EMIRATOS (EAU) - Ras al-Khaimah (RAK) - Explorando el Wadi Baqal. Wadi Nahela y Wadi Baqal Hiking Trail
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,877 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 1,877 ft
- Max elevation
- 1,040 ft
- TrailRank
-
71
5
- Min elevation
- 272 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Time
- 7 hours 59 minutes
- Coordinates
- 2129
- Uploaded
- January 18, 2024
- Recorded
- January 2024
near Baqal, Raʼs al Khaymah (United Arab Emirates)
Viewed 60 times, downloaded 4 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE) - Ras al-Khaimah (RAK) - Exploring Wadi Baqal. Wadi Nahela and Wadi Baqal Hiking Trail
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Exploration tour, to learn more about the Wadi Nahela and one of its most important tributaries: the Wadi Baqal .
Both the Wadi Nahela , Arabic: وادي نحيله (also known as Wādī Ghēl, Wadi Ghil, Wadi Nahail, Wadi Nahala, Wadi Nehaila or Wadi Nuhaila), and the Wadi Baqal , are dry, intermittently flowing valleys or rivers from west to east, and from north to south, respectively, almost exclusively during the rainy season, located northeast of the United Arab Emirates, in the Emirate of Ras al Khaimah.
The itinerary starts from a small dam called Wadi Nahela Breaker (in Arabic: حاجز وادي نحيله), built in 1986, in the lower reaches of the Wadi Nahela , for flood control and filling aquifers.
The name of Wadi Nahela does not appear as such in historical documents and maps, but the UAE Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure confirmed, through its databases, that this is the current name of said wadi.
In ¨The National atlas of the United Arab Emirates¨, published in 1993 by the United Arab Emirates University - El Ain, it appears with the spelling Wādī Ghēl .
In the historical archives, the only map that expressly mentions the name of this wadi is the one drawn up between 1950 and 1960 by the British Arabist, cartographer, soldier and diplomat Julian F. Walker , during the work carried out to establish borders between the then called Trucial States (Ref. FCO 18/1896 -1959 -Sketch map drawn by Julian Walker for boundary delimitation: Dibba) , and in it it appears referenced with the name of Wadi Nahail . In fact, some hikers and outdoor companies still refer to this wadi as Wadi Nehaila, and in the publications of anthropologists William Lancaster and Fidelity Lancaster, it is cited as Wadi Nahala.
Extract from FCO map 18/1896 -1959 - Location of Wadi Nahail
This same name of Wadi Nahail (from which the name Nahela is derived, due to distortion in its transcription from Arabic to English and/or vice versa), also appears as a reference in several important documents kept in the British archives, as it is one of the reference limits of the territory occupied by the semi-nomadic Shihuh tribe.
On maps after W. Walker's initial one, prepared by the British government, through the use of reconnaissance planes and aerial photography, the name of this wadi is no longer mentioned, but that of its main tributary, the Wadi Baqal , which It also appeared on early maps (Ref. FCO 18/1785 -1971 - Map of the Trucial States, Muscat and Oman: Al Rams) .
Extract from FCO map 18/1785 -1971 - Wadi Baqal. Map of Trucial States, Muscat and Oman - Rams - Scale 1:100 000 - Published by D Survey, Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom (1971) - Edition 3-GSGS - The National Archives, London, England
Thus, having already confirmed that the current name of the wadi is Wadi Nahela (although historically it has been called Wadi Nahail), what the available maps and databases do agree on is that the Wadi Baqal , which flows from north to south from the east of the village of Baqal and the northwest of Tala, is one of its main tributaries, and the confluence occurs approximately 4 km away. southeast of the dam.
THE ROUTE:
Starting from the Wadi Nahela Breaker, the trail follows the course of the Wadi Nahela itself for 600 meters, until the intersection with the path that heads through a tributary wadi, towards the popular Baqal Caves , and continues along the bed of the Nahela to the point of confluence with the Wadi Baqal.
The purpose of this tour was to get to know that point of confluence and the orographic characteristics of both wadis, although without expecting great emotions, given how barren the area of Wadi Nahela closest to the dam is, but the reality is that it has Very favorably surprised by this itinerary.
Confluence of Wadi Baqal into Wadi Nahela
As for the Wadi Nahela , we have discovered that it is a much more relevant wadi than we initially assumed, since from its source to its mouth in an area close to the Al Digdagah District , in the great alluvial plain of Jiri (Jiri Plain ) , covers a route of almost 13 km, receiving in its course the contributions of several important tributaries, among them the aforementioned Wadi Baqal.
