About us
Do you feel stranded in a concrete jungle of a city? Do you miss nature? Do you crave for adventure? Do you enjoy active holidays more than lazy hotel resorts on a beach? If you answer YES to any of those questions you’ve just found a right place and the right company :) In search of possibilities to spend time outside the city, we created this space for all like-minded people who would like to join us, and since adventure in a group is always more fun, help us make our own holidays a more amazing experience! We don’t mind missing a night out in clubs to get up at 4 am in the morning to go hiking. We enjoy carrying our rucksack rather than a Gucci bag and prefer swapping Louboutin stilettos for hiking shoes. And finally – we prefer walking a few kilometeres uphill than cruising along Sheikh Zayed Road in an air conditioned Porsche (well, most of the times anyway).
Join us on Facebook: Trekkup Dubai and Instagram #trekkup.
See yah soon!! xx
Upcoming events
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Jurassic France | Trekking Across Reunion Island, French Overseas Territory
Dubai Airport Terminal 3, Airport road, Dubai, AEAt first glance, Réunion looks like the classic tropical island escape: palm trees, warm ocean air, Creole villages, and quiet beaches backed by turquoise water.
But do not be misled by the coastline.
Located deep in the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and Mauritius, Réunion was born millions of years ago through violent volcanic eruptions rising from the ocean floor, creating one of the most geographically diverse islands on the planet.
Beyond the beaches, the terrain suddenly rises into volcanic cirques, rainforest valleys, lava plains, waterfalls, and mountain ridgelines disappearing into the clouds. At times, the island feels as though France accidentally attached a volcanic jungle in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
Two volcanic systems dominate Réunion’s landscape: Piton des Neiges, the extinct massif that formed the island itself, and Piton de la Fournaise, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Around them lie the enormous cirques of Mafate, Cilaos, and Salazie, vast collapsed calderas carved over time into landscapes so dramatic they often feel less like Earth and more like an overfunded fantasy film set.
Much of the island now falls within Réunion National Park, covering roughly 40 percent of the territory under UNESCO protection. What makes Réunion exceptional is not only the scenery, but the sheer density of variation compressed into such a small area. Trails begin in subtropical forest and end above the clouds. One day involves waterfalls and jungle humidity; the next, black volcanic plains that look almost Martian.
And then comes the cultural contradiction.Réunion is technically France. Which means you can finish a demanding volcanic hike and still end the evening with excellent wine, proper cheese, and surprisingly perfect pastries. Somewhere between lava fields and mountain villages, the island quietly blends African, Malagasy and European influences into something entirely its own. French is official, Creole is everywhere, and daily life feels remarkably distant from continental Europe despite the baguettes stubbornly refusing to disappear.
Yet beneath the bakeries, beach towns, and French highways lies a terrain shaped by lava, erosion, altitude, and constant geological transformations. Steep, volcanic, and absurdly beautiful. Precisely why we are going.
Let’s go!
Day 1 // Arrival
Arrival in Réunion and overnight.Day 2 // Cirque of Salazie
Transfer to island’s eastern side.
Sugarcane fields, Tamil temples, and lush tropical vegetation reveal a completely different version of France.
Along the way, we’ll stop at a vanilla plantation, pass through Creole villages shaped by African and Indian influences.
The route gradually climbs into the Cirque de Salazie, the greenest and most water filled of the island’s volcanic calderas. Waterfalls spill directly from vertical cliffs into dense jungle below.
Arrival in Hell-Bourg, widely considered one of the most beautiful villages in France, despite being located deep inside a collapsed volcanic amphitheater in the Indian Ocean.
Dinner and overnight in Salazie.Day 3 // The Wild South and Lava Tunnels
Today the lush eastern coastline gradually gives way to black lava fields, jagged cliffs, and raw volcanic terrain shaped by recent eruptions from Piton de la Fournaise. In the Grand Brûlé region, lava flows have repeatedly reached the ocean, physically expanding the island itself over time.
