There are so many old castles and forts in Al Ain, which remain standing today (although some exist as partial ruins).
If you want to learn more about the history of these castles and forts, this official Government website from Al Ain provides some interesting facts.
We were really keen to see as many castles and forts in Al Ain as we could in one weekend, so WE DESIGNED our very own walking tours!
We not only wanted to learn more about the history of Al Ain, but we wanted to design unique walking tours that you guys could do too!
How To Book
Both walking tours are self-guided and free.
You may need to pay entry for some of these cultural attractions along the way, but most of the forts can only be seen from the outside.
We recommend that you take a taxi, Careem or Uber to arrive at the start of these walking tours and then again at the end of these walking tours. Otherwise, the rest of these walking tours can be done on foot.
we've also included the Google Map links for each castle and fort and some photographs for your reference below.
When To Go
We highly recommend doing these walking tours in the cooler months of the UAE either during the morning or afternoon, ideally between November to March every year, as there is a lot of walking involved outdoors.
Walking Tour Option 1 (Approximately 1-3 Hour walk Between Attractions):
Get dropped off at Al Ain Palace Museum and you have the option to go inside.
There is also the option to get dropped off outside Al Ain oasis, should you wish to explore this historical place too. It's approximately a 6 minutes' walk from Al Ain Oasis to Al Ain Palace Museum.
Then walk to Al Jahili Fort and you have the option to go inside (approximately 15 minutes' walk from Al Ain Palace Museum to Al Jahili Fort).
Next walk to Qasr Al Muwaiji and you have the option to go inside (approximately 42 minutes' walk from Al Jahili Fort).
Across the road from Qasr Al Muwaiji is a great cafe called Flour & Floret, which we'd recommend visiting after you've finished this walking tour.
Walking Tour Option 2 (Approximately 2-4 Hour walk Between Attractions):
Get dropped off at Hili Towers and explore the outside of this old fortress.
Then walk to view the outside of Hili Fort (approximately 14 minutes' walk from Hili Towers). You also have the option to visit Hili Oasis whilst at Hili Fort.
Next walk to the outside of Al Rumailah Fort (approximately 6 minutes' walk from Hili Fort).
Then walk to the outside of Al Darmaki Fort (approximately 36 minutes's walk from Al Rumailah Fort).
Then walk to Al Qattara Arts Centre and once you go inside, you'll see an old fort there.
After your visit there, we'd recommend walking through Al Qattara Oasis to arrive outside the Al wajidi Fort (approximately 10-20 minutes' walk through the Oasis to Al Wajidi Fort).
From Al wajidi Fort, you can walk to the outside of Bin Hamoodah Fort (approximately 15 minutes' walk).
Then walk to Bin Helal Fort, which is approximately 13 minutes' walk from Bin Hamoodah Fort.
A short 3 minutes' walk from Bin Helal Fort is the Bin Helal Tower.
Lastly, it's approximately a 14 minutes' walk from Bin Helal Fort to arrive at the outside of Al Jimi Fort. This is where you can end your walking tour or you can walk to Al Jimi Mall for some refreshments.
We chose to walk to Al Jimi Mall from Al Jimi Fort, which is approximately a 32 minutes' walk. We enjoyed finishing our walking tour by relaxing and enjoying some delicious food at Rain Cafe at Al Jimi Mall.
Good to know: Whilst most/if not all of these cultural attractions above have had free entry in the past and still might have (and most of the forts don't cost any money to view the outside), it's a good idea to call any attractions beforehand, should you wish to know in advance.
Please note: The approximate walking times above are estimates only. The actual times it takes you on the day, will depend upon your walking pace, how long you choose to visit each attraction and whether you visit the cafe at the end.
Tips For Your Visit
Both these walking tours are suitable for all ages and require comfortable walking shoes!
We brought our pram along, so that our Son Thomas could rest at times.
Some of the walking paths were a bit difficult to wheel our pram, but we managed to drag it up a few short hills easily ourselves.
Whilst we didn’t come across any public toilets along the way, most of the cultural attractions like Al Ain Palace Museum and Al Qattara Arts Centre have bathrooms available.
It’s also a good idea to wear sunscreen, hats and sunglasses and bring water bottles along, as you’ll be outdoors the whole time (aside from if you choose to enter the cultural attractions such as Al Ain Palace Museum and/or dine at a café at the end).
What To Expect
Whilst you can’t go inside most of these forts, there are some great photo opportunities from outside these historical buildings.
We were also lucky enough to meet some of the friendly locals along the way, who live in these areas near the castles and forts, so hopefully you’ll get a chance to meet them too!
The Verdict
With so many old castles and forts in Al Ain, we felt that seeing these historical places via foot, was one of the best ways to get a feel for what life might have been like in Al Ain decades ago.
We also came across quite a few animals such as cats and chickens, so Thomas really enjoyed seeing these animals along the way.
We were really impressed with how well most of these castles and forts were maintained.
We also loved ending both walking tours at a café in Al Ain, as it was a much-needed rest from so much walking!
Overall, these walking tours were a great way for our family to explore more of the historical parts of oAl Ain and spend lots of quality time together!
So if you love walking like we do, why not try our walking tours too?
Sounds like fun? Don’t just take our word for it, experience it for yourself.
Be inspired to start or add to your very own bucket lists.
You can also click here for more unique bucket list ideas in the UAE!
Above prices & information correct as of November 2022.
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