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Arabian Heritage Guides

Arabian Heritage Guides

in the Sultanate of Oman

in the Sultanate of Oman


Jenny Walker and Sam Owen

This indispensable off-road guide has all you need to

and Sam Owen


Jenny Walker
go off the beaten track in the Sultanate of Oman. The
15 specially chosen routes vary in duration from a few
hours to several days and include both easy and more
challenging drives. Each scenic drive has a special
theme to make your adventure more interesting.

4 The essential off-road guide to the Sultanate of Oman


4 Fully illustrated in colour with maps and photos
4 GPS coordinates and full route instructions
4 Includes 15 spectacular routes
in the Sultanate of Oman
Jenny Walker and Sam Owen

Published with the support


and encouragement of
in the Sultanate of Oman
Jenny Walker and Sam Owen

Published with the support


and encouragement of
Introduction Contents
Published by Motivate Publishing Using this Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Key to Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Dubai: PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE Foreword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Tel: (+971 4) 282 4060, fax: (+971 4) 282 0428 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
e-mail: books@motivate.ae www.booksarabia.com Off-road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

The Routes: Northern Oman


Office 508, Building No 8, Dubai Media City, Dubai, UAE
1 Five-Forts Drive . . . . . . . . Muscat to As Sawadi via Ar Rustaq . . . . . . 14
Tel: (+971 4) 390 3550, fax: (+971 4) 390 4845
2 One Day Honey . . . . . . . . Muscat to Ar Rustaq . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3 Rock and Awe. . . . . . . . Muscat Round Trip via Nizwa . . . . . . . . 36
Abu Dhabi: PO Box 43072, Abu Dhabi, UAE
4 Top of the Beanstalk . . . . . . Nizwa to Al Jabal al Akhdar . . . . . . . . . . 50
Tel: (+971 2) 677 2005, fax: (+971 2) 677 0124
5 Get Knotted . . . . . . . . . Nizwa Round Trip via Jabal Shams. . . . . . . 58
6 Raining Bones . . . . . . . . Muscat Round Trip via Sohar and Ibri . . . . . . 66
London: Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London NW1 3ER
7 Going Round the Bend. . . . . Sohar Round Trip via Musandam . . . . . . . . 78
e-mail: motivateuk@motivate.ae
The Routes: Eastern Oman
Directors: Obaid Humaid Al Tayer and Ian Fairservice
8 The Khawr Tour. . . . . . . . Muscat Round Trip via Yiti. . . . . . . . . . 90
9 Wet and Wild. . . . . . . . . Muscat Round Trip via Qurayyat and Sur . . . . 96
Consultant Editor: David Steele
10 Bucket-and-Spade Tour. . . . . Rimal ash Sharqiyah (Ash Sharqiyah Sands). . . 116
Deputy Editor: Moushumi Nandy
Assistant Editor: Zelda Pinto The Routes: Central and Southern Oman
Art Director: Andrea Willmore
11 Journey of a Thousand Miles. . . Muscat to Salalah via Coastal Road . . . . . . 126
Designer: Cithadel Francisco
12 Searching for Unicorns. . . . . Hayma Round Trip via Jaaluni . . . . . . . . 142
13 East of Eden. . . . . . . . . . Salalah Round Trip (East). . . . . . . . . . 152
General Manager Books: Jonathan Griffiths
14 Barking Mad. . . . . . . . . Salalah Round Trip (West) . . . . . . . . . . 160
Publishing Coordinator: Jenny Bateman-Irish
15 In Thesiger’s Footsteps . . . . . Salalah to Muscat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
First published 2007 Special-interest Boxes
Route 1 Forts of Oman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Front cover: Typical Omani off-road scenery between Wadi Bani Awf and
Route 2 Dates and Honey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Wadi as Sahtan.
Route 3 Oman Exotics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Back cover: A new road on the steep ascent into Al Bir.
Route 4 Rose Water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Title page: An unexpected rainfall – and rainbow – in Wadi al Hijayr.
Route 5 Carpet Weaving on Jabal Shams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Route 6 Sinbad’s Eighth Voyage? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
© Motivate Publishing and Jenny Walker and Sam Owen, 2007
Route 7 Going Round the Bend. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
© Photographs Jenny Walker and Sam Owen
Route 8 Bird Migration in Oman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Route 9 The Falaj System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including Route 9 Turning Turtle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
photocopying or storing in any medium by electronic means) without the written permission of the Route 10 Off-road in the Sands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
copyright holders. Applications for the copyright holders’ written permission to reproduce any part Route 11 Shell Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
of this publication should be addressed to the publishers. In accordance with the International
Copyright Act 1956 and the UAE Federal Copyright Law No 40 of 1992, any person acting in
Route 12 The Oryx. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
contravention of this copyright will be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. Route 13 Bugs of Oman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Route 14 Frankincense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
ISBN: 978 1 86063 164 1 Route 15 Wubar – Atlantis of the Sands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is available About the Authors and Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
from the British Library.
Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Printed and bound by International Printing Press Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

