UAE’s highest peak Jebel Jais gets an 80km hiking loop and five-day climb

Ras Al Khaimah: Good news for hiking enthusiasts. UAE's highest peak, Jebel Jais, is set to get a major expansion of its hiking and climbing network, including an 80-kilometre Grand Loop and a five-day Via Ferrata, or iron path, stretching up to 20km across four sections.

Marjan Lifestyle, a division of master developer Al Marjan, announced Monday it is advancing the trail network on Jebel Jais with new connections, rehabilitation of existing routes, climbing developments, wayfinding and environmental monitoring.

The developments are aimed at turning Jebel Jais into more than a destination for short mountain outings, with the new Grand Loop designed as a multi-day journey combining hiking, climbing, camping, cycling and exploration.

The Grand Loop will be the flagship element of the programme. The 80km route will draw on Jebel Jais' interconnected trail system, linking existing trails with new connections across the mountain.

The concept is designed to allow visitors to spend several days on the mountain rather than experiencing Jebel Jais through a single excursion.

Marjan Lifestyle CEO Donald Bremner said the aim was to make the mountain itself the destination.

“The opportunity on Jebel Jais is to make the mountain itself the destination.”

He said the Grand Loop and Via Ferrata would allow people to experience the mountain “over a longer journey”, while stressing that the underlying trail infrastructure was equally important.

“This starts with how the trails are built, how people navigate them, how climbing is managed and how we protect the environment around them.”

A separate five-day Via Ferrata, or iron path, is also being developed across the cliffs of northern Ras Al Khaimah. The route is planned to extend for up to 20km, divided into four sections of varying difficulty.

It is inspired by the Via Delle Bocchette in the Brenta Dolomites and is expected to be supported by a network of mountain shelters that can only be reached on foot.

The Via Ferrata is still under development, meaning the full five-day experience is not being presented as an already operational attraction.

Marjan Lifestyle is also working on new climbing routes and a development framework intended to create more consistent management standards for the climbing network.

At Wadi Khammed – Hidden Oasis, trail rehabilitation is underway, alongside the creation of new interlinking trails. Professional trail-building techniques are being introduced, with work including improvements to trail width, grade mitigation and rock crossings.

Wayfinding is also being developed, with temporary signage planned ahead of the season opening.

Mountain rescue support is expected to be provided across the trail network, complementing the work of the relevant emergency authorities.

Bremner said the focus was not simply on adding more routes.

“We want to create a network that people can enjoy for years to come without losing the character that makes Jebel Jais unique.”

The expansion is being planned alongside biodiversity work on the mountain.

A biodiversity assessment by AJAZ Environment Consultants during 2025–26 recorded 45 plant species, 29 bird species and eight mammal species across the Jebel Jais survey area.

The assessment also documented species including the Arabian Red Fox, Afro-Asiatic Wildcat, Brandt’s Hedgehog and Arabian Spiny Mouse.

The findings are being used to inform trail planning, habitat protection and environmental monitoring as access to the mountain is expanded.

The assessment will also provide a baseline for future surveys and continued monitoring.

Trail and climbing improvements are expected to continue through the 2026/27 season, with development currently underway across the network.

For UAE residents and visitors, the changes point towards a shift in how Jebel Jais can be experienced — from individual hikes and climbing activities towards longer, multi-day mountain journeys.

The Grand Loop is planned at 80km, while the Via Ferrata will cover up to 20km across four sections, giving the mountain two new long-distance adventure concepts alongside its existing attractions.