The presence of numerous pools along its course, some even containing water, suggests that during the rainy season this wadi discharges a significant flow.
As for the Wadi Baqal , its orography is very similar, but with a greater slope than the Nahela.
It has also surprised us very favorably, because taking into account its slope, we expected to find continuous rock obstacles on the itinerary, already from the confluence point, and that is not the case. At least the first kilometer and a half is perfectly accessible and does not present any major obstacles.
From the route you can see several caves with characteristics similar to the Baqal Caves, some of them very close to the wadi bed.
Small cave on the left side of Wadi Baqal
At km. 5.8 of the itinerary we find a first obstacle to overcome a beautiful gorge of very polished white rock. It doesn't seem like a very difficult step, but it requires climbing and the supports are very smooth and slippery. We did not want to try it, since we had exceeded the time scheduled to begin the return, and the presence of that delicate point seemed to us the perfect excuse to return to the starting point.
Wadi Baqal. Nice throat with very polished walls. To continue you have to climb a little
Just 700 meters after the point where we stopped the climb, is the confluence of the main tributary of the Wadi Baqal, which descends directly from the very center of the village of Tala , from which we are only 2.88 km away. , but with a positive slope of 880 meters.
It is a tributary of which no proper name is known, but if it had a name, it would deserve to be called Wadi Tala. We have considered it simply an arm of the Wadi Baqal.
As for the main basin of the Wadi Baqal, we do not yet know what obstacles we would encounter on the way to the village of Baqal, which is only 3.3 km away. and a positive slope of 650 meters. It is quite likely that this route will present a dry waterfall or other obstacles that will make the route to said village difficult, but for now we will not know.
We made the return journey to the starting point following the same route as the way up.
ACCESS TO THE ITINERARY AND PARKING:
The starting point of the route can be easily accessed with a sedan vehicle, although the last kilometer, approximately, is a ballast and gravel track.
Next to the Wadi Nahela Breaker, at coordinates 25.669771, 56.047349 , there are several parking spaces.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THIS ROUTE:
The degree of difficulty of a route is mainly measured based on three factors: effort, technicality and risk , although the real difficulty of an itinerary must also take into account other variables, such as the weather situation, the weight of the backpack and the preparation. or physical form of the walker, who must know how to evaluate himself.
To know the physical difficulty or physical effort required, it is useful to use an automatic assessment system, such as the one provided by the PPI index. This is the index that corresponds to this route:
IBP index: 34 HKG
Total distance: 11.05 Km
Desn. Accumulated climb: 194.37 m
Desn. Accumulated descent: 195.97 m
Maximum height: 275.07 m
Minimum height: 83 m
Total time: 7:59:31 h
Moving time: 5:06:10 h
Stopped time: 2:53:21 h
Total average speed: 1.38 km/h
Average moving speed: 2.17 km/h
IBP index. IBP index is an automatic rating system that rates the physical difficulty of a route
GENERAL TABLE OF TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY AND RISK LEVELS:
Pictograms with the degrees of technical difficulty and risk of a hiking route
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THIS ITINERARY:
Level 3: LOW DIFFICULTY: Route or section of route that presents at least one obstacle of a height less than or equal to knee height. The posture of the foot adapts to the irregularity of the support. The placement of the supports is carried out on the areas with the best grip. This degree of difficulty of the route is mainly concentrated in the final section of the itinerary, in which we will have to make our way between some large rocks, sometimes using our hands to find support.
RISK LEVEL OF THIS ITINERARY:
Level 2: FAIRLY LOW: Fairly low accident risk level. Hazard exposure remains limited. Injuries are possible but minor (examples: path in quite marked relief with possible presence of embankments, possible dislocation and sprains in case of fall...)
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Exploration tour, to learn more about the Wadi Nahela and one of its most important tributaries: the Wadi Baqal .
Both the Wadi Nahela , Arabic: وادي نحيله (also known as Wādī Ghēl, Wadi Ghil, Wadi Nahail, Wadi Nahala, Wadi Nehaila or Wadi Nuhaila), and the Wadi Baqal , are dry, intermittently flowing valleys or rivers from west to east, and from north to south, respectively, almost exclusively during the rainy season, located northeast of the United Arab Emirates, in the Emirate of Ras al Khaimah.
The itinerary starts from a small dam called Wadi Nahela Breaker (in Arabic: حاجز وادي نحيله), built in 1986, in the lower reaches of the Wadi Nahela , for flood control and filling aquifers.
The name of Wadi Nahela does not appear as such in historical documents and maps, but the UAE Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure confirmed, through its databases, that this is the current name of said wadi.
