Kia feels the burn on the Highlander UAE, a 30km two-day trek in the Hajar Mountains
When I agreed to do the Highlander UAE, I didn’t know that the entire universe would conspire against me. I’d planned to be fighting fit because I knew that the trek would be challenging, but due to a healing wound for which I needed stitches I wasn’t able to exercise for the three weeks leading up to the trip. This impacted my fitness and, in turn, my ability to deal with the 30°C heat. On top of this, in what felt like a cosmic cruelty, I found myself battling a cold.
Add to this the fact that I hate camping and that I’ve never trekked with a heavy pack before and you have a recipe for misery.
Still, I was committed.
Peter and I set off at 7.30am on the first day. I had done multi-days treks before – five days on the Salkantay Trek in Peru and four in the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia – but both of those were fully guided, meaning that the tour company transported our tents and luggage from campsite to campsite and provided cooked meals. This time, we were responsible for carrying everything we would need, more similar to the traditional trekking that Peter loves so dearly.
For us, Highlander was a nice halfway point. These branded treks are a blend of guided and self-sufficient trekking. The logistics are largely taken care of with internal travel to and from trailheads, routes, food, maps, checkpoints and campsites all pre-arranged. Trekkers are only responsible for getting themselves and their gear to the start point (and walking the trail of course). The treks are non-competitive, but there are daily checkpoints to pass through to gain a certificate and medal upon completion.
The Highlander UAE would be Peter’s fourth such trek after Croatia, Greece and Georgia – but my first. It’s partly why we opted for the ‘Experience’, a two-day 30km version of the Highlander UAE instead of the ‘55’, a three-day 55km version.
I started off confidently. My pack, which weighed about 10kg, was comparatively light thanks to Peter carrying our tent, stove, gas and cookware. I also benefited from hiking poles, which are said to take 20-25% of the load off the legs. Our pace was good, the temperature was pleasant and we had plenty of water (a whopping four litres each given the…
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