Start with exploration of lava tunnels formed during previous eruptions offers the closest thing to entering another planet without involving NASA paperwork. Beneath the hardened basalt surface lies an underground network of mineral corridors, frozen lava formations, and volcanic conduits still carrying the atmosphere of something geologically unfinished.
Continue south toward Saint-Philippe through one of the island’s most dramatic coastal regions.Day 4 // Piton de la Fournaise
Early departure toward Piton de la Fournaise, one of the most active volcanoes on Earth and the geological engine behind much of Réunion itself.
The road climbs through forests, pastures, and eventually into the absurdly surreal lunar landscape of the Pas de Bellcombe before reaching the trailhead. From here, the hike crosses lava formations, mineral plains, and volcanic rock toward the crater rim itself. The landscape becomes increasingly barren, silent, and otherworldly.
In the afternoon, descend toward Cilaos via the famous Road of 400 Turns, a route carved dramatically into the mountainside and considered one of the great drives of the Indian Ocean, before we re back in the mountains again.Trek: 13 km / 531 m elevation gain / approx. 5 hours
Day 5 // Cilaos and Bras Rouge Falls
Today we start exploring the rugged terrain surrounding Cilaos, one of Réunion’s most isolated and visually dramatic mountain cirques.
The hike toward Bras Rouge Falls leads through dense vegetation, mineral rock formations, and river valleys carved over millions of years by erosion and volcanic activity. Refreshing swim in natural pools en route surrounded by volcanic cliffs and tropical vegetation.
elevation gain
Back in Cilaos, the atmosphere slows noticeably. Thermal springs, mountain gardens, Creole houses, and vineyards create a strange but deeply appealing combination of alpine village and tropical outpost.Trek: 4 km / 390 m / approx. 2.5 hours
Day 6 // Ascent to Piton des Neiges
Late morning departure toward Piton des Neiges, the extinct volcano that, together with its twin Piton, formed Réunion itself and remains the highest point in the Indian Ocean.
The trail climbs steadily through highland forests, tamarind trees, and increasingly rugged alpine terrain. As elevation increases, views open across the surrounding cirques and volcanic relief of the island.
Arrival at the mountain refuge near 2,500 meters. Tonight’s plan is intentionally simple: early dinner, mountain air, and anticipation for the sunrise ascent.Trek: 8 km / 1,100 m / approx. 5 hrs
Day 7 // Sunrise on the Roof of the Indian Ocean
Departure during the night for the summit push the summit of Piton des Neiges.
At 3,070 meters above sea level, the peak offers one of the most extraordinary panoramas anywhere in the region. At sunrise, the cirques, volcanic ridgelines, and cloud systems of Réunion slowly emerge beneath shifting morning light, revealing the full scale of the island’s geography.
Descent back to Cilaos, continue westward toward the coast. Black volcanic rocks relief gradually to beaches and sea shores. Little party never killed nobody celebration in the evening.Ascent: 4 km / 600 m / approx. 2 hrs
Descent: 11 km / 1,700 m / approx. 6 hoursDay 8 // Maïdo and the Cirque of Mafate
Today we drive from sea level to over 2,000 meters in a remarkably short distance, once again demonstrating how geographically unreasonable Réunion really is.
At the Maïdo viewpoint, the island opens dramatically onto the Cirque of Mafate, an isolated volcanic caldera inaccessible by road and reachable only by foot or helicopter. Villages remain scattered deep within the mountains, connected primarily by hiking trails crossing ridgelines and valleys below towering cliffs.
In the afternoon, optional catamaran cruise along the west coast with possible sightings of dolphins, turtles, and seasonal humpback whales.Day 9 // Optional Helicopter Flight and Departure
Morning at leisure or optional activities such as helicopter flight above the island’s inaccessible terrains of cirques, waterfalls and volcanic craters.
