For UAE dwellers, spending Saturday morning trekking the country's mountains might be a now-and-again event. Especially when the weather's right, and they've had enough sleep to brave the early start.
But that's not the case for friends Jameela Ahli, Al Anood Mubarak and Huda Bin Redha, as they spend almost every weekend challenging themselves to take on a new adventure across the Emirates.
“We primarily did road trips before starting hiking – we liked to explore the UAE. We'd open Google Maps and think, 'This place looks beautiful,' and just go there,” Ahli, 34, tells The National.
While their friendship deepened during their initial drives – which started just shy of a decade ago – it wasn't until after the height of the Covid-19 pandemic that hiking became the driving force for their weekend excursions.
“When we are in nature, we automatically feel relaxed. Personally, it's my kind of meditation,” explains Bin Redha, 31.
The more they spent time exploring on two feet rather than four wheels, the greater well-being benefits they reaped. From family life to friendship dynamics, the Emirati hikers discuss how the active hobby has had an impact on their lives.
Soothed by nature
Spending the weekdays at work, each friend expresses how a change of scenery is a big draw of hiking. “For me, it's a stress reliever to be in nature,” says Bin Redha. “It's true that hiking can be tiring, but at the same time, it's a fun experience. It's an achievement to me that I do this consistently.”
Ahli enjoys the variety her weekend adventures in the great outdoors provide – during the week, she spends her free time in the city, socialising with friends and family in cafes and restaurants.
“Maybe in the future I'll devote my life to nature, but for now, it's a good mix,” she says.
Likewise, the change in environment evokes a sense of balance for Mubarak, 32. “For me, I realised that the more I am out in nature, I genuinely feel it heals, and it's nice to be away from city noise.
“You stay in a nice quiet area, all you can hear is the wind,” adds Mubarak.
Striking a balance
While nature has provided Mubarak with a sense of balance within, ensuring she has enough time to spend with her loved ones has been more of a challenge.
“[Hiking] did affect my dynamics with other friends and family,” she says. “There was no balance back then, but I really enjoyed it and needed to disconnect for a while in order to reconnect again.”
Nowadays, Mubarak dedicates time to better planning, so she can enjoy being outdoors without compromising relationships with friends who don't share her passion. Learning to balance life at home and life in nature, she now dedicates Fridays to family, leaving her the rest of the weekend to indulge in her hobbies and wind down from the week.
“Having a full-time job exhausts me during the week, but I still try to make plans with my friends who don't enjoy hiking,” she explains.
Capturing the experience
Taking on new heights, Mubarak details how she makes an effort not to post any pictures or videos on social media that might scare her friends and family. With 15.6k followers on the social platform at the time of writing, it seems plenty of people are interested in catching a glimpse of her journeys into the wild.
Capturing their hikes is clearly a crucial part of the experience. “When you see the pictures, you relive the same feeling and experience,” says Ahli, who often posts to her 19.1k Instagram followers. “I can't go and not take pictures, it's to document the beauty of the place and not just the area, even the stuff that happens between us.”
Bin Redha, likewise, shares stunning scenic imagery with her 31.9K Instagram followers, but keeps some just for her. “To capture the moment, we take a lot of pictures, but we only share a fragment of these,” she notes.
From meditation to mindset
While everything in life comes with highs and lows, it seems the benefit of taking up hiking as a hobby has been a net positive for these three friends.
Alongside the meditative experience out on the trails, the experience has moved mountains for their mindset in everyday life, too.
Bin Redha summarises how hiking brings her a sense of achievement, explaining that she's developed a new mentality. Just as on a particularly arduous hike, “if you want something and you set your mind to it, you can actually do it, no matter how hard it is”.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
If you go
Flying
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
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What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
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Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
On racial profiling at airports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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