Up the next morning for our drive up to Jebel Shams, Oman’s highest mountain at 3028 m. Decided to first check out the nearby village of Misfat Al Abriyeen, 7km north of Al Hamra. It’s one of the few villages in the area that welcomes tourists. A twisty road uphill then parked near the village entrance and walked through the narrow lanes. Climbed up to a coffee house on a rocky outcrop for amazing views and a cup of java. Got a bit lost in the maze of alleys and stumbled upon the village’s falaj system. This is an ancient water distribution network that irrigates the village’s crops and obligatory date palm grove. It’s quite amazing, concrete channels bring water from an underground source to the terraced fields. Finally found our way out and started out for Jebel (Mountain) Shams 50km to the northwest. Somewhat treacherous drive up the mountainside on winding dirt road.
Found our hotel and stopped for lunch before driving to the end of the road to start our ‘Balcony Walk’ hike. This was a real challenge, not the walking itself but the fact that it was a narrow, rocky path on the edge of a canyon (Wadi Ghul). The straight drop beside the path was a mere 1000m, a long way to tumble. Difficult for those of us with a fear of heights. Walked in for about 1 hour, not the whole 5km. Stopped at a small coffee stand for a cold drink before heading back. Stunning views of the canyon and surrounding Hajar mountain range. A most incredible trek.
Drove back the few kilometers to our hotel. Some sunset shots atop a rock ridge then one of the best dinners we’ve had in Oman.
Here’s a Flickr link to our Jebel Shams pix:
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Jebel Shams, Oman’s Highest Peak