Shimal Archaeological Site

The plain and hillside at Shimal hold one of the densest concentrations of ancient burial in the region: hundreds of tombs of the Umm an-Nar and Wadi Suq periods, from the third and second millennia BC, ranging from circular collective tombs to long chambered graves built of stacked stone. Above them on a rock terrace stands what is known locally as the Queen of Sheba's palace, a fortified complex of much later date whose walls and cisterns can be walked through.

What you actually see

• The Wadi Suq tombs - long chambered stone graves of the second millennium BC.
• The Umm an-Nar tombs - circular collective tombs of the third millennium BC.
• The hilltop fortification - the terraced complex known as the Queen of Sheba's palace.
• The plain view - the date gardens and coast seen from the terrace.

When to go

November to March; the climb is exposed and summer is dangerous. Early morning is coolest. Winter after rain gives the clearest views.

Honest expectations

The site is unfenced and largely uninterpreted; without a guide or a plan much of it is hard to read. The climb to the hilltop is steep over loose rock. There is no shade or water.

Nearby

Dhayah Fort is north, and Ras Al Khaimah city is south.