, kayak on Hatta Dam at 8am while the water is calm, then spend the day between Hatta Wadi Hub, the Hatta Sustainable Waterfalls and the free Heritage Village before a sunset viewpoint. Hatta is Dubai’s mountain enclave in the Hajar mountains, about 130 km and 90 minutes by car from the city. A full day costs from nothing, if you hike and visit the heritage sites, to about AED 250 a person with kayaking and a couple of activities.
At a glance
- Drive
- About 90 minutes from Dubai via the E44
- Leave by
- 6:30am, to kayak before the heat and the crowds
- Must do
- Kayak on Hatta Dam, the waterfalls, the Heritage Village
- Free
- Heritage Village, hiking and bike trails, dam viewpoints, Hatta Hill Park
- Budget
- AED 0 to about AED 250 per person, plus fuel
- Best months
- October to April
Last verified: 12 October 2026. Hatta Resorts and Wadi Hub opened Season 9 on 28 September 2026.
On this page
- The timed full-day plan
- 1. Kayak on Hatta Dam
- 2. Hatta Wadi Hub
- 3. Hike or bike the trails
- 4. Hatta Sustainable Waterfalls
- 5. Hatta Heritage Village
- 6. Hatta Honeybee Garden and Discovery Centre
- 7. Sunset viewpoints
- Where to eat in Hatta
- Staying overnight
- Three ways to plan your day
- Seasonal events
- Getting there
- Things to do in Hatta FAQs
The timed full-day plan
| Time | Stop | How long | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:30am | Leave Dubai on the E44 | 90 minutes | Fuel |
| 8:00am | Kayak on Hatta Dam | 60 to 90 minutes | About AED 60 single, AED 120 to 150 double |
| 9:45am | Breakfast at Hatta Wild Café at the Wadi Hub | 45 minutes | About AED 40 to 60 |
| 10:30am | Hatta Wadi Hub: Drop In, zipline, archery or a bike loop | 90 minutes | AED 30 to AED 110 per activity |
| 12:30pm | Hatta Sustainable Waterfalls: lunch and the mosaic | 75 minutes | Price of lunch |
| 2:00pm | Hatta Heritage Village | 60 minutes | Free |
| 3:15pm | Hatta Honeybee Garden and Discovery Centre | 60 minutes; last entry 4pm | AED 50 |
| 4:45pm | Hatta Hill Park or the Hatta sign viewpoint for sunset | 45 to 60 minutes | Free |
| 6:15pm | Drive back to Dubai | 90 minutes |
Sunset in Hatta is around 6pm in October, 5:30pm in December and about 6:30pm by April, so slide the afternoon stops to match. In summer, swap the order: kayak at 7am, do the indoor and shaded stops by midday, and come back for the viewpoints only after 5pm.
Do not drive into Oman. Hatta borders Oman, and some well-known rock pools nearby are on the Omani side. Crossing needs a valid passport and the right entry permissions for your nationality, and the roads are not always signed as a border. Everything in this plan is on the UAE side.
1. Kayak on Hatta Dam
The turquoise reservoir behind Hatta Dam, ringed by bare Hajar mountains, is the image that made Hatta famous. Hatta Kayak rents boats on the water from 7am:
- Single kayak: about AED 60, adults 16 and over, up to 110 kg.
- Double kayak: about AED 120 to AED 150, for two adults and a small child aged 2 to 4.
- Pedal boats, water bikes and donut boats: for families and groups, priced at the jetty.
Before 9am the water is glassy and the jetty queue short. By late morning on weekends you may wait 30 minutes or more. Life jackets are provided and compulsory. Prefer to stay dry? Walk up to the dam wall for the classic view; it is free.
2. Hatta Wadi Hub
The Wadi Hub is Hatta’s adventure base, with no entry fee and free parking: you pay per activity. Highlights are the Drop In water slides (AED 90 for an hour), the 350-metre twin zipline (AED 110), archery and wall climbing (from AED 30 for children), axe throwing (AED 50), zorbing and a tube slide down the hillside. Our Hatta Wadi Hub price guide lists every activity with its age, height and weight limits.
3. Hike or bike the trails
Hatta has the UAE’s longest mountain bike network, around 50 km of trail, and about 40 km of waymarked hiking routes, all graded green, blue, red and black and free to use. Bikes can be hired at the Wadi Hub from about AED 65 an hour. On a hiking day, replace the Wadi Hub stop with a green or blue loop from the Hub, starting no later than 7:30am outside winter. See our Hatta hiking trails guide for routes by length and grade.
4. Hatta Sustainable Waterfalls
The newest landmark in Hatta, the AED 60 million Hatta Sustainable Waterfalls, was inaugurated by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in December 2024. Water cascades down the slope of the upper dam built for DEWA’s pumped-storage hydroelectric project, then is collected and pumped back to the top. Around it are a giant mosaic mural recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest, shaded oases, and restaurants, cafés and shops in hexagonal, beehive-inspired buildings. It makes the easiest lunch stop of the day.
5. Hatta Heritage Village
Dubai Municipality’s restored mountain village shows how Emirati families lived in Hatta before oil: stone and mud houses with their original furnishings, two old watchtowers, a fort, a reconstructed souq and the falaj channels that still carry water to the date palms. Entry is free, with no booking or timed slots. Dubai Municipality lists it as open from 7:30am to 8:30pm, though hours can change on Fridays and public holidays. Allow an hour, and climb to the watchtower for the view over the valley. Our Hatta Heritage Village guide has more on its history.
