We spend a night under the stars at the Jebel Hafit Desert Park.
The Jebel Hafit Desert Park situated along the base of the Jebel Hafit Mountain in Al Ain offers a fantastic range of camping options along with a huge variety of activities and interesting things to see making it the perfect destination for a family trip.
Lots has been written about this place but nobody seems to have actually visited and tried the facilities so The Experience Team headed out to Al Ain last week to experience and write about this place in detail.
The Location
The Jebel Hafit Desert Park sits at the base of the Jebel Hafit Mountain Range and is about a 2 hour drive form Dubai or Abu Dhabi in the Mezyad District of AL Ain.
A well looked after track takes you to the reception where the check in formalities are completed and you are then escorted to your chosen campsite.
There is a lovely little observation point by the reception area that offers stunning views of the landscape form a high vantage point.
The Facilities
The park offers four types of camping options ranging form luxury tents, bubble domes, Bedouin tents and also a self camping option basically catering to any taste and budget.
All the different options are in clusters located in idyllic locations along the base of the mountain offering excellent privacy.
The Luxury tents and Bubble domes come with breakfast included but for the other options you have to get your own or order form this lovely little food truck onsite. They have an excellent menu and also provide ready to grill meats in case you forgot your BBQ stuff.
Luxury Dome Tents
As the name suggests these are tents are the epitome of luxury and give new meaning to the word glamping.
These air conditioned tents have a full size bed with all the amenities you would expect for a star hotel with a full attached bathroom and shower.
Outside the tent you have your own deck, a dedicated fire pit and comfortable rocking chairs to relax in and enjoy the stunning vistas, a telescope adds the extra mystique of viewing the stars at night.
These tents are priced at AED 1,200 a night and can accommodate two persons in decadent luxury. Breakfast is included form the food truck that can be served in the tent or at the dining area by the truck.
Bubble Tents
As the name suggests these are huge bubbles rather than tents that are set on a wooden platform with a retractable cloth awning as cover that can be rolled aside so you can lie in bed and gaze at the stars.
The interiors are well appointed with a full size bed and shower along with a neat little seating area, the top of the bubbles are clear so you get stunning views of the mountains and the night sky.
Outside you have a private BBQ area with chairs and firepit for a nice little log fire to keep you warm as it gets quiet cold at night.
The Bubble Tents are priced at AED 1,600 for twin occupancy and breakfast is included. You order for the food truck and it will be delivered to the tent.
Traditional Tents
Situated in a little valley near a dry river bed are a cluster of ten traditional Bedouin style tents with a set of shared bathroom facilities.
The tents are huge and the inside is fully carpeted with traditional majlis style seating all around that can be converted to a comfortable bed at night.
Outside the tent there is a neat seating area with chairs and tables around a fire pit that doubles as a BBQ.
The cliffs around the campsite offer excellent hiking and climbing trails and the views are stunning.
The traditional tents are priced at AED 400 a night and can accommodate four persons in comfort. This is a self catering plan so be sure to carry your food and drinks or you can order form the food truck.
Public Campsite
In an area on the other side of the traditional tents is a self camping location, visitors can pitch their own tents in this area that has bathrooms and fire pits installed so you can just bring your tent and food and have a fantastic time.
The public campsite is priced at AED 250 a night per family or per car.
Things to do
There are a range of activities available at the park that include camel rides, bird watching, bike and ATV rentals, horse riding and hiking.
The park offers guided hiking and buggy tours with a knowledgeable guide who will show you all the interesting things and give you the background on them.
Beehive Tombs
The beehive tombs are one of the main attractions at the park, a set of seven beehive tombs have been excavated and restored at the request of the Late Sheikh Zayed and these offer an interesting glimpse into the past of this region.
Some of the tombs are incomplete and behind them you can see a huge hole in the mountain where the rock for the tombs was quarried form.
Also of interest is an archeological dig that is in this area and at the far end of the park is another set of tombs but these are unrestored and look like plies of rock to the untrained eye.
The Verdict
We are happy to say that the Jebel Hafit Desert Park was an amazing place to visit and stay. The area is just magical with stunning vistas and clean fresh air.
The camping facilities are excellent and they have thought of everything even providing charging points and bathrooms across the park for guests to use.
The staff is super polite and discreet and the cleanliness of the place is beyond reproach.
The pricing is quiet decent and with the great weather in Al Ain this is a very popular place to visit.
Bookings are essential and you can click here to check availability and make your bookings.