Samira Sheth enjoys the rare privilege of camping in Wadi Wurayah

In April of 2009, His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Mohammad Al Sharqi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Fujairah, passed a decree declaring Wadi Wurayah a protected area. The royal order came after three years of nature research projects led mainly by environmentalists from the Emirates Wildlife Society in association with the World Wide Fund for Nature and officials from Fujairah Municipality.
I last visited the wadi when the official announcement was made to make it the country’s first mountain protected area. And of course, on entering the wadi I was immediately struck by the beauty of the place. So, this year, when the EWS-WWF team organised a media camping trip, I was equally quick to join in. Wadi Wurayah is not the easiest place to reach on your own – there are no road signs to begin with and the entrance of the wadi is really rough and rocky and needs hardy 4-wheel drive vehicles to negotiate. Preferably one should go in a group so that one has support if one’s car breaks down. And of course, it helps when one’s guides are the passionate environmentalists from EWS-WWF who can show you the wadi in ways you wouldn’t have thought of.
The team really knows the area well and is eager to share their knowledge. Wadi Wurayah is one of the UAE’s most unique and delicate environments and is considered to have tremendous environmental and scientific value due to its exceptional biodiversity. The valleys and mountains of Wadi Wurayah cover an area of 129 square kilometres north of Fujairah. The area is valuable for its stunning rock formation and the fact that it hosts 12 species of mammals, 73 species of birds, 17 species of reptiles and amphibians, 1 species of fish and 74 invertebrate families, of which 11 are new species for science. More than 300 species of plants have been recorded in the area, including species that are found only in wetlands such as Typha dominginsis and the unique orchid species of UAE: Epipactis veratrifolia. Apart from this magnificent biodiversity, there is the wadi’s main attraction, a waterfall almost at the entrance of the wadi, and a bat cave. Hiking through the area is full of surprises as the views are spectacular and there are many rock pools one can wade through. Our guides pointed out the valuable Shooh tree, the leaves of which are used in many cosmetics and we even munched on the deliciously sour Hamadey leaves, growing between the rocks.

Since we visited the wadi after the rains that hit Fujairah earlier this year, there was plenty of water in the waterfall and the pools and luckily no dust at all. Unfortunately, the waterfall’s beauty is marred by the prolific graffiti on its surrounding rock walls and litter strewn about by unthinking individuals.
Luckily, since the area has been declared protected, there are plans afoot that will hopefully deter such individuals. Officials say the new status of the area will mean taking short and long-term steps to preserve the environment and nature through improved security and raising environmental awareness. Plans are also afoot to develop further research into the area and establish visitor information centres complete with guides. Plans to preserve the area will include rangers and fines for disregarding environmental laws. Educational and awareness will also take a front seat in introducing the beauty of the area to visitors and the younger generations. EWS-WWF officials also plan to introduce proper signage to make the wadi more accessible.
Until that happens, head towards Dibba-Al Aqah from Fujairah and take a left just before the big sign for Orimix cement. Follow the road until it forks into two, then take a left and keep going until you eventually reach a badly made sign that says ‘Wadi Wurayah’. As far as natural beauty goes, there isn’t much that can beat this particular wadi in the UAE.