Abu Dhabi City Municipality has opened three climate-controlled walking tracks around the emirate, providing both residents and visitors with an opportunity to enjoy physical activity outdoors despite the soaring heat and humidity of the summer months.
As part of its efforts to make the capital more attractive to residents, the local administration has prioritized the creation of outdoor sporting facilities that take into consideration the region’s climate, rather than encourage people to exercise indoors during the warmest time of the year.
The initiative covers six parks and two walkways, including Al Khalidiyah Park, Al Mamoura Walkway and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Park, which will benefit from the new climate-controlled walking tracks.
According to local authorities, the project aims to reduce the discouraging effect of searing summer temperatures and promote healthy outdoor activity in general, as well as contribute to the municipality’s plan for making Abu Dhabi a more walkable city.
Al Mamoura Walkway, in the Al Nahyan area, became the emirate’s first fully air-conditioned outdoor walking track when it opened in 2025.
It relies on an underfloor cooling system that holds the temperature near 24°C, paired with a design that lets in natural light despite the climate control.
King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Park, opened by the Department of Municipalities and Transport last December, houses a roughly 700-metre air-conditioned track that keeps a steady temperature of about 25°C.
The track sits within a larger complex of sports, recreational and green facilities, positioning the park as a year-round destination rather than a seasonal one.
The third site, Al Khalidiyah Park Walkway, opened in June and stretches 660 metres, also maintained at around 25°C. Municipality officials note the track has been designed to accommodate walkers and runners of all ages, including senior citizens and people of determination, who might otherwise avoid outdoor exercise during the hottest months.
Beyond offering relief from the heat, officials frame the tracks as a public health measure, arguing that removing weather-related obstacles encourages more consistent physical activity and greater use of shared community spaces.
The municipality has linked the project to a broader strategy of adapting city infrastructure to Abu Dhabi’s climate while expanding recreational access across all seasons, part of a pattern that has also seen other emirates, including Sharjah, invest in dedicated outdoor running and walking infrastructure this year.
