Together with Columbia Hike Society (managed by Columbia Sportswear ME) and Fujairah Adventures, we recently celebrated the success of the first-ever Outdoor Festival in the UAE. With over 150 hikers from the community, we enjoyed a full day outdoor experience designed with guided hiking, holistic wellness activities, cultural experiences, and even live music under the open skies.
During this event, I was not only a participant but also part of the volunteer team — something I was genuinely excited about as my small way of giving back to the hiking community. Honestly, the whole experience felt refreshing and perfectly fitting as Columbia Hike Society’s first major event of the year.
If you’re curious how the event unfolded, a beginner wondering what it’s like to attend one of their events, or interested in hiking in the UAE but not sure where to start, here’s my full experience.
What is the Columbia Hike Society & Outdoor Festival?
Led by Tarek Zaidan, one of the UAE's most well-known mountaineers, Columbia Hike Society was launched in May 2025. To kickstart its adventure presence in the GCC region, Columbia organized a sunset hike to Jebel Jais Peak. I happily joined, and it's my first hike with Columbia Hike Society in the UAE.
Not only was the hike beginner-friendly, but it also took me down memory lane to my early hiking days, when every trail still felt novel and exciting.
Since then, Columbia Hike Society has organized easy guided hiking trails across Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, and even the 30x30 Challenge in Hatta (post coming soon!). This year started with a bang with its Outdoor Festival — a community-based wellness and adventure event that combines hiking, history, and holistic outdoor activities.
Unlike a purely technical hike, the event’s intention was to:
- promote the outdoors and adventure across all fitness levels
- incorporate holistic wellness activities into the outdoor experience
- introduce historical sites to the hiking community
In this case, the event was held around Al Hayl Castle. Located in Wadi Hayl, Al Hayl Castle (also known as Al Hayl Fort) once served as the residence of the ruling family of Fujairah.
Event Highlights & Activities
The day was thoughtfully scheduled with a variety of activities. Of course, everything started with a short briefing from the team. Tarek and Kola led the hiking orientation, while Amar from Fujairah Adventures briefed us about the location.
The Hike at Wadi Hayl
After the briefing, we didn’t waste any time and headed straight to the trail. The hike began as an easy walk from Al Hayl Castle, entering a wadi (dry riverbed). Not long after, we passed a small water spring where we took a short regrouping break.
As we moved further in, the trail gradually picked up elevation. True to the area’s landscape, the terrain was mostly barren, with low shrubs and dry branches. From time to time, we encountered loose rocks as we slowly made our way up toward a hill.
The final stretch of the hill was slightly steep, but thankfully short. Those carrying walking sticks or trekking poles found them very useful for support. This point also served as our turnaround.
After a short rest and a couple of group photos, we retraced the same trail back. In total, we spent almost four hours on the hike. Overall, it was short and beginner-friendly. There were no technical sections — it truly felt like an easy outdoor walk, aside from occasional loose rocks.
Holistic Activities & Historical Site Exploration
A light lunch was shared with everyone, followed by a short break before the second half of the day began. While hiking is usually my favorite activity, this time the post-hike sessions were just as enjoyable.
Everyone became a participant (except the session facilitators). Divided into four smaller teams, we rotated through different activities until we completed all four sessions: breathwork & meditation, sound healing, yoga & stretching, and trail stories & exploration inside Al Hayl Castle.
It might be a little embarrassing to admit that sound healing was my favorite… because I sleep through it. Sleep-deprived me couldn’t help it, but maybe that's the charm of it. And jokes aside, it’s honestly hard to pick a favorite because each session offered something unique and equally refreshing.
Breathwork and meditation surprised me the most though, especially realizing how much intentional breathing can impact recovery and mental clarity.
Although lunch was light, dinner was nothing short of abundant. We were treated to a full catering buffet spread complete with servers. The menu featured Palestinian and Lebanese dishes — easily some of the most beloved cuisines in the region. And of course, the meal ended on a sweet note with kunafa.
After the sumptuous dinner, everyone gathered to unwind with live music from two artists, creating a relaxed and cozy outdoor atmosphere under the night sky.
And just like that, the Columbia Hike Society Outdoor Festival came to an end.
For a quick overview, here’s what the day included:
- Short guided hike
- Breathwork and meditation
- Sound healing session
- Yoga and stretching
- Trail stories and exploration inside Al Hayl Castle
It was honestly a beautiful balance of movement and recovery — a perfect light taper activity before my Burj2Burj Half Marathon.
My Experience as a Volunteer & Participant
While I already have a handful of experiences in volunteering and organizing events, I would still consider myself a newbie when it comes to outdoor volunteering. My FOX.AE family used to organize large-scale events, but officially, this was only my second time volunteering with a well-known outdoor brand. As someone deeply passionate about adventure and the outdoors, I was both excited and a little nervous.
My role during the event started as soon as we boarded the bus in Dubai. To save time upon arrival, we began registering participants while en route to the venue. Once we arrived, we distributed the complimentary Columbia shirts. We also assisted with on-site registration for participants who chose to drive directly to Fujairah instead of joining the bus from Dubai.
After the hike and the distribution of light lunch snacks, our volunteer duties officially wrapped up. We were then asked to fully participate in and enjoy the second half of the event, which became my favorite part of the day. The afternoon flew by quickly, and before we knew it, it was time to wrap up!
While I’m not yet sure when the next Columbia Hike Society event will be, being part of this experience was both an honor and deeply rewarding. Spending the day immersed in nature while supporting the hiking community in the UAE reminded me why I love being involved in events like this. These kind of events continues to humble and inspire me to keep improving myself and step outside my comfort zone.
I’m still a bit bad at networking, though. My social battery was definitely stronger during the sunset hike in Jebel Jais, but hey, one step at a time!
Final Thoughts
Over the years, I haven’t been as active in hiking due to personal reasons, but events like the Columbia Hike Society Outdoor Festival have truly rekindled my passion for the outdoors in the UAE. It also broke the monotony of my (very light) training routine — something I didn’t realize I had been craving.
More than the activities themselves, it was heartwarming to witness the continued growth of the Columbia Hike Society and its community. It was genuinely a privilege to support the event, whether as a participant or as part of the volunteer team.
Before the weather turns warm, I’m hoping to join the next one. Until then — see you on the trails.
