EMIRATOS (EAU) - Ras al-Khaimah (RAK) - Wadi Khabb Hiking Trail. De Wadi Ghalilah Dam al nacimiento del wadi
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 6.54 mi
- Elevation gain
- 2,385 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 2,385 ft
- Max elevation
- 1,294 ft
- TrailRank
-
80
5
- Min elevation
- 392 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Time
- 7 hours 22 minutes
- Coordinates
- 1960
- Uploaded
- January 24, 2024
- Recorded
- January 2024
near Ras Ash, Raʼs al Khaymah (United Arab Emirates)
Viewed 106 times, downloaded 1 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE) - Ras al-Khaimah (RAK) - Wadi Khabb Hiking Trail. From Wadi Ghalilah Dam to the source of the wadi, and return
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
The Wadi Khabb is a dry valley or river, with intermittent flow, which flows almost exclusively during the rainy season, located northeast of the United Arab Emirates, in the Emirate of Ras al Khaimah.
It is a tributary on the right bank of the Wadi Ghalilah, and is formed mainly by the ravines and torrents that run along the southwest slope of Jabal Hadaba (1,712 m.), located on the border between UAE and Oman; and on the southern slope of Jabal Khabb (1,145 m.).
Route :
In its short route of only 4.3 km, from northeast to southeast, the Wadi Khabb passes through the ancient town of Khabb , located in the center of the small alluvial fan of the valley, which has grown a lot and has spread in the recent years towards the south, towards the mouth of the wadi, currently forming an important population center, which benefits from the proximity and good access to the city of Ghalilah and the coast of the Persian Gulf.
Place names:
Alternative names: Wadi Khabb, Wādī Khabb, Wādī Khab, Wadi Kubb.
The name of this wadi was recorded in the documentation and maps prepared 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, later completed by the British government, through the use of reconnaissance aircraft and aerial photography (Ref. FCO 18/1785 -1971 - Map of the Trucial States, Muscat and Oman: Al Rams)
Cutout of the map UK Ministry of Defence, on 1:100,000 scale maps published in 1971 (Ref. FCO 18/1785 -1971 - Map of the Trucial States, Muscat and Oman: Al Rams)
There are interesting bibliographical references to Wadi Khabb (translated from Arabic to English as Wadi Kubb, perhaps to differentiate it from the other Wadi Khabb), in the works published by the British anthropologist William Lancaster .
Clipping from the magazine October 2010 - Arabian Archeology and Epigraphy 21(2):199 - 255. William Lancaster. References to Wadi Khabb /Wadi Khubb, Wadi Ghalilah and Wadi Halhal
It also appears, with the spelling Wādī Khab, in the National Atlas of the United Arab Emirates .
Population:
The geographical area of Wadi Khabb was historically populated by the semi-nomadic Shihuh tribe, section of Bani Shatair (Arabic: بني شطير), which occupied, among other territories, the tribal area of Hammad .
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English Version:
The Wadi Khabb is a valley or dry river, with intermittent flow, which flows almost exclusively during the rainy season, located in the northeast of the United Arab Emirates, in the Emirate of Ras al Khaimah.
It is a tributary on the right bank of the Wadi Ghalilah, and is formed mainly by the ravines and gullies that run along the southwestern slope of the Jabal Hadaba (1,712 m), located on the border between the UAE and Oman; and by the southern slope of Jabal Khabb (1,145 m).
Course:
In its short course (4.3 km), from northeast to southeast, the Wadi Khabb passes through the ancient settlement of Khabb recent years, towards the mouth of the wadi, currently forming an important population center, which benefits from the proximity and good access to the city of Ghalilah and the coast of the Persian Gulf.
Toponymy:
Alternative Names: Wadi Al Khabb, Wadi Al Khabb, Wadi Al Khabb, Wadi Al Khabb, Wadi Al Khabb, Wadi Al Khabb, Wadi Al Khabb, Wadi Al Khabb.
The name of this wadi was recorded in the documentation and maps produced between 1950 and 1960 by the British Arabist, cartographer, army officer and diplomat Julian F. Walker by the UK Ministry of Defence, on 1:100,000 scale maps published in 1971 (Ref. FCO 18/1785 -1971 - Map of the Trucial States, Muscat and Oman: Al Rams);
There are many interesting bibliographical references to the Wadi Khabb (translated from Arabic into English as Wadi Kubb), in the works published by the British anthropologist William Lancaster
Also appears, with the spelling Wādī Khab, in
The National Atlas of the United Arab Emirates
In the political and administrative organization of the Emirate of Ras al Khaimah, the name of the main wadi is frequently used as an identifying element of the entire territory covered by its drainage basin.
