A NEW EXCITEMENT FOR MOUNTAIN CRANKERS IN THE UAE
With the UAE positioning itself globally as a premium destination for outdoor sports, e-tourism and international events brand builders seeking to build active communities, HIGHLANDER, the world famous long distance hiking series returns to Ras Al Khaimah on 21 and 22 November 2026, five years after its inaugural appearance in the emirate. Founded in 2017 by a group of passionate hikers in the Croatian Velebit Mountain Range, HIGHLANDER is now an international organization that organizes more than 30 events a year in more than 20 countries, bringing together lovers of the outdoors for multi-day mountaintop excursions.
HIGHLANDER Summit Series will be making its debut in the UAE this year with a new format that eschews the long-distance cross-mountain treks in favor of shorter, but noticeably steeper hikes that will take hikers through rocky wadis, mountain villages and high-altitude trails under Jebel Yabana. Packed with excitement and adventure, the new Summit Series events will start and end at the Bear Grylls Adventure Camp while exploring the Hajar Mountains around Jebel Jais. HIGHLANDER is an elevation- and footing-focused self-guided endurance challenge, rather than a speed-based race. Mental toughness, human health and nature appreciation will be the primary goals, with speed coming secondary.
Open to hikers 18 years and over, the Summit Series will feature two different event formats suited to different levels of fitness and experience:
The HIGHLANDER 1DAY will take place on Sunday 22 November and will feature a 7km looped trek out of Wadi Khammed that features 400m elevation gain/loss with a max elevation of 600m. Hikers will start in a stunning white rock canyon with high walls to weave around and navigate around natural boulders and sculpted ledges before tackling a steep zigzag ascent, before joining a scenic balcony trail with mountain vistas and descending back to the finish line with steady footing and light scrambling over dry rock barriers.
For those who prefer an overnight affair, the HIGHLANDER 2DAY will be held on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November. The 15km trek features around 845m elevation gain and 812m elevation loss with a max elevation of around 1,190m. Day one will see hikers following winding village trails and stone steps past the terraced mountain village of Derat Takem to the Derat Halak high camp (1050m), with hikers who make it to the high camp in time window eligible to tackle an optional scenic viewpoint climb just below Jebel Yabana on the UAE side of the border. Day two will see hikers descending rocky ridges, a wadi gully and goat trails before joining the panoramic balcony trail.
Hikers taking part in the two-day trek will have to be fully self-sufficient with their own camping gear, food and water from start line to setup of their tents at the high camp before the sun sets. A strong focus on the ‘Leave No Trace’ philosophy will be enforced for all hikers, who will have to keep their promise to the environment and leave only their footprints.
Although the trek routes will be self-guided with clear markings, safety infrastructure will be a key focus with dedicated marshals and first-aid support personnel positioned at checkpoints up the mountain to monitor hikers, enforce safety time windows and to assist any hiker who needs to safely exit the race early. Registration is now open at the official HIGHLANDER Ras Al Khaimah portal for AED 250 for the one-day trek and AED 550 for the two-day trek, with also the option to register as a group for two or three.