Dubai, UAE: Swimming in Wadi Al Qahfi

After driving a desert buggy at the sand dunes of Sharjah, we got back inside the vehicle to proceed to Hatta. We were to get wet in a natural swimming pool in Wadi Al Qahfi (Khaffi). I didn’t expect much of the place as all I knew about the Middle East was it being a desert, but the natural pool intrigued me.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Swimming in Wadi (Valley) Al Qahfi
April 30, 2013

wadi quaffi dubai

Wadi Qaffi in the Hatta Mountains

The drive took awhile, but I was busy staring at the view of the landscape changing. From soft and sandy desert dunes to rough and mountainous rocks. I’m glad that we had the car all to ourselves as it felt like a private tour. Plus there’s lots of leg space! 🙂

hatta mountain dubai tour

driving in the mountain

Swimming in Wadi Khaffi (Al Qhafi)

We went for stopover and our guide told us that we could dip in the natural swimming pool below. I was surprised to see that a body of water existed here. Preconceived notions of hot and dusty sand were what I only thought about of Dubai.

Prior to the trip, our guide advised us to bring extra clothes in case we wanted to swim. At the back of my mind, I wasn’t really expecting the water to be inviting because this was a desert, after all. Dubai is known to be a city built from sand; so my expectations of a natural water source didn’t raise my hopes high.

wadi khaffi

Wadi Al Quaffi, Oman

wadi pool uae

hidden water

Don’t get me wrong, manmade structures like the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world) or the Palm Islands will make you appreciate how these creations were constructed. It’s just that I come from a country that’s rich in natural resources so my expectations of nature are set a little higher.

Anyway, I was amazed when I saw the pool and how clear it was. I wanted to take dip right away! Shahzad, our guide, showed us the way to go down so we could swim. There were a few other tourists around, but they were mostly just sunbathing.

wadi al quaffi dubai

other tourists sunbathing from afar

dubai hatta tour

clear water

Jumping In the Natural Pool

The water was really inviting that I was really happy to swim in it. One thing I noticed were vandals on the rocks which would’ve been nice if they weren’t there. Shahzad also mentioned that we could jump from one of the rocks, to which I immediately climbed so I could see how high it was.

Despite having bungy jumped from the Macau Tower, and even in Malaysia, or having jumped off a 50-foot cliff in Malapascua, it still gives me jitters when I think about heights; even if this was just a short jump. Still, I managed to take off and plunge into the water.

dubai qafiswimming in the natural pool

We drove a little further to go to a pool with a more open area. But we only stopped by to take a few more photos. I preferred the first pool because it looked as if it was hiding itself. Still, it was a welcome treat to see a body of water amidst the valleys.

uae wadi quaffi

Wadi Qaffi

It was time to head to our main destination which was the Hatta Mountains. To be continued…

Tour Guide: Shahzad Ahmad
Mobile Number: +971 56 2318281, +971 52 7866550

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Check out my other posts about our Hatta Mountain Tour here:

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Check out my other Dubai articles here:


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soloflightEd.com is a travel blog by Edcel Suyo. He enjoys performing headstands and crazy stunts during his trips in the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Now based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and working to earn a living, he takes time to enjoy the city and travel during weekends.
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For questions, advertising, and other concerns, shoot an email to ed@soloflighted.com.


18 thoughts on “Dubai, UAE: Swimming in Wadi Al Qahfi”

  1. hi ed,

    how are you? mukhang comfy ka na dyan ah. hehe

    anyways, I’m trying to transfer my blogspot to wordpress. I have some questions. PLs email me. thanks

    take good care always

    Reply
  2. Hilwa ya sadik!

    This is a complete contrast to the usual desertscape people usually associate the Middle East with. While I couldn’t tackle the jump like you did, I’d merrily soak myself in those waters!

    Reply

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