Bear Grylls Explorers Camp
Mountain cabins and survival courses, for half the year only.
Is Bear Grylls Explorers Camp worth it?
Bear Grylls Explorers Camp is a glamping & camps in Jebel Jais, Ras Al Khaimah, about 90 minutes by road from Dubai International Airport. It has 9 keys and opened in 2021. Lead-in rates start from around AED 450 a night, so check live rates for your dates. Guest reviews average 8.8/10 on Booking.com. It operates seasonally and closes over the summer, so confirm opening dates before you travel.
What you’ll find on-site
- Swimming pool
- Restaurants & bars
- Free Wi-Fi
- On-site parking
Where exactly is it?
Jebel Jais Adventure Peak, Ras Al Khaimah — with the coastline, the Hajar mountains and Ras Al Khaimah’s growing dining scene all within easy reach.
- Check-in / out15:00 / 12:00
- Best monthsOct – Apr
What it’s actually like
Closed for the summer: check before you plan anything
Start here, because it governs everything else. Jebel Jais shuts for the summer, and the shutdown is total: the mountain road, the Jais Flight zipline, the Sky Tour and Sledder, the Via Ferrata, both restaurants, the viewing deck park, and Bear Grylls Explorers Camp. As of this writing the mountain remains closed, and no reopening date for the 2026/27 season has been announced. The 2025/26 season reopened on 31 January 2026 after a weather delay, which gives you a sense of how late it can run.
When it is open, this is a genuinely unusual place to stay: nine cabins built from recycled materials at Jebel Jais Adventure Peak, about 2.7 km below the summit, opened in March 2021 as the first Bear Grylls Explorers Camp lodging anywhere. It is self-catering with a private barbecue terrace per cabin, dog-friendly for an extra AED 50, and it runs instructor-led survival courses. Check the official Visit Jebel Jais channels before booking anything, because the road can also close at short notice after rain.
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At a glance
- Status: seasonal — closed during the summer mountain shutdown, currently closed
- Where: Jebel Jais Adventure Peak, about 2.7 km from the summit
- Cabins: 9, built from recycled materials
- Opened: March 2021, the world’s first Bear Grylls Explorers Camp lodging
- Operator: RAK Leisure, with the Bear Grylls Survival Academy
- Board: self-catering, private barbecue terrace per cabin
- Dogs: welcome for an extra AED 50
- Guest score: 8.8 on Booking.com
- Rates: launch pricing was AED 450 weekday and AED 650 weekend per cabin — check live rates
- Drive from Dubai airport: about 90 minutes
Location and getting there
The camp sits at Jebel Jais Adventure Peak, roughly 2.7 km from the summit of the UAE’s highest mountain, on the cliffs of the Hajar range. The drive from Dubai International is around 90 minutes, the last stretch of it up the mountain road.
That road is the whole story. When it closes, there is no alternative access — the camp is not reachable by another route. Never set off without confirming the mountain is open on the day. Our guide to hotels near Jebel Jais covers where to stay when the mountain is shut, and note that there is currently no conventional hotel on Jebel Jais at all; SAIJ Mountain Lodge by Mantis is expected to be the first, around Q4 2026.
Where you sleep
Nine cabins, constructed from recycled materials, each with warm beds, a private bathroom and a view down the mountain. The operator describes the standard as hotel-style comfort in an outdoor setting, and at 8.8 on Booking.com guests broadly agree.
Nine cabins is very small. In a short season with limited capacity, weekends go early. Book well ahead once the season opens, and be aware that dogs are welcome for an additional AED 50 per stay.
Facilities and food
Self-catering. Each cabin has its own barbecue terrace, and the operator offers breakfast options. There is no restaurant at the camp itself. The mountain’s two restaurants, 1484 by Puro and Red Rock BBQ, close along with everything else during the summer shutdown, so during the season confirm they are open before relying on them.
Bring your food up with you. There are no shops at altitude, and the drive back down to resupply is not a short one.
What you actually do here
The survival courses are the reason most people come. The operator currently lists three tiers: Essential, a four-hour introduction from around AED 350 per person; Wild, a six-hour intermediate course from around AED 550; and Primal, a 24-hour overnight intensive from around AED 950. All are instructor-led and cover skills from fire-starting to shelter-building.
