SLOL stands for Sri Lankan Outdoor Lovers in the UAE. They are a platform for anybody who is looking for a break, away from the hustle and bustle of city life and be a part of an active outdoor weekend.

The group originated as a Facebook page in mid-2013, starting out as an idea by two over-enthusiastic outdoorsmen. The group soon grew to over 75 members within a year’s span. As both of the founding members work demanded odd hours of working, initial trips to desert was always in midnight.

One of the earliest memories that the group recalls was their first trip to Fossil Rock which started at 12:30 a.m. in the morning! It was a rare sight to see two 4x4s with roof mounted lights breaking the silence of the dark desert, sailing over the undisturbed dunes during the wee hours of the morning.

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With the growing SLOL family, safety became the first priority. Basic safety tips on desert driving, handling recovery tools, how to select a proper camping spots, etc are being discussed regularly during group’s gatherings. The group also encourages the members to have basic mechanical know-how to tackle minor issues while away from any immediate help. SLOL is not merely a 4×4 club or a group, off-road driving is only one activity out of a long list of activities that SLOL is part of. Some of the members take part in marshalling and organizing major automotive events in UAE, dirt bike racing, long distance running and even intense cycling in their free time. Passion for the outdoors is the key to be a part of SLOL, owning a 4×4 will only compliment other activities.

The group particularly loves a calm drive through the dunes or wadis to arrive at a suitable camping spot before the darkness sets in over looking endless dunes or mountains. Their passion for outdoors and their own culture shows here as a full meal finds its way to the table by the time the campfire is keeping the happy weekenders warm on a cold night. The group is famous to skip a more obvious BBQ because they tend to go out of their way to prepare a full Sri Lankan meal with several dishes to cater the vegetarian and non vegetarian requirements of the members. As the night matures, the guitars, drums and dedicated sound system will break the silence.

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Skies full of stars, smooth music, great friends with delicious food — what more can someone ask for. Kids are also part of the group as they also enjoy having the time of their life every weekend in the outdoors. Rather than sitting in front of a TV screen or a computer they experience nature, learn skills and develop the liking to be active. Sometimes it is a shame to see the desert has been polluted so much so that the group maintains a strict ”all go in must come out” policy among their members. They urge other groups and friends to join hands to keep the desert clean. The group has hosted several desert cleanup drives so as to preserve it for the next generation.

One main highlights of the club so far is to see frost in mid-winter on the peak of Jebel Jais and the four days Oman overlanding trip in April this year. The Sri Lankan Outdoor Lovers in the UAE value the experiences that members and their families take home from a fun filled weekend and it is one of their tenets – to have an enjoyable, worry-free weekend.


Words By: Eranga Yasas

Photos By: Joanna Fernando and Channa Munasinghe