In the case of Wadi Ghalilah, this drainage basin is very large (76.32 km2), comprising numerous towns, villages and farms widely scattered throughout its valleys and mountains. Naturally, it also includes all the ravines and tributaries of the main wadi.
The same denomination is also used for postal purposes.
For this reason, the mistake of considering that this is the only name corresponding to all the different wadis, and even to some population centers in this region, is widespread, frequently ignoring the true name of each of these places.
This has contributed to Wadi Khabb being incorrectly referred to as Wadi Ghalilah on a few occasions.
Population:
The geographical area of Wadi Khabb was historically populated by the semi-nomadic tribe Shihuh, section of Bani Shatair (Arabic: بني شطير), which occupied, among other territories, the tribal area of Hammad .
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THE TOUR:
Interesting circular tour through one of the lesser known wadis of the Wadi Ghalilah watershed, the Wadi Khabb , the namesake of another Wadi Khabb located in the Dibba area.
The itinerary part of the resort located south of the Wadi Ghalilah Dam, from which the confluence point of the Wadi Litibah divides with the Wadi Barut , and forms the Wadi Ghalilah .
Wadi Ghalilah Dam. Confluence of Wadi Litibah and Wadi Barut, forming Wadi Ghalilah
On the way we pass the upper part of the long concrete dyke of the Wadi Ghalilah Dam, and descend to the broad alluvial plain which is formed from the confluence of these important wadis, till we find the confluence area of the Wadi Khabb, . which in its low course bifurcates into multiple arms.
From this point of mouth you can distinguish to the north, among others, the peaks of Jabal Ḩudayd (1,035 m.), Jabal Qandus (954 m.) and Jabal Khabb (1,145 m.).
Wadi Kabb in the area of its mouth into the Wadi Ghalilah, surrounded to the north and northwest by Jabal Hudayd, Jabal Qandus and Jabal Khabb
Once located in what we consider the main arm of the Wadi Khabb, we travel up it, passing between the east of the town of Khabb , and the west of the small town of Ḩārat Al Awalah .
As we advance, the Wadi Khabb presents a more defined channel, with the characteristic sides of sedimentary materials eroded by water, and a bed of boulders, although it is likely that a part of that channel has been semi-channeled to avoid the flooding that occasionally they occur in the area, as witnessed in this video edited by Ibrahim Al-Shehhi:
Except for some of the small arms of the wadi, as it passes through the outskirts of Khabb, which are a bit disgusting, and are preferable to avoid, as they have become a common depository for goat carcasses, the main channel of the wadi remains quite clean and careful.
At the exit from Khabb we find a couple of farms, and the Wadi Khabb continues its ascent, now presenting sections with larger rocks, and entering a canyon or gorge area, which in some segments is partially obstructed by large rocks and some detachments on both sides.
Canyon partially blocked by large rocks. There are landslides on both sides, but there are steps
Despite the appearance of difficulty, there are ways to cross the plugs without having to climb. There is even a stretch of path that is quite well defined and marked at some points with stone markers.
Dry waterfall, which we surround on the right side of the wadi
Continuing the climb, we also find a couple of medium-sized dry waterfalls that can be surrounded without difficulty, and when we approach the foot of the large cliffs, with heights greater than 250 meters, we can perfectly see the fall in waterfall with a drop of about 200 meters from what is surely one of the sources of the Wadi Khabb and to the right another large cliff that closes the valley and also provides an important part of its flow.
We are approaching the source of Wadi Khabb. Several torrents descend in cascades of about 200 m. Tall
At that point we found a group of very large rocks, with a step a little more complicated than the previous ones, where we decided not to continue, knowing that we were already in the first meters of the wadi.
On the way back to the starting point we followed the same itinerary as on the way up, with some small variations to try out alternative routes, and in the final part, to exactly locate the confluence point of the Wadi Khabb into the Wadi Ghalilah.
ACCESS TO THE ITINERARY AND PARKING:
The starting point of the route can be easily accessed with a sedan vehicle, since the road is paved.
