Jebel Yanas – Where the Mountains Become Spiritual

There was a time when I never considered myself an adventure seeker.

I wasn't someone who woke up thinking about mountains, hiking trails or getting away from everything.

Then I started dune bashing.

Slowly, that took me into the mountains.

And somewhere along the way, I discovered that driving through the mountains was only the beginning.

Hiking through them changed something inside me.

Jebel Yanas was one of those places.

The Mountains Are Good for the Soul

There is something difficult to explain about being surrounded by mountains.

You suddenly realise how small you are.

Not in a frightening way.

In a beautiful way.

The mountains seem to put everything into perspective.

The things that felt so important yesterday don't seem quite as important anymore.

The deadlines.

The emails.

The phone calls.

The endless notifications.

The problems that occupy our minds every day.

When you are standing among these enormous mountains, they somehow become quieter.

And so do you.

That is what I mean when I say the mountains are spiritual.

From Off-Roading to Hiking

My initial attraction to the mountains was driving.

Finding a dirt track.

Climbing a steep section.

Choosing the right line.

Feeling the vehicle move over rocks and uneven terrain.

But hiking gave me something completely different.

Once I started walking, I began noticing things that I would have completely missed from inside a vehicle.

Small mountain farms.

Green patches hidden between the rocks.

Old structures.

Hanging gardens.

Hidden oases.

And most importantly, people still living in these mountains.

That discovery made me look at the UAE differently.

This wasn't just an empty mountain landscape.

These mountains have supported communities and their way of life for generations.

Some of the hiking routes around Jebel Yanas pass mountain farms, plantations and villages, with views towards Wadi Naqab and the surrounding Hajar landscape.