Ancient Trade Routes And Cross Remote Plateaus: Hiking in Oman

Oman’s mountains provide excellent conditions for trekking. Intrepid explorers can expect to stumble across otherworldly vistas, unusual fossils and herds of impressively sure-footed mountain goats. Hikes through Jabal Akhdar often follow T. Falaj, or rivers of underground water that have been channelled through narrow canals for irrigation, connect many of the mountain villages. On hot summer days, groups of local children splash around, dipping in and out of the falaj’s cooling flow.

Perched at 2,000m, the town of Wakan is ringed by walking trails of varying degrees of difficulty. With its surrounding date palms, grapevines and pomegranate trees, it personifies Jabal Akhdar (“Green Mountain”). The village is often rated as one of the Sultanate’s prettiest. The trek to the precipitous Wadi an Nakhur, known as the Grand Canyon of the Middle East, is punctuated with panoramic vistas. Clusters of ancient stone homes, such as the picturesque Al Sab and Birkat al Mawz, perch along its lofty peaks.

Musandam, the northernmost region of the country, offers experienced hikers rocky, wide-open terrain that spills across dramatic cliffs. On a clear day, It is possible to see across the Strait of Hormuz to the Iranian coastline. Around the coastal village of Sur, the Eastern Hajar Mountains enable visitors to combine elevated trekking with beachside camping.

For trekkers keen to leave Oman’s tourist trails far behind, centuries of Arabian Sea erosion have created the stunning limestone rock formations at Ras Duqm in the southern region of AlWasta. Its surrounding terrain draws gulls and terns, making it particularly appealing to keen birdwatchers. Ras Markaz, a remote promontory located here, shelters a kilometre-long sandy beach.

In contrast to Oman’s other regions, Salalah in the southern Dhofar province enjoys the annual monsoon, or khareef. Cooler temperatures, perennial waterfalls and a year-round verdant landscape make the region ideal for exploring on foot.

Experiencedrock-climbers seeking more challenging routes in Oman may refer to this Press Pack’s ‘Adventure Travel’ section. For hikers of all levels, Oman Trekking Explorer is an excellent guidebook to the country’s many and varied trails. It can be found on www.askexplorer.com. 

Discover more about Oman: www.omantourism.gov.om