The 7 Best Driving Roads in Dubai & the UAE
Published 1 February 2026
Jebel Jais Mountain Road, Ras Al Khaimah
Jebel Jais is the highest peak in the UAE at 1,934 metres, and the road to the top is 30 kilometres of smooth, banked switchbacks cut into the Hajar Mountains. It is the best driving road in the country by a wide margin.
The climb starts at sea level and winds through limestone gorges with tight hairpins that reward a car with decent steering feel. There are viewpoints along the way where you can stop and look out over the Arabian Gulf. The surface is excellent, signage is clear, and there are guardrails the whole way up. Go early in the morning when the air is cool and the light hits the rock faces properly. About 90 minutes from Dubai.
Sheikh Zayed Road (E11)
The main highway through Dubai and probably the most recognisable road in the Middle East. Twelve lanes wide, lined on both sides by the Burj Khalifa, Emirates Towers, and the Museum of the Future.
Driving it after dark is something else entirely. The skyscrapers are lit up and the whole road feels like a film set. Speed limit is 120 km/h and the tarmac is in great shape. For the best run, drive the Dubai Marina to Downtown stretch after 10 PM once the traffic has cleared. Keep an eye out for the Salik toll gates.
Al Qudra Road (D63)
A 75-kilometre dead-straight desert road running south from Dubai into open dunes. This is where people with fast cars go when they want to actually use them. Smooth surface, very little traffic, and nothing but sand on either side.
You will pass Al Qudra Lakes on the way, where flamingos hang around an artificial oasis in the middle of the desert. Further on are the Love Lakes, a pair of heart-shaped lakes that are more interesting from the air than from ground level. Speed limit is 100 to 120 km/h. Late afternoon is the best time, when the dunes turn orange in the low sun.
Hatta Mountain Road (E44)
About 130 kilometres from central Dubai, the road to Hatta takes you out of the flat coastal plain and up into the Hajar Mountains. You pass through rocky wadis, small sand-coloured villages, and alongside the bright turquoise water of the Hatta Dam.
The last section into Hatta has a nice series of bends through quiet mountain valleys. Hatta itself has kayaking on the dam, mountain bike trails, and the Wadi Hub adventure park. Give it a full day and stop at the Heritage Village while you are there. The road surface is good throughout.
Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain
Twelve kilometres of tarmac climbing 1,240 metres through 60 corners. The road was built to European mountain pass standards: wide lanes, proper camber, and smooth transitions between bends. It regularly shows up on lists of the world's best driving roads, and it earns the spot.
At the top you get a full panoramic view over the desert and Al Ain below. You will usually see a few Ferraris and Porsches making the same drive. About 90 minutes from Dubai. Go late in the afternoon so you can drive up for sunset and come back down as the lights come on in the city.
Kalba Coastal Road (E99)
Roughly 40 kilometres along the Gulf of Oman coastline between Fujairah and Kalba. Rocky cliffs on one side dropping into turquoise water, the Hajar Mountains on the other. It is the closest thing the UAE has to a European coastal road.
The bends are wide and sweeping with good visibility. There are fishing villages along the way and a few empty beaches where you can pull over. Parts of it narrow to two lanes so overtaking is limited, but the pace matches the scenery. Worth combining with a visit to the Kalba mangrove reserve or snorkelling at Shark Island. About two hours from Dubai.
Dubai to Liwa Oasis via the E45
The longest drive on this list. The E45 heads south from Abu Dhabi into the Rub al Khali, the Empty Quarter, ending at Liwa Oasis on the edge of the biggest sand desert on the planet.
The 300-kilometre drive from Dubai changes character as you go. City gives way to flat gravel plains, then to massive orange dunes that reach over 300 metres high. The road is well-maintained, a single strip of tarmac through an absurd amount of sand. Stop at Moreeb Dune for photos. If you can, stay overnight at the Qasr Al Sarab resort rather than trying to do it as a day trip.
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