Jebel Hafit is the mountain that dominates the skyline here, a long, jagged limestone ridge rising abruptly from the desert plain on the border between Oman and the Emirates. Its slopes are littered with beehive-shaped stone tombs, built about five thousand years ago, among the oldest of their kind in the Arabian Peninsula. Hili North Tomb B belongs to the same oasis landscape as the better-known Hili sites and is a short ride from Buraimi, with the mountain filling the horizon to the south.
Hafit is a motorcyclist's mountain. The road to the summit, on the Emirati side, climbs about eleven kilometres with more than sixty bends and hairpins, a well-surfaced, wide road that has become one of the most famous driving routes in the Gulf. It rises to about 1,200 metres, where a hotel and viewpoint look out over the desert and the lights of Al Ain at night. Because it is popular with local riders, it can be crowded on weekend evenings, with some fast and some foolish driving, so take it steadily.
The Jebel Hafit Desert Park, another stop on the same ride, protects the landscape around the foot of the mountain, with gazelles, Arabian oryx and desert birds. The rocks themselves are full of fossils, with ancient marine creatures recorded in the limestone, showing that this desert was once under a shallow sea. The light is best at sunrise and sunset, when the ridge turns copper and the shadows deepen.
Summer heat is severe, with midday temperatures that can top forty-five degrees, and the road surface can become very hot, so ride early or late, and carry plenty of water. Winter is the best season, with clear skies and pleasant temperatures. Buraimi has fuel and basic food, and Al Ain, a few kilometres on the other side of the border, has a larger choice of workshops, hotels and cafes. Border crossings need the right documents, so check requirements well ahead of time. Take a camera and some patience, because the views repay a slow pace.