Wadi Al Helo

Wadi Al Helo (“sweet valley”) is a protected mountain valley in the Hajar Mountains of Sharjah’s eastern region, about 20 km southwest of Kalba. It is for hikers, families and anyone interested in nature and archaeology, with walking trails, wildlife and remains of Bronze Age copper production.

Nature and walking

Visit Sharjah, the emirate’s official tourism site, says the wadi has plentiful underground water and is a protected area for endangered birds, reptiles, rodents and freshwater fish. The most popular trail is an easy walk to the top of a hill, where an old fort gives a 360-degree view of the mountains. Longer walks follow animal tracks deeper into the wadi, where you may see Arabian oryx and desert flowers. Guided hiking tours are suggested for families.

A Bronze Age copper site

Since February 2023, “Wadi Al Helo: Testimony of Bronze Age Copper Production” has been on UNESCO’s Tentative List for the UAE, submitted by the Ministry of Culture and Youth. A Tentative List is a country’s list of sites it may later nominate; it is not World Heritage status. According to the entry:

• the valley covers an estimated 84 sq km;
• it holds open-cast copper mines, smelting workshops on the slopes, slag heaps, a casting pit and a watchtower at the valley entrance;
• rock art in the valley includes T-shaped figures, boats and the now-extinct Syrian wild ass;
• copper from the wadi is thought to have supplied Bronze Age sites such as Tell Abraq, Kalba and Umm an-Nar.

The archaeological sites are protected and managed by the Sharjah Archaeology Authority under Sharjah’s cultural heritage law (Law No. 4 of 2020).

Good to know

• Access is off the E102 Sharjah-Kalba Road, about 20 km southwest of Kalba.
• Visit Sharjah does not list opening hours or an entry fee for the wadi.
• Only part of the valley has been excavated; treat the archaeological remains and rock art as protected and do not touch or remove anything.
• It is an open natural area with no listed facilities; take water and avoid the hottest hours.

Description written from official sources, checked 24 October 2026: visitsharjah.com, whc.unesco.org. Confirm details with the business before you go.