Hiking at Showka Dam

This is an ideal destination for you and the kids if you prefer less-traveled destinations. It’s only around an hour in the car from Dubai and most importantly has routes that cater to most abilities. You’ll need a decent pair of shoes and plenty of energy of legs to climb the man made staircase cut into the first range of mountains, but once at the top there’s a choice of slaloming loops (up to 10km) back to base-camp. The views are incredible and the air up there fills your lungs differently – trust us. There’s a small food vendor where you leave the car, but bring plenty of water and snacks.