“OK folks, today we are exploring Jebel Yanas”, I say as we head off from the hotel in the beautiful emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah. “Great”, my dad said, “we can have chai tea and search for the Egyptian vultures at the top”. “No dad, that’s Jebel Hafeet in Al-Ain”, I say.
“Ah right, then we can visit Puro for lunch again?”. “No dad, that’s Jebel Jais”, I say. “Today we are exploring the other jebel, the one less well known in the UAE, Jebel Yanas, so pack your walking stick, find those binoculars, jump into the Prado and off we go”.
Despite having lived in the UAE since 2006 I had not heard of Jebel Yanas until one of my friends mentioned it as being a great place to visit for some amazing mountain scenery and superb views. Despite being in the same vicinity as Jebel Jais, Jebel Yanas has its own charm and unique ability to inspire visitors.
Klook.comTo start your ascent of Jebel Yanas, head for Wadi Naqab, found here on Google Maps. There is a security check just as the road starts heading up. I am not sure what the security guard was looking for but he just opened the gate for us and we headed further up the mountain.
The road to the top of Jebel Yanas is not tarred, as it is for Jebel Jais and Jebel Hafeet. You can probably reach the top in a regular sedan car but a 4X4 is preferable. That way you will have no trouble with the large boulders along the route and will feel more comfortable, especially given the large drop-offs along the route that could pose a challenge for the faint of heart.
Making your way slowly to the top, taking your time to admire the views into the valley and over towards the coast of the Northern Emirates, you will arrive at the spot used by paragliders to launch into the air. When we visited, the site was locked and there wasn’t anyone around but perhaps over the weekend the site will be busy. Make sure to stop and take a photo with the Ruler of Ras Al-Khaimah on your way to the top.
As you wend your way to the top the road becomes increasingly more challenging but not unpassable, especially for a 4X4. Other than admire the beautiful views, there is not much to do once you reach the summit of Jebel Yanas. On the day that we visited, there was a closed gate that was blocking our access to the very top of the mountain as, unfortunately, a car had driven over the edge just a few days earlier, fortunately with no injuries.
There is no ice-cream for sale on the top of Jebel Yanas as there is at Jebel Hafeet, and there is definitely no 5-star restaurant on top like there is at Jebel Jais. But if you prefer adventuring to a new place that few people have visited in the UAE then Jebel Yanas is your next destination for your weekend off-road fun.
One thing that you could do towards the top of Jebel Yanas is some geocaching. If you have never tried geocaching then find out more details here. While there I placed my own geocache which, as of the date of writing this post, remains unfound. The cache is called ‘Jebel Yanas – Caching At The Top’, and details may be found here, once you have created your free account on the geocaching website.
As you work your way down the mountain, perhaps having congratulated yourself for finding this lovely geocache, you will spot many UAE flags along the side of the road. Stop and take some photo’s, being careful of the rocks, making sure to capture the flag with the beautiful mountain views in the background.
Despite the absence of the ice-cream store at the top or another high, 5-star restaurant, you will be left with memories and photo’s from your day spent exploring one of the highest mountains in the UAE.
Start planning your vacation to the beautiful emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah by clicking here. If you are looking for day tours and other activities around Ras Al-Khaimah then you may want to consider starting your planning here or considering one of the tours offered by Viator below.
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Booking.comOur other posts from the United Arab Emirates may be found here.
(Visited February 2022)