Abu Dhabi Off-Road Club Forums

Guys,

i just noticed on google earth a road starting from Jabel Hafeet, following the Omani border on the UAE Side and reaching the very east of the empty quarters...

Ok; it's a tarmac road, crossing the dunes... but can be followed in parallel maybe. And it stopped in Liwa so the end has to be off road following bearing at the end... despite i can see a track.

Did anyone already try this approach? Would anyone be interested to try it on a 2 days trip?

so far just an idea... nothing planned...

There is a road will take u there but the risk NO fuel stations in the area, also most of these areas are fenced and natural RES.

yes petrol is a big issue... for our jeeps... need to buy 2 cans...

but fence can be driven around...

i take your advise. and We'll have plenty of time to discuss if it 's worth a trip. ...

Just curious... is the border line in Google Earth wrong or has a new line been agreed upon and GE is not up to date.

xof 3 weeks I am going to explore

jc wrote:xof 3 weeks I am going to explore

héhéhé... great minds think the same!!! :okfriend:

xof wrote:

jc wrote:xof 3 weeks I am going to explore

héhéhé... great minds think the same!!! :okfriend:

I like...I join...

Me too,

petrol is not an issue for me

G-man, you're absolutly right, the GE border (yellow line) is probably where the UAE would have liked it to be when this was negotiated with the Saudis!!! Reality is that the current border is actually 10 to 15 km North of that yellow line.

Xof, you can take the tarmac road that runs along the Omani border only to the Umm Zumul check point, after that you will have to be very brave to sneak your way around the UAE military.
Fuel availability in the area, simple to remember, only two ADNOC stations, one in Al Quaa and one in Hameem, the other option is the small pump at the Car Museum if still open (haven't used that pump for a while).
Having said that there is so much opportunities to drive off-road (dunes or tracks as much as you want) in the area between the Hameem road and the road South of Al Quaa that I would bother try to go past the Umm Zumul check point, the rest is really wide open for discovery. See the GPS tracks (off-road red, tarmac black) of the trips done over the years for inspiration if need to be.
BTW, if you're French you should enquire within the French off-roading circles, "la piste des gazelles" is a well known trip in their community (and probably others) and it seems to be passed on from one expat generation to another, it crosses the Ramlat Al Hamra right in the middle and can be done as easily or as difficult as you want.

Having said that, Bulldozer is right (damn the man is always right! I totally agree on the comments he recently made on dune cresting or wet sand driving and on car modifications, i.e. people should enjoy and learn driving their cars the way they are originally built and focus on discovering places rather than thinking about modifications from the onset, only much later should the bug of modifying cars be allowed in if that's what you want) some of the areas of the Ramlat Al Hamra are natural reserves where you can see plenty of gazelles and in a couple of places Oryx, but you can also see the Abu Dhabi Environment officers and depending on the exact place, person and mood they may not let you go everywhere you would like to.
Also, they are building since last year an airfield in the Sabkha that our most South East (red) track crosses, just before the tarmac road near Umm Zumul, and given the place you can guess that this is not going commercial aviation, so we've kept out of that corner since.

Hi. the last petrol station u ll get is in Al-Qua Area, which is 130kms from Al-Ain. After Al-Qua u have to continue around 130kms more to reach the forked border fence (Oman & KSA), This area is named as Umm Az Zomoul, well known for its jail. at this point there is an army post which will only allow the vehicles from etisalat or official vehicles to pass by keeping the ID or anything with them. From this point there tarmac continues about 60 to 65 kms and then gravel track starts... i havent gone beyond that gravel. I explored this route when i was in Etisalat Al-Ain. the last GSM site is BU GABER 3. Hope this info. might help. Enjoy.

go-dive wrote:G-man, you're absolutly right, the GE border (yellow line) is probably where the UAE would have liked it to be when this was negotiated with the Saudis!!! Reality is that the current border is actually 10 to 15 km North of that yellow line.

