A lake crossing with a difference

Hatta hopes to score points with a new tourist attraction.

In Dubai, it is hoped that the construction of a 5.4-km-long cable car will boost tourism. The plan is that the high-performance ascent aid will provide transport from Hatta Dam to the Umm Al-Nsour summit. The route will carry tourists across the reservoir to Dubai’s highest peak (1,300 metres above sea level).

The plan includes stations both by the car park and on the upper section of the dam, where there is a viewing platform. The latter station is at the summit, where a small hotel and other tourist facilities should entice guests to stay. As a further highlight, it is hoped that the upper slope of the dam can be used to create a waterfall. The water used in the waterfall will be collected at the end of the stream, recycled and pumped back to the top of the dam. Fish farmed in the stream will offer an additional attraction for family tourists.

The cable car and the waterfall are sub-projects of the Dubai Summit, which includes a sustainable strategy for further development of the region. These construction projects are to be implemented in harmony with nature.