Mountain biking is one of the most popular activities at Hatta Wadi Hub. Leslie Pableo for The National
Mountain biking is one of the most popular activities at Hatta Wadi Hub. Leslie Pableo for The National
Mountain biking is one of the most popular activities at Hatta Wadi Hub. Leslie Pableo for The National
Mountain biking is one of the most popular activities at Hatta Wadi Hub. Leslie Pableo for The National

Visitors to Hatta Wadi Hub's mountain trails can now rent bikes and take guided tours


Sophie Prideaux
  • English
  • Arabic

Visitors to Hatta Wadi Hub are now able to rent bikes again and take guided tours of the area's mountain trails.

The facilities reopened to the public at the weekend after being closed for more than three months because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It means visitors to the Dubai enclave can either bring their own bike to make use of the area’s extensive trails, or rent one there and take a guided tour.

Hatta is one of the best spots in the country for exploring on two wheels. The Hatta MTB Centre developed about 50 kilometres of biking trails, creating a network of various terrains and distances.

The trails are colour coded to reflect their difficulty, so beginners can start with the easy options marked in green, while experts will want to tackle the black routes. Riding is free if you bring your own bike and the trail centre is open 24 hours a day with free parking, so you can easily leave your car.

If you want to hire a bike, or get some expert instruction, the team at Hatta Wadi Hub can help you out.

Hatta is about 130km south-east of Dubai, high in the Hajjar Mountains. Formerly part of Oman, the town was given to Dubai around 1850 when the Omanis realised that they were no longer able to defend it against Buraimi tribes.

These days, it's a popular spot for Dubai families to escape to in summer, thanks to its cooler temperatures.

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Where to donate in the UAE

The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.

Gulf for Good

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.

Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

MATCH INFO

Sheffield United 0 Wolves 2 (Jimenez 3', Saiss 6)

Man of the Match Romain Saiss (Wolves)

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5