Hatta day trip from Dubai: getting there, things to do, hours

Hatta, Dubai's mountain enclave near the border with Oman, is about 90 minutes from the city by car and makes an easy day out from October, when the season starts. This guide is built from Visit Hatta, the official site run by Dubai Holding.

Getting there

By bus: the RTA's Hatta Express (route H02) runs from Dubai Mall to Hatta Main Bus Station in about 1.5 hours, and the fare is AED 25, paid with a nol card. From the bus station, the H204 hop-on hop-off bus stops at Hatta's main sights. Visit Hatta suggests the RTA's S'hail app for times.

By car: allow about 90 minutes from Dubai and about 2.5 hours from Abu Dhabi. Visit Hatta says the route through Sharjah and Kalba on the E102 is usually the quickest.

Hatta Wadi Hub

The hub is the base for most activities, 3 km from the main Hatta Fort roundabout. Visit Hatta says most activities are open from 1 October to 5 May. Its FAQ gives the hub's season hours as 8am to 7pm daily, and another answer on the same page says 9am to 7pm, so plan on the later start. Activities can only be booked on site, most are for ages 6 and over, and some of the more thrilling ones are for ages 16 and over. Bikes and protective gear can be rented at the hub; hiking gear cannot. Barbecue huts can be rented, and three food trucks are on site.

Activities run by Go Gravity (gel ball, tube sliding, zorbing, a 16-level trampoline climb, mountain e-scooters and a 4x4 rover) are listed from 3pm to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 8pm at the weekend, phone +971 50 760 0278. When we checked on 15 October 2026, the Hatta Outdoor activities (ziplines, rope course, archery, axe throwing, the Drop In slides and the climbing wall) were still marked "closed for the season", awaiting Season 9. Call +971 50 136 0085 before you go.

Hatta Dam and kayaks

Hatta Kayak on Hatta Dam is open daily from 7am to 9pm, with kayaks, water bikes, the yellow boat, donut boats, tour boats and a VIP boat. A single kayak is for one adult aged 16 or over, up to 110 kg; a double takes two adults and one child aged 2 to 4. A single water bike is for one adult aged 16 or over, up to 75 kg. Visit Hatta does not publish prices; book on +971 56 616 2111.

Hiking and biking

The Hatta trails cover 32.6 km over five routes, colour coded by difficulty, for walkers and mountain bikers. Visit Hatta asks hikers to tell someone their route, carry a trail map, charge their phone, match the colour of the trail to their fitness, follow the signs and take rubbish home.

Free and low-cost sights

Hatta Heritage Village, a restored mountain village of more than 30 buildings, is free to enter and open from 7:30am to 8:30pm Saturday to Thursday, and 2:30pm to 8:30pm on Friday. The Hatta Watchtower (built in 1880), the Hatta Sign on the summit, the old falaj water channel behind the Heritage Village, Swan Lake and Hatta Hill Park are listed as open around the clock. The Hatta Honey Bee Discovery Centre opens from 9am to 5pm. On Swan Lake, a swan-shaped pedal boat costs AED 60 for 15 minutes and seats up to two adults and two children; anyone 16 or under must be with an adult.

Good to know

Rain closes activities for a while for safety; hiking, biking and kayaking stay open in the rain at your own risk. Pets are allowed outside the Wadi Hub venue but not in the Hatta resorts; dogs may go kayaking if they wear a life vest and stay in the kayak. The Wadi Hub can be reached by wheelchair and by pushchair. Wi-Fi is free at the hub but can be slow in the mountains. For a night, Visit Hatta lists Damani Lodges, caravans, domes, a campsite and JA Hatta Fort Hotel; bookings on +971 4 852 2200. Hours and prices can change, so check before a long drive.