Xof, you can take the tarmac road that runs along the Omani border only to the Umm Zumul check point, after that you will have to be very brave to sneak your way around the UAE military.
Fuel availability in the area, simple to remember, only two ADNOC stations, one in Al Quaa and one in Hameem, the other option is the small pump at the Car Museum if still open (haven't used that pump for a while).
Having said that there is so much opportunities to drive off-road (dunes or tracks as much as you want) in the area between the Hameem road and the road South of Al Quaa that I would bother try to go past the Umm Zumul check point, the rest is really wide open for discovery. See the GPS tracks (off-road red, tarmac black) of the trips done over the years for inspiration if need to be.
BTW, if you're French you should enquire within the French off-roading circles, "la piste des gazelles" is a well known trip in their community (and probably others) and it seems to be passed on from one expat generation to another, it crosses the Ramlat Al Hamra right in the middle and can be done as easily or as difficult as you want.

Having said that, Bulldozer is right (damn the man is always right! I totally agree on the comments he recently made on dune cresting or wet sand driving and on car modifications, i.e. people should enjoy and learn driving their cars the way they are originally built and focus on discovering places rather than thinking about modifications from the onset, only much later should the bug of modifying cars be allowed in if that's what you want) some of the areas of the Ramlat Al Hamra are natural reserves where you can see plenty of gazelles and in a couple of places Oryx, but you can also see the Abu Dhabi Environment officers and depending on the exact place, person and mood they may not let you go everywhere you would like to.
Also, they are building since last year an airfield in the Sabkha that our most South East (red) track crosses, just before the tarmac road near Umm Zumul, and given the place you can guess that this is not going commercial aviation, so we've kept out of that corner since.

It looks like U have good knowledge of the area and off-roading, Why u didnt join any of our trips till now, at least to know u and get learn more things from u , we wil be in alAin airshow on Fri 30 join us

Thanks Go dive and Desert Rat for your very interesting feed back.

So to summarize, there is no real interest to come from East side (Al Ain), except to say that we've done it... We will face authorities, and will need a permit.

But, we definitly have to spend more time in the area starting from car museum to south! (i loved the trip with Khaiwi in Al Fathiya).

Regarding the french community, i will inquire to get the "piste des gazelles" info. i'll keep you post.

Thanks again. Wish to see you in the sand soon guys!

and to be explored...

xof wrote:So to summarize, there is no real interest to come from East side (Al Ain)..

I'm interested and I believe it's doable with a great chance that we don't face any authorities. Look at this:



We can get around the Um Zomol border/army post. There is a gravel/sand track exit 25 Km before the border post. On this track you can reach the east side of Liwa farms. I will draw it using Google maps and post it here.

There are many nice trips by driving past Al- Qua (after refuelling) and turning right with the intention of ending up in Hameem at the petrol station. The first part of such trips usually involve some sabkah followed by fun dunes, gazelle, oryx, desert hare, and fox sightings. Be careful to stay on the sabkha tracks as there really are soft spots. There are several watering and food points for the gazelles and oryx. I have the coordinates for one of them. The watering trough makes a great place to dunk your head and soak your feet after a dusty overnight in the sand, just don't drink it. The only trouble I have ever had in this area was minor, a game warden asked to inspect the inside of our cars. I think he was looking for guns and thought we must be crazy to be out there only for fun. There were two of us on that trip.

From Hameem you can go back into the sand and head north through the dunes back to Abu Dhabi, or loop through Liwa and come out at Moreeb.

If you like I can dig up the watering trough and Hameem petrol station coordinates.

Tom

This is interesting as last friday when we came back from the drive with Yehia and decided to break camp I was looking at the maps and was wondering if I would be possible to drive to Hmeem and find teh track that joins the paved road that follows the border fense to Al Ain.

But on further consideration I was put off by the fuel factor.

As the roads are marked on the latest road maps of the area I feel this trip is doable starting out from Hameem.

Would love to try it if I can get some company.

Wasif