Wadi Wurayah is one of the most spectacular wadis in the UAE, a deep gorge cut through the Hajar Mountains that ends in a series of freshwater pools and a seasonal waterfall. The UAE's first designated mountain national park, it protects a genuinely wild landscape of granite cliffs, acacia woodland, and spring-fed pools that harbour species — freshwater crabs, Blanford's fox, caracals, Arabian leopards — found nowhere else in the country.
The walk into the wadi from the car park takes about 30 minutes over rocky terrain and requires proper footwear. The main pool at the end of the accessible section is large enough for a swim and surrounded by date palms and flowering shrubs — one of the most incongruously lush scenes in a country that is mostly desert. Early morning is best for wildlife spotting; the cats are nocturnal and rarely seen, but the birds — bulbuls, kingfishers, sunbirds — are active at dawn.
A permit is required to enter Wadi Wurayah National Park. Apply through the Fujairah Environment Authority before visiting. The wadi is about 25 kilometres northwest of Fujairah city on the road toward Masafi.