From the air, Réunion’s geography becomes fully understandable: a volcanic island built vertically, carved apart by erosion, and somehow held together by roads, villages, and French administration.
Sadly, its time for airport transfer and departure. Au revoir, until we reunite again xLevel of difficulty: moderate to hard (day 5&6)
Activities: trekking, swimming, sightseeing, culture immersion. Optional catamaran and helicopter flights,
Accommodation: lodges, guest houses – double sharing. One night in mountain refuge. Meals excluded except breakfasts and picnic lunch during treks.
Duration: 9 Days.Cost: AED 8,280 excl. flights until SEP 10.
Flights: Emirates via MRU + Air Mauritius approx. 5800 AED.Specifically Excluded:
Any expenses related to visas, meals, optional activities.Visas:
Western passports visa free, otherwise French Overseas visa rules apply.
Visa waiver support for selected passports available for anyone joining early.It is participant sole responsibility to assure admission to country of destination.
On se voit à La Réunion x
Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 050 4848238
Find all trekkups at linktr.ee/trekkup6 attendees
Tagine with Tuaregs | Journey Across Southern and Coastal Algeria
Airport Terminal 3, Dubai, AEAlgeria unfolds across nearly two and a half million square kilometers, from the Mediterranean basin to the center of the Sahara.
Welcome to Africa’s largest country, where Roman ruins face the Mediterranean, prehistoric rock art remains hidden inside volcanic massifs, and fortified desert cities continue to function according to urban principles shaped nearly a thousand years ago.
For centuries, the country stood at the intersection of worlds moving in opposite directions. Phoenician and Roman ports connected North Africa to Europe and the Levant, while caravan routes pushed southward through the Sahara toward the Sahel and West Africa. Ottoman corsairs, Tuareg confederations, French colonial expansion and trans-Saharan trade all left visible traces across the landscape. Some of those routes continue to shape modern Algeria even today.
On this Trekkup expedition, within a single week, the landscape shifts from whitewashed Ottoman alleys above the Mediterranean to black volcanic mountains rising from the central Sahara. The route follows a longitudinal crossing of Algeria, linking the Tuareg south with Kabylia and the Mediterranean coast. Rather than isolating individual regions, our route gradually reveals how geography shaped the country as a whole: desert caravan routes feeding northern ports, mountain strongholds overlooking the sea, and oasis cities engineered for survival at the edge of the Sahara.
We’ll begin in Algiers before continuing nearly 2,000 kilometers south into the Hoggar Mountains, a volcanic wilderness of basalt towers, high plateaus and ancient desert corridors. From there, the route moves northward again through the UNESCO listed M’Zab Valley and into Kabylia, where cedar forests descend toward one of the most dramatic coastlines in the Mediterranean. By the final day, Roman ruins, mountain villages, Ottoman streets and Saharan volcanic landscapes no longer feel disconnected, but part of the same geographic continuum stretching across the African continent.
As a result of such high geographical spread, the cuisine of Algeria is inseparable from the Tuareg world that shaped the Sahara for centuries. Along ancient caravan routes stretching between the Mediterranean and the Sahel, Tuareg communities developed a cuisine built around endurance, hospitality and movement across horizons: slow cooked tagines, hand baked desert breads, mint tea ceremonies and spice combinations influenced by both North Africa and sub Saharan trade.
Throughout the country, Saharan tagines prepared beneath volcanic plateaus to Mediterranean coastal flavors merged into something larger than regional tradition alone, becoming part of a national identity shaped by distance, trade and the unstoppable movement across the African continent.Let’s go!
DAY 1 // ALGIERS + FLIGHT TO TAMANRASSET
Arrival in Algiers, the historical connection between the Mediterranean
and the Sahara.