In ¨The National atlas of the United Arab Emirates¨, published in 1993 by the United Arab Emirates University - El Ain, it appears with the spelling Wādī Ghēl .
In the historical archives, the only map that expressly mentions the name of this wadi is the one drawn up between 1950 and 1960 by the British Arabist, cartographer, soldier and diplomat Julian F. Walker , during the work carried out to establish borders between the then called Trucial States (Ref. FCO 18/1896 -1959 -Sketch map drawn by Julian Walker for boundary delimitation: Dibba) , and in it it appears referenced with the name of Wadi Nahail . In fact, some hikers and outdoor companies still refer to this wadi as Wadi Nehaila, and in the publications of anthropologists William Lancaster and Fidelity Lancaster, it is cited as Wadi Nahala.
Extract from FCO map 18/1896 -1959 - Location of Wadi Nahail
This same name of Wadi Nahail (from which the name Nahela is derived, due to distortion in its transcription from Arabic to English and/or vice versa), also appears as a reference in several important documents kept in the British archives, as it is one of the reference limits of the territory occupied by the semi-nomadic Shihuh tribe.
On maps after W. Walker's initial one, prepared by the British government, through the use of reconnaissance planes and aerial photography, the name of this wadi is no longer mentioned, but that of its main tributary, the Wadi Baqal , which It also appeared on early maps (Ref. FCO 18/1785 -1971 - Map of the Trucial States, Muscat and Oman: Al Rams) .
Extract from FCO map 18/1785 -1971 - Wadi Baqal. Map of Trucial States, Muscat and Oman - Rams - Scale 1:100 000 - Published by D Survey, Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom (1971) - Edition 3-GSGS - The National Archives, London, England
Thus, having already confirmed that the current name of the wadi is Wadi Nahela (although historically it has been called Wadi Nahail), what the available maps and databases do agree on is that the Wadi Baqal , which flows from north to south from the east of the village of Baqal and the northwest of Tala, is one of its main tributaries, and the confluence occurs approximately 4 km away. southeast of the dam.
THE ROUTE:
Starting from the Wadi Nahela Breaker, the trail follows the course of the Wadi Nahela itself for 600 meters, until the intersection with the path that heads through a tributary wadi, towards the popular Baqal Caves , and continues along the bed of the Nahela to the point of confluence with the Wadi Baqal.
The purpose of this tour was to get to know that point of confluence and the orographic characteristics of both wadis, although without expecting great emotions, given how barren the area of Wadi Nahela closest to the dam is, but the reality is that it has Very favorably surprised by this itinerary.
Confluence of Wadi Baqal into Wadi Nahela
As for the Wadi Nahela , we have discovered that it is a much more relevant wadi than we initially assumed, since from its source to its mouth in an area close to the Al Digdagah District , in the great alluvial plain of Jiri (Jiri Plain ) , covers a route of almost 13 km, receiving in its course the contributions of several important tributaries, among them the aforementioned Wadi Baqal.
The presence of numerous pools along its course, some even containing water, suggests that during the rainy season this wadi discharges a significant flow.
As for the Wadi Baqal , its orography is very similar, but with a greater slope than the Nahela.
It has also surprised us very favorably, because taking into account its slope, we expected to find continuous rock obstacles on the itinerary, already from the confluence point, and that is not the case. At least the first kilometer and a half is perfectly accessible and does not present any major obstacles.
From the route you can see several caves with characteristics similar to the Baqal Caves, some of them very close to the wadi bed.
Small cave on the left side of Wadi Baqal
At km. 5.8 of the itinerary we find a first obstacle to overcome a beautiful gorge of very polished white rock. It doesn't seem like a very difficult step, but it requires climbing and the supports are very smooth and slippery. We did not want to try it, since we had exceeded the time scheduled to begin the return, and the presence of that delicate point seemed to us the perfect excuse to return to the starting point.
Wadi Baqal. Nice throat with very polished walls. To continue you have to climb a little
Just 700 meters after the point where we stopped the climb, is the confluence of the main tributary of the Wadi Baqal, which descends directly from the very center of the village of Tala , from which we are only 2.88 km away. , but with a positive slope of 880 meters.
It is a tributary of which no proper name is known, but if it had a name, it would deserve to be called Wadi Tala. We have considered it simply an arm of the Wadi Baqal.
As for the main basin of the Wadi Baqal, we do not yet know what obstacles we would encounter on the way to the village of Baqal, which is only 3.3 km away. and a positive slope of 650 meters. It is quite likely that this route will present a dry waterfall or other obstacles that will make the route to said village difficult, but for now we will not know.