There is a well-equipped parking lot at the southern end of the Wadi Ghalilah Dam, at coordinates 25.981013, 56.145390 .
DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THIS ROUTE:
The degree of difficulty of a route is measured mainly 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: 40 HKG
Total distance: 10.33 km
Desn. Accumulated climb: 294.88 m
Desn. Accumulated descent: 293 m
Maximum height: 385.24 m
Minimum height: 121.41 m
Total time: 7:22:45 h
Moving time: 3:53:00 h
Stopped time: 3:29:45 h
Total average speed: 1.4 km/h
Average moving speed: 2.66 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 climb, 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:
The Wadi Khabb is a dry valley or river, with intermittent flow, which flows almost exclusively during the rainy season, located northeast of the United Arab Emirates, in the Emirate of Ras al Khaimah.
It is a tributary on the right bank of the Wadi Ghalilah, and is formed mainly by the ravines and torrents that run along the southwest slope of Jabal Hadaba (1,712 m.), located on the border between UAE and Oman; and on the southern slope of Jabal Khabb (1,145 m.).
Route :
In its short route of only 4.3 km, from northeast to southeast, the Wadi Khabb passes through the ancient town of Khabb , located in the center of the small alluvial fan of the valley, which has grown a lot and has spread in the recent years towards the south, towards the mouth of the wadi, currently forming an important population center, which benefits from the proximity and good access to the city of Ghalilah and the coast of the Persian Gulf.
Place names:
Alternative names: Wadi Khabb, Wādī Khabb, Wādī Khab, Wadi Kubb.
The name of this wadi was recorded in the documentation and maps prepared 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, later completed by the British government, through the use of reconnaissance aircraft and aerial photography (Ref. FCO 18/1785 -1971 - Map of the Trucial States, Muscat and Oman: Al Rams)
Cutout of the map UK Ministry of Defence, on 1:100,000 scale maps published in 1971 (Ref. FCO 18/1785 -1971 - Map of the Trucial States, Muscat and Oman: Al Rams)
There are interesting bibliographical references to Wadi Khabb (translated from Arabic to English as Wadi Kubb, perhaps to differentiate it from the other Wadi Khabb), in the works published by the British anthropologist William Lancaster .
Clipping from the magazine October 2010 - Arabian Archeology and Epigraphy 21(2):199 - 255. William Lancaster. References to Wadi Khabb /Wadi Khubb, Wadi Ghalilah and Wadi Halhal
It also appears, with the spelling Wādī Khab, in the National Atlas of the United Arab Emirates .
Population:
The geographical area of Wadi Khabb was historically populated by the semi-nomadic Shihuh tribe, section of Bani Shatair (Arabic: بني شطير), which occupied, among other territories, the tribal area of Hammad .
-----------
English Version:
The Wadi Khabb is a valley or dry river, with intermittent flow, which flows almost exclusively during the rainy season, located in the northeast of the United Arab Emirates, in the Emirate of Ras al Khaimah.
It is a tributary on the right bank of the Wadi Ghalilah, and is formed mainly by the ravines and gullies that run along the southwestern slope of the Jabal Hadaba (1,712 m), located on the border between the UAE and Oman; and by the southern slope of Jabal Khabb (1,145 m).
Course:
In its short course (4.3 km), from northeast to southeast, the Wadi Khabb passes through the ancient settlement of Khabb recent years, towards the mouth of the wadi, currently forming an important population center, which benefits from the proximity and good access to the city of Ghalilah and the coast of the Persian Gulf.
Toponymy:
Alternative Names: Wadi Al Khabb, Wadi Al Khabb, Wadi Al Khabb, Wadi Al Khabb, Wadi Al Khabb, Wadi Al Khabb, Wadi Al Khabb, Wadi Al Khabb.
The name of this wadi was recorded in the documentation and maps produced between 1950 and 1960 by the British Arabist, cartographer, army officer and diplomat Julian F. Walker by the UK Ministry of Defence, on 1:100,000 scale maps published in 1971 (Ref. FCO 18/1785 -1971 - Map of the Trucial States, Muscat and Oman: Al Rams);
There are many interesting bibliographical references to the Wadi Khabb (translated from Arabic into English as Wadi Kubb), in the works published by the British anthropologist William Lancaster
Also appears, with the spelling Wādī Khab, in
The National Atlas of the United Arab Emirates
In the political and administrative organization of the Emirate of Ras al Khaimah, the name of the main wadi is frequently used as an identifying element of the entire territory covered by its drainage basin.