We start above the Bay of Algiers at Maqam Echahid before descending into the Casbah, where Ottoman palaces and narrow staircases still lead toward the old harbor beneath layers of French colonial architecture. The city reveals abrupt transitions in scale and atmosphere: hidden mosques inside dense alleyways, arcades of boulevards opening toward the sea, puzzles of Ottoman and European urbanism sitting on the same hillsides. After exploring the historic center and waterfront districts, dinner before transfer to the airport.In the evening, a domestic flight carries us nearly 2,000 kilometers south
to Tamanrasset, gateway to the Hoggar Mountains.
Overnight in Tamanrasset.DAY 2 // HOGGAR MOUNTAINS - ASSEKREM
Departure into the Hoggar Massif, one of the most extraordinary volcanic landscapes in the Sahara. As the road leaves Tamanrasset behind, the terrain gradually transforms into immense plateaus, basalt peaks and eroded volcanic formations shaped by millions of years of tectonic activity and desert wind. The scale becomes increasingly difficult to measure: isolated rock towers rise from empty plains while ancient lava fields extend toward the horizon. Lunch near Oued Afilal before continuing upward into the Atakor region.By afternoon, arrival at Assekrem at nearly 2,700 meters above sea level. Near the summit stands the hermitage of Charles de Foucauld overlooking layers of peaks over a high-altitude desert plateau. At sunset the show begins: shifting light compresses the massif into layers of black, copper and deep red hues.
Dinner and overnight in mountain refuge beneath Saharan skies, untouched by artificial light.DAY 3 // ASSEKREM - TAHIFET - GUELTAS - TAMANRASSET
We start the day with a sunrise hike to the view point. The volcanic plateau transforms once again, revealing entirely different textures and relief than the previous evening. After breakfast, descent through remote sections of the Hoggar toward Tahifet, crossing landscapes where erosion carved narrow canyons, isolated pinnacles and hidden gueltas into volcanic rock. Those rare desert water pools sustained nomadic movement and caravan routes across the massif for centuries. By late afternoon, we return to Tamanrasset for rest and free time, with a bit of city exploration. Overnight in Tamanrasset.DAY 4 // TAMANRASSET - GHARDAÏA
Bye, bye deep Sahara! Morning flight takes us northbound to Ghardaïa and the M’Zab Valley. Where the Hoggar reflects geological time on an immense scale, the M’Zab reveals another form of adaptation: fortified desert settlements engineered around climate, religion and collective urban life. Founded by the Ibadi Mozabites more than a thousand years ago, the ksour of the M’Zab Valley features the most sophisticated Saharan urban planning in the Islamic world. Elevated mosques dominate compact settlements designed to preserve shade, airflow and communal structure in extreme desert conditions. The transition from the volcanic south to these highly ordered oasis cities gradually reveals another dimension of Algeria: survival systems refined over centuries at the edge of the Sahara. Overnight in Ghardaïa.DAY 5 // ALGIERS - DJURDJURA MOUNTAINS
Back to Algiers and hit the road eastbound, towards Kabylia. Mediterranean Algeria welcomes us with fresh sea breeze, arid plateaus gradually give way to forested mountains, cooler air and cedar covered slopes. Roads pass through villages suspended along ridgelines before reaching Djurdjura, one of the major mountains of North Africa and a historic stronghold of Berber culture. Short hikes and panoramic stops around Tala Guilef and Tikjda introduce a completely different Algeria from the one left behind in the Sahara only days earlier. Overnight in Djurdjura.DAY 6 // DJURDJURA - BÉJAÏA
Morning hike through cedar forests and limestone ridges of the Djurdjura Mountains before descending toward the Mediterranean coast. The road eventually reaches Béjaïa, where steep mountains collapse directly into the sea, creating one of the most dramatic coastal settings anywhere in North Africa. The city sits beneath towering cliffs and dense forested slopes that historically isolated Kabylia from invaders attempting to control the region from the coast. Béjaïa offers a glimpse into Mediterranean golden eras through Hammadid Ottoman and Spanish fortifications, though the surrounding cliffs dominate the stunning experience. Zig zag roads and immense coastal panoramas where mountains and sea converge almost vertically. Overnight in Béjaïa.DAY 7 // GOURAYA NATIONAL PARK - CAP CARBON
Today we enter landscapes surrounding Béjaïa and the Kabyle coast. Inside Gouraya National Park, trails climb through dense vegetation toward elevated viewpoints overlooking the Mediterranean basin. The coastline here feels less urban than geological, sheer limestone cliffs dropping into deep blue water, narrow headlands extending into the sea, and mountain ridges continuing almost uninterrupted toward the horizon. Later, continue toward Cap Carbon and Monkey Peak, habitat of the endangered Barbary macaque, the only surviving primate population north of the Sahara. The contrast with the volcanic south of the country becomes increasingly striking, yet both regions remain tied together by the same longitudinal route across Algeria. Overnight in Béjaïa.DAY 8 // KABYLIA COAST - RETURN TO ALGIERS
Return westward along the Mediterranean coast toward Algiers. The route passes Roman remains at Tigzirt and Azeffoun, fishing ports, mountain villages and coastal cliffs shaped by the same tectonic forces that continue far south into the Sahara.