Alongside those, the camp lists archery, axe throwing, air rifle shooting, a ropes course, hiking, abseiling, rock climbing and Via Ferrata, all supervised. The wider Adventure Peak attractions — zipline, Sky Tour, Sledder — are a short distance away when the mountain is open. See things to do in Ras Al Khaimah for the rest.
Who it suits
People who want the activity rather than the accommodation: the survival courses, the climbing, the Via Ferrata. Families with teenagers. Dog owners, since few mountain properties accept pets. Anyone who wants to wake up at altitude in the UAE, which is a short list of options — currently one.
What is good
- The only lodging of its kind on the UAE’s highest mountain
- 8.8 Booking.com guest score — strong for a cabin product
- Instructor-led survival courses at three genuine difficulty levels
- Private bathrooms and barbecue terraces, not roughing it
- Dog-friendly for AED 50, rare at altitude
- Built from recycled materials, in line with RAK’s sustainable tourism work
What is not good
- Closed for the entire summer, with reopening dates announced late or not at all
- The mountain road can also close at short notice after rain
- Only nine cabins, so the season sells out
- Self-catering with no shops at altitude
- Courses are priced separately and add up quickly
- A 90-minute drive from Dubai, with no fallback if the road shuts
Value verdict
Launch pricing was AED 450 weekday and AED 650 weekend per cabin; check live rates, as these are several years old now. For a whole cabin with a private bathroom and terrace at 1,400 metres or so, that reads as fair. Add a survival course and the real spend roughly doubles. The honest framing is that you are paying for the courses and the altitude, and the cabin comes with them.
Who should skip it?
Skip it if you are travelling in summer — you cannot go, regardless of preference. Skip it if you want restaurant dining, room service or a pool. Skip it if you are not going to use the activities, because the cabin alone does not justify the drive. And skip it if a hard-cancelled trip due to a weather closure would wreck your plans, because that risk is real on this mountain.
Nearby alternatives
- Camp 1770 — the other Jebel Jais camp, also seasonal
- Hotels near Jebel Jais — where to base yourself off the mountain
- The Dunes Camping & Safari — desert instead of mountain, open year-round
- Longbeach Campground — coastal camping
FAQ
Is Bear Grylls Explorers Camp open right now?
Not at present. Jebel Jais is in its planned summer closure, which shuts the road, both restaurants, all the adventure attractions and this camp. No 2026/27 reopening date has been published. The previous season reopened on 31 January 2026. Check official Visit Jebel Jais channels before making any plans.
What do the survival courses cost?
The operator currently lists three: Essential, four hours from around AED 350 per person; Wild, six hours from around AED 550; and Primal, a 24-hour overnight intensive from around AED 950. All are instructor-led. These are separate from the cabin rate, so budget for both when comparing.
Can I bring a dog?
Yes, the camp is dog-friendly for an additional AED 50. That is unusual for mountain accommodation anywhere in the UAE. Confirm the current charge and any conditions when booking, and remember the mountain road closure applies to you and the dog equally.
Is there anywhere else to stay on Jebel Jais?
There is currently no conventional hotel on Jebel Jais. This camp and Camp 1770 are the mountain’s only accommodation, and both are seasonal. SAIJ Mountain Lodge by Mantis is expected to become the first hotel there, around Q4 2026. Until then, base yourself off the mountain.
Bottom line
A distinctive, well-reviewed mountain cabin stay built around instructor-led adventure, available for roughly half the year and not at all right now. Worth planning for the moment the season opens — and worth checking the road twice before you drive. More options in our Ras Al Khaimah hotel guide.
How this page was prepared
This page is desk research, drawn from official operator sources and verified guest-review data, not a hosted stay. Course prices are taken from the operator’s current listings and supersede the earlier half-day, eight-hour and 24-hour structure. The 8.8 score is a Booking.com figure, not a RAKTraveller rating. Seasonal status changes — always confirm with Visit Jebel Jais before travelling.
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So, is Bear Grylls Explorers Camp the right call?
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