6. Hatta Honeybee Garden and Discovery Centre
Hatta’s mountain honey, especially sidr honey, is prized across the UAE. At the Honeybee Garden you tour the gardens and hives with a guide, learn how local beekeepers work, and taste honey at the end. Entry is about AED 50 for an hour-long tour; it opens 9am to 5pm with last entry at 4pm, and children from 3 can join. Buy honey here or at the town’s honey shops rather than at the roadside.
7. Sunset viewpoints
- Hatta Hill Park: a landscaped hilltop park in the town with walking trails, shaded picnic and barbecue spots, a playground, a small amphitheatre and wide views. Free.
- The Hatta sign: a short, steep climb to the giant HATTA letters above the valley, one of the most photographed spots in the enclave. Wear shoes with grip and go down before dark.
- Leem Lake Park: a calmer lakeside park with a water play zone and kayaking run by Hatta Flow until 7pm.
- Al Wadi Park: a free, landscaped park in the town with picnic lawns and walking paths, good for a rest with children.
Where to eat in Hatta
| Place | Good for | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Hatta Wild Café, Wadi Hub | Early breakfast and coffee before activities | From 6am daily |
| Hatta Sustainable Waterfalls | Lunch with a view, several cafés and restaurants | Daytime and evening |
| Hatta Concept Farm Café | Farm-to-table food in a garden setting | From 8am |
| JA Hatta Fort Hotel restaurants | A sit-down lunch or dinner with mountain views | Hotel hours |
| Grills and cafeterias in Hatta town | Quick, cheap shawarma, grills and fresh juice | Most of the day |
Staying overnight
An overnight stay lets you kayak at sunrise and stargaze in clear mountain air. Hatta Resorts, run by Dubai Holding, has most of the options, booked through Visit Hatta:
| Stay | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Damani Lodges | Wooden mountain lodges with terraces; two Premier Lodges now have plunge pools | Couples and families who want comfort |
| Sedr Trailers | Restored vintage-style trailers, plus the new 1958 Coach and Route 1948 heritage trailers | A quirky night for two, or two adults and a child |
| Hatta Dome Park | Glamping domes on the hillside | Stargazing and groups of friends |
| Hatta Caravan Park | Serviced pitches with your own caravan, or caravans to stay in | Road-trippers |
| Caravan Hatta by Our Habitas | A design-led caravan camp, opening later in the 2026-27 season | Boutique glamping |
| JA Hatta Fort Hotel | The established mountain hotel with gardens, pools and villas | Families who want a classic resort |
Weekend and public holiday nights from November to March sell out first, and rates rise sharply at those times; midweek is noticeably cheaper.
Three ways to plan your day
- Adventure day: sunrise bike ride, Drop In and twin zipline, kayak in the late afternoon when the wind drops, sunset at the Hatta sign.
- Family day: pedal boat on the dam, swan boats and pony rides at the Wadi Hub, lunch at the waterfalls, Heritage Village and the honeybee garden.
- Free day: the dam wall viewpoint, a green hiking loop, the Heritage Village, Hatta Hill Park and a picnic, for the cost of fuel and food.
Seasonal events
From December, Hatta hosts its winter festival season. In 2025, Brand Dubai’s #HattaWinter programme ran six festivals from 5 December to 31 January, with the Hatta Festival at Leem Lake from 5 to 28 December, alongside heritage, food and honey events. The 2026-27 dates are usually announced in late November; our What’s on page tracks them.
Getting there
Drive from Dubai on the E44, about 130 km and 90 minutes; from Abu Dhabi allow about two and a half hours. Fill up before leaving the city, keep water in the car, and expect slower traffic on Friday and Saturday mornings in winter. Inside Hatta, Hatta Dam Road links the town centre with the dam, the Wadi Hub and the resorts. Parking at Hatta Dam, the Wadi Hub, the Heritage Village and the waterfalls is free.
- Hiking in the UAE: every trail by level and season.
- Hatta Wadi Hub prices: every activity with age and weight limits.
- Hatta hiking trails: routes by grade and length.
- Day trips from Dubai: mountains, east coast and desert by drive time.
- Camping in the UAE: where to pitch a tent this winter.
Things to do in Hatta FAQs
How far is Hatta from Dubai?
Hatta is about 130 km from Dubai, around 90 minutes by car via the E44. From Abu Dhabi it is about two and a half hours.
What is there to do in Hatta for free?
The Hatta Heritage Village, the dam viewpoint, Hatta Hill Park, the Hatta sign viewpoint and about 40 km of hiking trails and 50 km of bike trails are all free.
How much is kayaking in Hatta?
A single kayak on Hatta Dam costs about AED 60 and a double about AED 120 to AED 150. Single kayaks are for adults aged 16 and over.
Is one day enough for Hatta?
Yes, if you leave Dubai by 6:30am. A day covers the dam, the Wadi Hub, the waterfalls, the Heritage Village and a sunset viewpoint; stay overnight to add a sunrise hike or ride.
When is the best time to visit Hatta?
October to April, when days are warm rather than hot. Arrive early in the morning all year round, as the dam and trails are best before 10am.
Do you need a passport to go to Hatta?
Not for Hatta itself, which is part of Dubai. You only need a passport and the right entry permissions if you cross into Oman, which this plan avoids.
Where can you stay in Hatta?
Hatta Resorts runs Damani Lodges, Sedr Trailers, Hatta Dome Park and Hatta Caravan Park, and the JA Hatta Fort Hotel is the established resort in town.