Sadly, its time to head to airport for return flight home.
Bye, bye Algeria xLevel of Difficulty:
Easy to moderate, available to everyone.Duration: 8 days
Activities: Off roading, trekking, camping, sightseeing, discovering ancient cities, cultural immersion.
Accommodation and meals:
Hotel - double sharing with one night in mountain refuge. Bivouac meals in the desert included, restaurant meals excluded.Cost: AED 8,420 excl. international flights, 3 domestic flights included.
Cost valid until SEP 13.Flights: approx. 2300 AED.
Visa: visa on arrival arrangements included - visa stamping fee payable on arrival.
Specifically excluded: insurance, visa on arrival fee, restaurant meals.
See yah in Algeria x
Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 050 4848238
Find all trekkups at linktr.ee/trekkup3 attendees
Dragonsky | Three Gorges Dragon Spine + Chongqing, China
Dubai Airport Terminal 1, Deira, dubai, AEThere are cities that grow slowly, block by block, and then there is Chongqing, a place that seems to have been designed by a dragon with a passion for bridges, neon lights, and vertical chaos. Built where the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers meet, Chongqing rises in layers of towers, staircases, hidden lanes, and roads that appear to ignore conventional geometry. Here, trains pass through apartment buildings, streets sit above other streets, and maps become more of a suggestion than a rule. Yet beneath the modern frenzy lies an old mountain city of teahouses, river traders, and fiercely proud cuisine. It is less a destination and more an event.
From this urban theatre, the road leads south to Wulong Karst National Geology Park, where nature appears to have worked on a grand scale with no interest in moderation. Limestone bridges as tall as skyscrapers arc across deep valleys, caves open like cathedral doors, and cliffs plunge into green shadows far below. Waterfalls slip from the rock face, mist curls through the ravines, and every turn looks suspiciously like a film set, because some of it actually was. This is the kind of landscape that leaves hikers speechless and photographers convinced they need just one more shot. If Chongqing is human imagination unleashed, Wulong is the earth’s imagination revealed.
Further east, the Yangtze narrows and the land tightens into the legendary Three Gorges. Near Fengjie stands Baidi City, perched above the river will make you think a visionary had perfect location in mind. Temples, pavilions, and ancient stone paths overlook waters that have carried merchants, poets, generals, and no doubt a few people who took the wrong boat. This is a landscape where history does not sit in museums, it hangs in the mist and echoes in the cliffs.
Then comes Wushan, gateway to one of the most dramatic corners of the gorges. Mountains rise sharply from the riverbanks, clouds gather theatrically, and ridgelines stretch into the distance like the spine of some sleeping giant. Here the famous Dragon Spine hike traces narrow heights above the Yangtze, rewarding brave legs with grand views and mildly offended calves. It is the sort of trail that reminds you how small you are. One moment you are catching your breath, the next you are wondering why your camera cannot capture scale, wind, or goosebumps.
