My and wife (aka the ILPH) have been in the emirates for a little over four years now. When we first arrived we exploited the public holiday of eid al fitr straight away and made a trip around Oman in our Yaris hire car (aka Yivonne). Fours later we went back to Oman but this time in our Pajero (aka Pablo). Here are our experiences of the two trips...

Oman in a Yaris all started with the ILPH and I arriving in the emirates. We were immediately presented with an eid holiday. So it was off to Oman in the only contraption we get hold of... a Yaris.

After work, we planned to meet some new found rugby friends on Jebel Shams who had pushed on ahead of us. We reached the bottom of the mountain in darkness... A decision had to be made whether push on off-road up Oman’s highest mountain or to pitch camp and meet the gang the next morning. We pressed on upwards bumping along the steep wining road. We took a wrong turn and arrived at local compound. The locals were very helpful I think happy have some different human contact. We had a chat and they directed us to our destination. We met up with everyone, relaxed around the camp fire and as it was October we slept under the stars.

The next morning the grand canyon of arabia was 5 meters to our left in all its brilliance. Fending off the goats we had breakie and discussed plans. Wadi Bani Awf was in the offing; would Yivonne the Yaris but up to this challenge? Down, down, down off Jebel Shams and up, up, up to the edge of Wadi Bani Awf and to the end of the tarmac. Gingerly Yivonne crept off road following a Hummer and other 4x4s. The first 500m meters were great then bang! Oh bugger, I had visions of the hire company ritually sacrificing my credit card. After another 20m and another bang it was time to abandon poor little Yivonne. We hoped into Sarah’s car and as we continued we looked back to see lonely Yivonne disappear around the corner...

Wadi Bani Awf is spectacular and if you have not been put it at the top of list. The Omani government, for better or worse is driving roads through the area so you had better get there soon. Dropping down into the wadi, through villages, you go back in time to a point where everything seems so simple. The sort of pace that everyone at some point longs for whether it be on a desert island or in an Omani wadi. We selected a campsite near the entrance to snake canyon and then headed off to find the start of W8 treking path at Balad Sayt. After about 30mins of steep hiking the ladies mutinied so we retreated and chilled out back at camp. Night drew in, the shisha kicked off and Sarah was showered in presents for her birthday.

We had to say good bye to the group as we only had Yivonne we were holding them back a bit. They dropped us back and they tearfully departed further into the heart of Oman. The ILPH, Yivonne and I had to stay on the edge of the mountains for the rest of the trip...

We headed straight for Ras al Hadd and turtles! We camped near by the visitors center for the 5am start and turtles! Blurry eyed we wandered through the visitors centre and onto the beach. We had read a little bit about the centre; about how it is arabia conservation done sensitively and right. However when we reached the beach is was very easy to see where the turtle was... It was somewhere in the middle of the mob of 150 people with more photo flashes than the red carpet at the Oscars. We kept our distance and saw the mob slowly go down the beach; presumably with the turtle. With sun just poking above the horizon we left a bit disappointed.

Next we had to top up our supplies at Sur. There where no bounteous supermarkets and we came away with ice, a frozen chicken and some bananas; a feast? Along the coast road towards Muscat we discovered wadi Shab; an inviting deep gorge going inland. Parking up underneath the main highway we continued up the wadi reaching a glorious pool after a few km. There was a ledge where people we jumping off with glee and we were over that.

Later we pulled up on the beach at As Sifah and set up camp. This was our last night camping so all supplies had to be used up including some bananas and a frozen chicken. The chicken and bananas were immediately thrown together, wrapped in foil and put in the fire. 2hrs later we had beautiful infused banana chicken. 

Next morning we made the trip to Mutarah and a shower! After 5 days on the road in the October heat several layers of grime had built up and we were glad to feel all new again. A stroll along the corniche and and a browse around the souk all was right with the world. The Lonely Planet recommend Mumtaz Muhal, an Indian restaurant, that evening we went along. I had a traditional saucy curry and the ILPH manage to order the biggest and driest meaty boney lump we have ever seen in an Indian restaurant. The ILPH did not get very far...

The next day we had to depart for Dubai, booo booo. We stopped off at Nahkal fort. Nice fort. Then made our way back to Dubai.

Oman in a Pajero...

This time we had when were contemplating our second large Omani trip we had a suitable steed... Pablo our short wheel base Pajero. So again on Thursday after work we headed off. A mate Adam had provided a lovely little campsite in Wadi Shatan behind a large rock and by 10.45 we were all set up in the middle of the Omani mountains with the stars you could almost touch. 

The next morning we celebrated the new year with a bottle of bubbly and bacon sandwiches. After new year frivolities it was off to the mountain oasis Wukan. We parked at the Omani Tourism Department’s car park; a first for us. We gently meandered through the lush terraced fields, along the babbling falajs and unwound at the Omani Tourism Department’s resting points. The Wukan oasis is a peaceful place it is a shame we had to leave.

We camped behind the rock again and then the next morning it was bacon sandwiches. Next, a trip across to the eastern Hajar. Past Muscat, past Quriyat and towards Tiwi at the turning we realised we were getting a bit low on fuel. No problem, pop to Tiwi get some fuel. This was a problem is turns out that after seeing a petrol station every 3km through out the whole of Oman from the boarder to muscat there no petrol station until Sur. So it was off to Sur and and 1hr we were back at the turning. We were heading to the center of the eastern Hajar. Even since I first look at the eastern Hajar on google earth there was an intriguing gouge out of the landscape, a huge sweeping bend on the wadi above wadi Tiwi. I looked at it from every angle and was delighted when I saw a track right to the heart of it this area.

So there we were turning off the coast road ready to take on the challenge to reaching the most isolated area of the Omani mountains. To get up onto the plateau was exciting in it’s self. A friend recounts a story of terror we he went up this track with his wife and children; needless to say they were not amused. However the steep most mental sections were now paved so although pretty hairy the ILPH was not in danger of divorcing me. The plateau was like another world, a large flat expanse high above the coast. We drove and drove over the plateau past the world heritage site tombs, through the star wars style settlements in the side of the cliff. Finally after 3 hours from the coast and after nightfall we made it to the village after which the track was very much unmaintained; in the dark the unknown awaited us. First we made it across the wadi bed, then other side was rutted by rain water being pinch at times to a cars width. Next we went higher followed by a sharp decent each corner my co-diver had to describe the state of the road because the headlights do not illuminate round corners. We crossed the wadi again with the ILPH becoming increasingly anxious. After three and a half hours from the coast road in pitch darkness we made a far as we could go and found the best campsite in arabia.

The next morning the giant bend and huge cliff became apparent the one I had seen on google earth all those years before.

TBC