We made the return journey to the starting point following the same route as the way up.
ACCESS TO THE ITINERARY AND PARKING:
The starting point of the route can be easily accessed with a sedan vehicle, although the last kilometer, approximately, is a ballast and gravel track.
Next to the Wadi Nahela Breaker, at coordinates 25.669771, 56.047349 , there are several parking spaces.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THIS ROUTE:
The degree of difficulty of a route is mainly measured based on three factors: effort, technicality and risk , although the real difficulty of an itinerary must also take into account other variables, such as the weather situation, the weight of the backpack and the preparation. or physical form of the walker, who must know how to evaluate himself.
To know the physical difficulty or physical effort required, it is useful to use an automatic assessment system, such as the one provided by the PPI index. This is the index that corresponds to this route:
IBP index: 34 HKG
Total distance: 11.05 Km
Desn. Accumulated climb: 194.37 m
Desn. Accumulated descent: 195.97 m
Maximum height: 275.07 m
Minimum height: 83 m
Total time: 7:59:31 h
Moving time: 5:06:10 h
Stopped time: 2:53:21 h
Total average speed: 1.38 km/h
Average moving speed: 2.17 km/h
IBP index. IBP index is an automatic rating system that rates the physical difficulty of a route
GENERAL TABLE OF TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY AND RISK LEVELS:
Pictograms with the degrees of technical difficulty and risk of a hiking route
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THIS ITINERARY:
Level 3: LOW DIFFICULTY: Route or section of route that presents at least one obstacle of a height less than or equal to knee height. The posture of the foot adapts to the irregularity of the support. The placement of the supports is carried out on the areas with the best grip. This degree of difficulty of the route is mainly concentrated in the final section of the itinerary, in which we will have to make our way between some large rocks, sometimes using our hands to find support.
RISK LEVEL OF THIS ITINERARY:
Level 2: FAIRLY LOW: Fairly low accident risk level. Hazard exposure remains limited. Injuries are possible but minor (examples: path in quite marked relief with possible presence of embankments, possible dislocation and sprains in case of fall...)
Waypoints
Car park
Intersection
296 ft
Cauce del Wadi Nahela. Cantos rodados. Desvío del itinerario hacia las Baqal Caves
Wadi Nahela riverbed. Boulders. Detour of the itinerary towards the Baqal Caves
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Tree
312 ft
Frecuentes azufaifos (yuyubas / سدر / árbol Sidr - Ziziphus spina-christi, especie muy común en las Montañas al Hayar)
Common azufaifos (yuyubas / cedar / Sidr tree - Ziziphus spina-christi, very common species in the Hayar Mountains)
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Photo
375 ft
Confluencia con un barranco afluente por la derecha del Wadi Nahela. Algunos materiales de derrumbe
Confluence with a tributary ravine on the right of the Wadi Nahela. Some collapse materials
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Photo
398 ft
Pequeña cavidad semi cerrada (farij), utilizada como refugio temporal. No son frecuentes en este wadi, pero hay algunas
Small semi-closed cavity (farij), used as a temporary shelter. They are not common in this wadi, but there are some
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Photo
490 ft
El Wadi Nahela presenta bastantes pozas que retienen el agua durante la temporada de lluvias
The Wadi Nahela has many pools that retain water during the rainy season.
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Ruins
480 ft
Ruinas de antiguo poblado. Bancales y otras construcciones
Ruinas de antiguo poblado. Bancales y otras construcciones
Intersection
573 ft
Confluencia del Wadi Baqal en el Wadi Nahela
Confluencia del Wadi Baqal en el Wadi Nahela
Cave
644 ft
Pequeña cueva en el costado izquierdo del Wadi Baqal
Pequeña cueva en el costado izquierdo del Wadi Baqal
Photo
684 ft
Inicio de un pequeño cañón. El Wadi Baqal gira a la derecha. Rocas más grandes
Beginning of a small canyon. The Wadi Baqal turns right. largest rocks
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Photo
799 ft
Tramo del Wadi Baqal despejado de rocas. Otra pequeña cueva en el costado izquierdo del wadi
Section of Wadi Baqal cleared of rocks. Another small cave on the left side of the wadi
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Photo
925 ft
Otro pequeño cañón. Bonita garganta con paredes muy pulidas. Para continuar es preciso trepar un poco
Another small canyon. Nice throat with very polished walls. To continue you have to climb a little
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Cave
889 ft
Otra cueva bastante grande en el costado izquierdo del Wadi Baqal
Otra cueva bastante grande en el costado izquierdo del Wadi Baqal
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What a wonderful photos, thanks