And just when you think the journey has reached peak spectacle, Chongqing welcomes you back with hot springs, massage tables, glowing skylines, and enough evening lights to convince the stars to retire early. This region’s genius lies in its contrasts: city and wilderness, ancient legend and futuristic energy, strenuous adventure and glorious laziness. It is a journey for curious travellers, first-timers, seasoned explorers, and anyone who believes travel should inspire a little awe. Come with comfortable shoes, an open mind, and a respect for chilli peppers!Let’s go!
Day 1 :: Chongqing
Welcome to Chongqing, the rare city where gravity appears optional and urban planning was clearly feeling adventurous. Begin at Liziba Monorail Station, where a train passes directly through a residential building with complete confidence. Continue to Jiefangbei CBD, the energetic commercial heart of the city, before sampling the fragrant chaos of Bayi Road Food Street. Later, stroll along Daijiaxiang Walkway for skyline views that seem designed for cinema. End the evening at Hongya Cave, glowing above the river like an ancient palace that discovered electricity.Day 2 :: Wulong
Travel into the countryside where the city’s neon drama gives way to geological theatre. At Wulong Karst National Geology Park, vast limestone landscapes rise with the confidence of monuments built by time itself. Explore the celebrated Tianxing Three Natural Bridges, colossal arches spanning deep valleys with almost unnecessary grandeur. Continue into Longshuixia Fissure Gorge, where waterfalls, cliffs, and narrow passages create a scene somewhere between fantasy novel and tectonic masterpiece. In the afternoon, Wulong feels wonderfully remote and refreshingly quiet. Return to Chongqing.Day 3 :: Fengjie
Hop on a a high-speed train and journey eastward toward the famed Three Gorges on, where the Yangtze begins to gather dramatic intentions. Stop at Baidi City, an ancient hilltop site layered with poetry, legend, and enviable river views. This was a place where emperors, scholars, and strategists once looked over the same waters now flowing quietly below. Continue through landscapes of steep cliffs of the Yangtze River, Qutang Gorge, and Kuimen. Arriving here feels like entering the prologue to an epic mountain story.Day 4 :: Three Gorges Dragon Spine Hike
Today belongs to altitude, perspective, and pleasantly challenged leg muscles. The Dragon Spine trail above Wushan follows dramatic ridgelines overlooking the Yangtze and the surrounding mountains. Each turn reveals deeper gorges, sharper peaks, and views that make ordinary postcards seem underqualified. The path is adventurous without losing its dignity, thrilling without becoming theatrical. Return to Chongquing by high-speed train with tired feet, clear lungs, and a suspicious number of photographs.
But its not yet time for bed, as evening falls, the city skyline resumes its role as one of Asia’s great visual spectacles.
Its time for a Chongquing synchronized drone light show that turns the sky itself into entertainment.Day 5 :: Chongqing
Civilization greets you with comfort and excellent timing. Reward recent heroics at Golden Impression SPA, a refined sanctuary of massage, wellness, and strategic recovery. Free time at leisure.Day 6 :: Return
Its time to reach the skies again, this time for return flight home. Bye, bye China xLevel: Moderate – includes 6 hrs hike, 650m elevation gain.
Activities: trekking, sightseeing, cultural immersion.
Accommodation & meals: 4 star hotel - double sharing, meals excluded.Cost: 8,450 AED incl. flights until SEP 11.
Past this date cost will change.Specifically excluded: Visas, meals, insurance.
Visa: AUS, EU, UK passports visa free, except Czech Republic, Lithuania and Sweden. Other passports - third party visa agency only.It is sole responsibility of participant to secure entry to
country of destination.See yah at Dragon’s x
Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 050 4848238 / docs@trekkup.com
[Find all trekkups at linktr.ee/trekkup](https://linktr.ee/trekkup)5 attendees
Past events
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