“Are you planning on joining the girls on any of their trips this year?” I asked Eman as we were walking side by side on a trail at the start of Wadi Kub in Ras Al Khaimah.
I had just seen the list of year-round trips by an all-women travel group called Encounters and wanted to check if Eman had decided on any of the locations since we serendipitously met on a previous trip with the same group, who later became our mutual friends, just a couple of years ago.
Eman responded by tracing both palms of her hands over her newly bulging pregnant belly, quietly announcing that she’s expecting, and gently suggesting that long-term travel plans would be paused for now. Ahead of us was Ahmad, Eman’s husband and lead guide of our trail.
Their shared love for exploring landscapes and connecting with nature brought them closer professionally, then personally. It was of no surprise, and a great joy, when news of their union became official. Before becoming husband and wife, both were already driven by a shared curiosity towards the landscapes and stories that make the UAE unique. Their conversations often revolved around mountains, historic villages, forgotten pathways, and the people who once called these places home.
As they spent more time exploring and learning together, they also became more aware of how deeply connected the land is to the families and communities that shape its history. Their love for nature became intertwined with both their emotions and lifestyle, eventually blossoming further with the arrival of their young one, Fahad.
Even before becoming parents, their mindset was already family centred, especially when it came to planning excursions that could absorb varying family structures. Whether someone wanted to show up with their very young children, siblings, or adult children accompanying older parents, there always seemed to be room for everyone. Many of the places they visited together taught them that heritage lives not only in landmarks and traditions, but also in the values passed from one generation to the next through hospitality, resilience, and care.
Aside from that, the trails they choose carry historical, geological, and botanical importance that they feel is necessary to shed light on.
Their nurturing nature has prompted them to focus on safety, knowledge, and enjoyment, thus immersing their guests in the love they feel for the landscape and for each other.
“I don’t see a path, wait here, I will check how we can continue,” Ahmad cautioned us as we continued on the Wadi Kub hike, our bingo sheets long crossed out.
“I found one!” Eman exclaimed.
Their balancing of each other is ever present in life and work. I first worked with Ahmad Jalil and Eman Almarri when I was in the early stages of planning a series of menu excursions called Eat the Landscape. I knew I wanted to keep guests safe and informed, so I opted to work with YRZ Adventures, a licensed adventure company based in the UAE headed by Ahmad.
When I approached them to work together, I got much more than what I bargained for; I was met with reciprocity, care, humour, and responsibility. They both held space for me as I figured out how to implement something that I was previously only used to within an art context supported by arts and culture institutions, and which I had now ventured into setting up independently. They filled necessary gaps naturally and calmly, helping wherever needed, sometimes while slightly compromising on their own tasks. The event was a success, but there was also much to note. They both sat me down afterwards and calmly explained how I could improve and how we could work together more smoothly in the future. This is a moment I return to whenever I see how expanded their care can be.
Ahmad was soothing Fahad after a bottle feed while Eman and I rounded up our conversation late into the night during a visit to my cafe. I soon waved the little family goodbye as they drove away, packing up their baby’s bag and our conversations on near-future working plans, while keeping their natural knack for intentionality at the centre of it all.