2 OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN 3


Details of Routes Details of Routes

The Routes: Northern Oman The Routes: Eastern Oman

1 Five-Forts Drive Muscat to As Sawadi via Ar Rustaq 14 8 The Khawr Tour Muscat Round Trip via Yiti 90
Leg 1 Muscat to Barka. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Hour 50 km 4x4 14 Leg 1 Airport to Bawshar. . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Hour 20 km Saloon 90
Leg 2 Barka to Nakhal . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Hour 40 km Saloon 17 Leg 2 Bawshar to Al Qurm. . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Hour 20 km Saloon 93

Birds
Forts

Leg 3 Nakhal to Ar Rustaq. . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Hour 55 km Saloon 18 Leg 3 Al Qurm to Yiti. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Hour 45 km 4x4/Saloon 93
Leg 4 Ar Rustaq to Al Hazm via Wadi al Hawqayn. . 2 Hours 70 km 4x4 19 Leg 4 Yiti to As Sifah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Hour 80 km 4x4/Saloon 94
Leg 5 Al Hazm to As Sawadi . . . . . . . . . . 1 Hour 55 km Saloon 21 Leg 5 Yiti to Muscat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Hours 75 km 4x4 95
2 One Day Honey Muscat To Ar Rustaq 22 9 Wet and Wild Muscat Round Trip via Qurayyat and Sur 96
Leg 1 Muscat to Nakhal. . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Hours 85 km Saloon 22 Leg 1 Muscat to Qurayyat via Wadi Mijlas. . . . . . 2 Hours 120 km 4x4/Saloon 98
Plants

Leg 2 Nakhal to Wadi Mistall. . . . . . . . . . 3 Hours 120 km 4x4 25 Leg 2 Qurayyat to Al Mazari via Wadi Dayqah. . . . 2 Hours 40 km 4x4/Saloon 98
Leg 3 Wadi Mistall to Wadi Bani Awf. . . . . . . 1 Hour 40 km 4x4 28 Leg 3 Al Mazari to Dibab via Wadi al Arbiyyin . . . 3 Hours 35 km 4x4 101

Water
Leg 4 Wadi Bani Awf to Ar Rustaq via Wadi as Sahtan 4 Hours 95 km 4x4 32 Leg 4 Dibab to Sur via Wadi Shab and Wadi Tiwi. . 4 Hours 110 km 4x4 104
3 Rock and Awe Muscat Round Trip via Nizwa 36 Leg 5 Sur to Al Kamil via Ras al Hadd. . . . . . . 6 Hours 250 km 4x4 106
Leg 1 Muscat to Nizwa via Wadi Fanja. . . . . . . 3 Hours 160 km 4x4 36 Leg 6 Al Kamil to Ibra via Wadi al Khabbah . . . . 6 Hours 310 km 4x4 110
Rocks

Leg 2 Nizwa to Al Bir via Hat . . . . . . . . . . 4 Hours 95 km 4x4 40 Bonus Ash Shariq to Tiwi via Al Jaylah . . . . . . 4 Hours 75 km 4x4 112
Leg 3 Al Bir to Al Awabi via Wadi Bani Kharus. . . 4 Hours 110 km 4x4 45 10 Bucket-and-Spade Tour Rimal ash Sharqiyah (Ash Sharqiyah Sands) 116
Leg 4 Al Awabi to Muscat via Wadi al Abyad . . . . 2 Hours 130 km 4x4 48 Leg 1 Ibra to Al Raha Camp. . . . . . . . . . . 1 Hour 55 km 4x4 116
4 Top Of The Beanstalk Nizwa to Al Jabal al Akhdar 50 Leg 2 Al Raha Camp to Ash Shiraykhah. . . . . . 5 Hours 220 km 4x4 119

Sand
Leg 1 Nizwa to Sayq Plateau. . . . . . . . . . . 2 Hours 70 km 4x4 52 Leg 3 Ash Shiraykhah to Khuwaymah . . . . . . . 8 Hours 210 km 4x4 120
Fru it

