Hiking in Oman, what to do in the United Arab Emirates, a sports holiday to have fun with friends without spending too much, read the post and book your adventure holiday in Oman.
If you are a walking lover, you like being outdoors, camping under a starry sky and sleeping in a tent then theOman is the country you need to put on the top of your wish list. As big as Italy, it offers wonderful landscapes, ranging from the desert, to the mountains, to the sea and the wadis.
Le mountains of Oman host a very varied fauna and flora, definitely worth visiting the 'mountain of the sun', that is Jabal shams in Arabic, more than 3000 meters high, the highest point in the Hijar mountains. Offers great views of Oman's Grand Canyon, Chourfat al Nakhr, which I recommend to see with the first light of the sun or at sunset. There are many paths that can be done and which are well traced on site. So arm yourself with water and camping gear if you want to spend the night outdoors.
Another mountain not to be missed is Jabal Akhdar, or 'green mountain', renowned for the vast plateau which often hosts festivals or concerts. It is only 2 hours from Muscat, the capital of Oman. You go down to the plateau only in 4 × 4. Bring a sweater, as temperatures often drop below freezing in winter.
As for wadis, there are plenty of them all over the country. They are canyons, which can be more or less deep. At the base there is a river, which is present only in the presence of precipitation and which can also cause floods and consequently problems with road structures, also leading to accidents. But if we want to look on the bright side it is when the wadis are full of water that it is nice to visit them. For example Wadi Bani Awf, in the Omani region of Dakhiliyah, offers the intrepid lover the possibility of making a real obstacle course, where sometimes the rope can help to descend from too large rocks.
Pools of water alternate with jumps 'into the void' where only courage and a spirit of adventure helps to let go and dive in the hope that there is enough water under your feet.
It is recommended to go early in the morning to catch the sun and avoid shadow and darkness. Go with a large group, with two cars, so as to start the itinerary from the top and have the car available once you get down. Bring waterproof bags with you but don't overfill them, just with water (a bottle is enough), your car keys, a rope and dried meat or fruit that won't spoil with water, such as apples. If you take a break for lunch, allow around 3 and a half or 4 hours to finish.
If this is your first time visiting Oman and you don't have many days to spare, dedicate a day to discovering Wadi Shab. Here, once the car is parked, a wooden boat crosses the river that appears in front of us. You walk among the palm trees along the canyon and, as you advance, you will encounter pools of crystalline water. At the bottom of the Wadi a lake of karst origin attracts attention, therefore, go into it and discover that there is a cave, where many locals and do not spend their days jumping, yes because here everything lends itself to reckless dives and sincerely to what dangerous, but for risk takers it is impossible to give up.
Not far from Wadi Shab stop at Wadi Tiwi and enter. We recommend having a 4 × 4 to be able to climb to the top or, if on foot, arm yourself with lots of water and patience because it is not for everyone. Also consider the temperatures, which in summer can reach peaks of 50 ° C. Dwell on the wonder of the vegetation that appears before your eyes, enriched by cultivated fields that offer the view of banana trees, papayas and mangoes. It is like being in the earthly paradise. There are viewpoints from which you can see villages, the ocher walls of the wadi and, if you are lucky, even migratory birds with unique colors.
For those who have more days available, also consider Wadi Bani Khaled, which is easily reached if you are in Sur or if you are leaving the Wahiba desert and want to reach Sur. Very welcome stop, which has natural water pools where you can dive, but be careful! Little fishes come to bother your ankles, but don't worry, they're harmless. If you dine here, don't bring anything with you, but stop at the only restaurant you see and eat chicken biryani or an Omani dish, cooked by Indians.
In Oman it is not necessary to carry a lot of weight, on the contrary try to travel light to enjoy walks in peace and lightness. Better if equipped with ad hoc clothes, such as waterproof t-shirts and trousers, which keep the body warm and dry easily, same thing for shoes, which must be comfortable, but suitable for entering the water. Shopping with food that resists in waterproof bags or plastic bags that don't let water through.
Never be alone if you decide to go into Canyons that require special physical efforts, bring with you a water-resistant camera to capture the funniest moments of the day and always a hat, to protect yourself from the sun, which can sometimes be really very strong. A high protection sunscreen also helps. And don't forget to bring the desire to explore, learn, throw yourself into the void and have fun in a country that has a lot to offer.
