Your private vehicle departs from Dubai and heads southeast toward the Hajar Mountains. The drive takes approximately 90 minutes each way and passes through open desert before the terrain rises dramatically as you approach Hatta.

The tour begins at the dam, where shockingly blue water fills a reservoir ringed by rocky mountain walls. You can hire a kayak, pedal boat or water bike independently, or join a guided boat tour to learn about the dam's construction and the surrounding hydrology.

Built in 2004, Hatta Hill Park climbs the mountainside with open picnic spaces, sports fields and a summit tower that delivers wide-angle views of the Hajar range. Nearby Swan Lake is a tranquil stop for birdwatchers, with house sparrows, Indian silverbills, kingfishers and herons regularly visible alongside the resident swans.

Dating to around the third century BC, this restored village presents reconstructed stone houses, water wells, two watchtowers, a fort, a traditional majlis and a museum with old tools, weapons and photographs of traditional Hatta life. The adjacent Al Sharia palm farm contains a well-preserved example of the ancient falaj irrigation system.

A 40-minute stop near local restaurants gives you time to eat and rest before the afternoon activities. Lunch costs are not included in the tour price.

The afternoon is spent at the Wadi Hub, where you can choose from downhill carting, zorbing, the human slingshot, axe throwing, archery, free-fall jumps, adventure rope courses, wall climbing or trampolining. The centre also arranges kayaking and guided hiking trails. Your private transfer then returns you to Dubai.