In the case of Wadi Ghalilah, this drainage basin is very large (76.32 km2), comprising numerous towns, villages and farms widely scattered throughout its valleys and mountains. Naturally, it also includes all the ravines and tributaries of the main wadi.
The same denomination is also used for postal purposes.
For this reason, the mistake of considering that this is the only name corresponding to all the different wadis, and even to some population centers in this region, is widespread, frequently ignoring the true name of each of these places.
This has contributed to Wadi Khabb being incorrectly referred to as Wadi Ghalilah on a few occasions.
Population:
The geographical area of Wadi Khabb was historically populated by the semi-nomadic tribe Shihuh, section of Bani Shatair (Arabic: بني شطير), which occupied, among other territories, the tribal area of Hammad .
-------
THE TOUR:
Interesting circular tour through one of the lesser known wadis of the Wadi Ghalilah watershed, the Wadi Khabb , the namesake of another Wadi Khabb located in the Dibba area.
The itinerary part of the resort located south of the Wadi Ghalilah Dam, from which the confluence point of the Wadi Litibah divides with the Wadi Barut , and forms the Wadi Ghalilah .
Wadi Ghalilah Dam. Confluence of Wadi Litibah and Wadi Barut, forming Wadi Ghalilah
On the way we pass the upper part of the long concrete dyke of the Wadi Ghalilah Dam, and descend to the broad alluvial plain which is formed from the confluence of these important wadis, till we find the confluence area of the Wadi Khabb, . which in its low course bifurcates into multiple arms.
From this point of mouth you can distinguish to the north, among others, the peaks of Jabal Ḩudayd (1,035 m.), Jabal Qandus (954 m.) and Jabal Khabb (1,145 m.).
Wadi Kabb in the area of its mouth into the Wadi Ghalilah, surrounded to the north and northwest by Jabal Hudayd, Jabal Qandus and Jabal Khabb
Once located in what we consider the main arm of the Wadi Khabb, we travel up it, passing between the east of the town of Khabb , and the west of the small town of Ḩārat Al Awalah .
As we advance, the Wadi Khabb presents a more defined channel, with the characteristic sides of sedimentary materials eroded by water, and a bed of boulders, although it is likely that a part of that channel has been semi-channeled to avoid the flooding that occasionally they occur in the area, as witnessed in this video edited by Ibrahim Al-Shehhi:
Except for some of the small arms of the wadi, as it passes through the outskirts of Khabb, which are a bit disgusting, and are preferable to avoid, as they have become a common depository for goat carcasses, the main channel of the wadi remains quite clean and careful.
At the exit from Khabb we find a couple of farms, and the Wadi Khabb continues its ascent, now presenting sections with larger rocks, and entering a canyon or gorge area, which in some segments is partially obstructed by large rocks and some detachments on both sides.
Canyon partially blocked by large rocks. There are landslides on both sides, but there are steps
Despite the appearance of difficulty, there are ways to cross the plugs without having to climb. There is even a stretch of path that is quite well defined and marked at some points with stone markers.
Dry waterfall, which we surround on the right side of the wadi
Continuing the climb, we also find a couple of medium-sized dry waterfalls that can be surrounded without difficulty, and when we approach the foot of the large cliffs, with heights greater than 250 meters, we can perfectly see the fall in waterfall with a drop of about 200 meters from what is surely one of the sources of the Wadi Khabb and to the right another large cliff that closes the valley and also provides an important part of its flow.
We are approaching the source of Wadi Khabb. Several torrents descend in cascades of about 200 m. Tall
At that point we found a group of very large rocks, with a step a little more complicated than the previous ones, where we decided not to continue, knowing that we were already in the first meters of the wadi.
On the way back to the starting point we followed the same itinerary as on the way up, with some small variations to try out alternative routes, and in the final part, to exactly locate the confluence point of the Wadi Khabb into the Wadi Ghalilah.
ACCESS TO THE ITINERARY AND PARKING:
The starting point of the route can be easily accessed with a sedan vehicle, since the road is paved.
There is a well-equipped parking lot at the southern end of the Wadi Ghalilah Dam, at coordinates 25.981013, 56.145390 .
DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THIS ROUTE:
The degree of difficulty of a route is measured mainly 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: 40 HKG
Total distance: 10.33 km
Desn. Accumulated climb: 294.88 m
Desn. Accumulated descent: 293 m
Maximum height: 385.24 m
Minimum height: 121.41 m
Total time: 7:22:45 h
Moving time: 3:53:00 h
Stopped time: 3:29:45 h
Total average speed: 1.4 km/h
Average moving speed: 2.66 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 climb, 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
Photo
429 ft
Wadi Kabb en la zona de su desembocadura en el Wadi Ghalilah, rodeado por el Jabal Hudayd, Jabal Qandus y Jabal Khabb
Wadi Kabb in the area of its mouth into the Wadi Ghalilah, surrounded to the north and northwest by Jabal Hudayd, Jabal Qandus and Jabal Khabb
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Intersection
395 ft
Cruce con la carretera que se dirige a Kabb
Cruce con la carretera que se dirige a Kabb
Photo
403 ft
Uno de los brazos del Wadi Khabb, a evitar. Muy sucio. Convertido en basurero, vertedero y depósito de cadáveres de cabras
One of the arms of Wadi Khabb, to avoid. Very dirty. Converted into a garbage dump, landfill and goat mortuary
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Photo
464 ft
El Wadi Kabb a las afueras del pueblo de Kabb
El Wadi Kabb a las afueras del pueblo de Kabb
Photo
473 ft
Cauce del Wadi Khabb bastante definido (probablemente semi canalizado), en su paso por el pueblo de Khabb
Quite defined Wadi Khabb channel (probably semi-channeled), as it passes through the town of Khabb
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Photo
531 ft
Pared del costado derecho del cauce del Wadi Khabb, con característica erosión de los materiales sedimentarios
Wall on the right side of the Wadi Khabb channel, with characteristic erosion of sedimentary materials
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Photo
640 ft
El wadi se estrecha y comienzan a aparecer rocas grandes
El wadi se estrecha y comienzan a aparecer rocas grandes
Photo
805 ft
Cañón parcialmente obstruido por grandes rocas. Hay derrumbes a ambos lados, pero se encuentran pasos
Canyon partially blocked by large rocks. There are landslides on both sides, but there are steps
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Photo
820 ft
Paso por el costado derecho del wadi. Hay una senda bastante definida y señalizada con algunos hitos
I pass along the right side of the wadi. There is a fairly defined and signposted path with some milestones.
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Photo
894 ft
Zona de derrumbe en el costado izquierdo. Parece complicado, pero no lo es
Collapse area on the left side. It looks complicated, but it is not. There are two routes: either go up directly through a kind of quarry in front of us (a route used on the way back), or go up a little and follow the small ledge located on the right side of the wadi. Both ways are fine.
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Photo
963 ft
Hay que buscar las mejores vías. Barranco afluente por el costado derecho
You have to look for the best ways. Tributary ravine on the right side
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Waterfall
988 ft
Cascada seca, que rodeamos por el costado derecho del wadi
Cascada seca, que rodeamos por el costado derecho del wadi
Waterfall
1,062 ft
Otra bonita garganta y cascada seca. Hay que subir un poco, por la izquierda. Tenue senda, algunos escalones y un hito
Another nice dry gorge and waterfall. You have to climb a little, to the left of the wadi. Tenuous path, some steps and a milestone
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Photo
1,226 ft
Nos aproximamos al nacimiento del wadi. Bajan varias torrenteras en cascada seca de unos 200 m. de altura
We approach the source of the wadi. Several torrents descend in a dry waterfall of about 200 m. Tall
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Photo
1,271 ft
Un obstáculo importante. Es posible encontrar una vía para superarlo, pero decidimos no continuar adelante
A major obstacle. It is possible to find a way to overcome it, but we decided not to continue forward, since the proximity to the base of the cliffs indicates that the bottom of the wadi is already very close.
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Photo
944 ft
Opción de paso diferente al trayecto de ida
Opción de paso diferente al trayecto de ida
Photo
395 ft
Wadi Kabb en el punto de confluencia con el Wadi Ghalilah, en la gran llanura aluvial, y mapas
Wadi Kabb at the point of confluence with Wadi Ghalilah, on the great floodplain, and maps
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Comments (3)
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Pablo de Gàrate un saludo desde Colombia.
Ruta espectacular. Fotos bonitas.
Bonita ruta. Un abrazo
UAE's is a nice country