Dubai Municipality completes first phase of Hatta Hiking project

Dubai Municipality has completed the first phase of the Hatta Hiking project, it announced on Saturday.

Covering 9km, the first phase of the project includes an ‘eco-friendly’ hiking trail, and links a number of monuments and tourist attractions such as the Hatta Biking track and Hatta Kayak, a statement said.

The hiking trail also passes through the Hatta Heritage Village, the three dams, Al Tala Park, and family recreation and children’s playing areas, as well as farms in the Al Sharia area, the fruit and vegetable market and the Hatta 360 project.

The first phase, named City Hiking, ends at the Hatta Dam – from where the second phase of the project will begin.

The wider project features four different hiking trails of four lanes each. The first one is a 3km flatland hiking trail, while the three others are mountain hiking trails with different levels of difficulty designed for experienced bikers, beginners and disabled people.

Omar Al Mutaiwei, head of Dubai Municipality Hatta Centre said: “The ‘Hatta Hiking’ project aims to provide visitors with new opportunities to explore the region. The hiking trail, which was designed in a way that links various tourist locations, seeks to attract more visitors to Hatta.

“The objective of such Dubai Municipality projects is to support the development of the area and highlight its historical and natural attractions to tourists.”

The hiking project is part of a Dhs1.3bn development plan to turn the mountain city of Hatta into a major tourist destination.

The overall plan was launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai in November last year.

It aims to bring winter sports facilities to the UAE, while generating more than 2,500 jobs in the process.

The 10-year plan will also see hundreds of homes for Emiratis, a cultural festival, scholarships for young people and a hydroelectric power station.

Read more: Sheikh Mohammed announces Dhs1.3bn Hatta tourism plan