Jebel Yanas

Access is via the Wadi Naqab road out of Ras Al Khaimah city — the same route used for the Wadi Naqab hike, roughly two hours' drive from Dubai and around 40 minutes from RAK city, before the road climbs. A guarded checkpoint sits where the ascent begins; visitors are waved through without a fee or paperwork. From there it's an unpaved mountain track, steep and loose in sections with real drop-offs, so a 4x4 or other high-clearance vehicle is strongly preferred over a regular car. There's no fuel or shop on the mountain itself, so fill up and stock up in Ras Al Khaimah city beforehand. There's no public transport up here — this is a self-drive or organised 4x4 tour only.

Winter is the season here, when temperatures are manageable and, by spring, the surrounding slopes turn green with flowering plants and grass after the rains. Even in the cooler months, avoid hiking or driving the exposed ridge around midday — the trail sits directly in the sun and heat exhaustion is a real risk. Sunset is the classic time to be on the ridge, when the light turns the rock warm colours before the mountain sky goes properly dark for stargazing or an overnight camp. Check the forecast before you go: this is some of the wettest ground in the UAE when storms roll through.

The main draw is the drive itself and the long summit ridge it leads to, with viewpoints back down into Wadi Naqab and out over a pale, eroded landscape toward the coast and, on a clear day, Oman's mountains beyond. Several short trails branch off along the ridge, and walking here is comparatively easy once you've made the climb — most of the effort is in the road, not the footpath. At the top, the ruins of an old stone-built settlement are worth a look on foot, a real piece of mountain history rather than a modern viewpoint. Flat ground along the ridge makes for popular sunset camping. There's nothing to buy up here, so bring everything with you.

The road up is the main hazard: unpaved, steep, with loose surfaces and stretches with genuine drop-offs, and at least one recent account near the summit noted a vehicle had gone over the edge close to where a safety gate was later closed. Take the climb slowly, in a suitable vehicle, and don't push on in poor visibility or after rain, when the surface can wash out. Once on the ridge, exposure and heat are the concerns — avoid midday hiking even in winter, carry more water than you think you need, and wear proper footwear and sun protection. This area also sees some of the heaviest rainfall in the UAE during winter storms, which feeds flash flooding in Wadi Naqab directly below, so check the forecast before committing to the drive.

Near the summit stand the remains of an old stone-built settlement, with some structures still visible on the mountaintop today. It's a genuine piece of mountain history rather than a modern lookout, and worth the walk on foot once you've made the drive up.

Etiquette. The old stone structures at the summit are a heritage site, not a ruin to climb on or take from — look, photograph, and leave everything as you found it.