Leg 2 Lower Sayq Plateau . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Hours 60 km 4x4 53 Leg 4 Khuwaymah to Ibra . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Hours 240 km 4x4/Saloon 124
Leg 3 Upper Sayq Plateau . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Hours 75 km 4x4 56
5 Get Knotted Nizwa Round Trip via Jabal Shams 58
Leg 1 Nizwa to Tanuf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Hour 35 km 4x4/Saloon 58 The Routes: Central And Southern Oman
Leg 2 Tanuf to Al Hamra . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Hours 55 km 4x4 60
Crafts

Leg 3 Al Hamra to Jabal Shams. . . . . . . . . . 2 Hours 50 km 4x4 62 11 Journey of a Thousand Miles Muscat to Salalah via Coastal Road 126
Leg 4 Jabal Shams to Jabrin . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Hour 35 km Saloon 63 Leg 1 Al Bustan Palace Hotel to Hijj. . . . . . . . 4 Hours 380 km Saloon 126
Leg 5 Jabrin to Nizwa via Manah . . . . . . . . . 1 Hour 60 km 4x4/Saloon 64 Leg 2 Side Trip to Masirah Island . . . . . . . . 12 Hours 260 km 4x4/Saloon 128

Shells
6 Raining Bones Muscat Round Trip via Sohar and Ibri 66 Leg 3 Hijj to Ad Duqm . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Hours 290 km 4x4/Saloon 130
Leg 1 Myths of Muscat. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Hours 10 km Saloon 66 Leg 4 Ad Duqm to Thumrayt via Ash Shuwaymiyah. 12 Hours 820 km 4x4/Saloon 134
Leg 2 Muscat to Sohar . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Hours 230 km Saloon 69 Leg 5 Thumrayt to Salalah via Wadi Dhahbun. . . . 8 Hours 450 km 4x4 139
Legends

Leg 3 Sohar to Yanqul via Wadi Hibi. . . . . . . . 2 Hours 140 km 4x4/Saloon 71 12 Searching for Unicorns Hayma Round Trip via Jaaluni 142
Leg 4 Yanqul to Ibri via Wadi Dank . . . . . . . . 2 Hours 110 km 4x4 72 Leg 1 Hayma to Jaaluni . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Hour 120 km 4x4 142

Oryx
Leg 5 Ibri to Wadi al Ayn via Bat . . . . . . . . 2 Hours 70 km 4x4 73 Leg 2 Jaaluni to Ad Duqm . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Hour 170 km Saloon 146
Leg 6 Bat (Wadi al Ayn) to Muscat via Sint and Bahla 6 Hours 400 km 4x4 75 Leg 3 Ad Duqm to Hayma via Wadi Sharm. . . . . 6 Hours 290 km 4x4 146
7 Going Round the Bend Sohar Round Trip via Musandam 78 13 East of Eden Salalah Round Trip (East) 152
Leg 1 Sohar to Khasab . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Hours 400 km Saloon 80 Leg 1 Salalah to Jabal Samhan . . . . . . . . . . 2 Hours 85 km 4x4 152

Bugs
Leg 2 Khasab to Khawr Najd . . . . . . . . . . 2 Hours 30 km 4x4 82 Leg 2 Jabal Samhan to Wadi Darbat. . . . . . . . 1 Hour 45 km Saloon 156
People

Leg 3 Khawr Najd to Jabal Harim. . . . . . . . . 2 Hours 50 km 4x4 85 Leg 3 Wadi Darbat to Salalah via Ayn Razat . . . . 2 Hours 120 km 4x4 158
Leg 4 Jabal Harim to Ar Rawdah Bowl . . . . . . 3 Hours 30 km 4x4 87 14 Barking Mad Salalah Round Trip (West) 160
Leg 5 Ar Rawdah Bowl to Sohar . . . . . . . . . 4 Hours 230 km 4x4 88 Leg 1 Salalah to Job’s Tomb . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Hours 90 km 4x4 160
Job

Leg 2 Job’s Tomb to Salalah . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Hours 60 km 4x4 162


Times and distances 15 In Thesiger’s Footsteps Salalah to Muscat 164
A word of caution: off-roading can be dangerous and heavy rain, roadworks
quoted for each leg Leg 1 Salalah to Rakhyut via Al Mughsayl . . . . . 3 Hours 120 km 4x4 164
and other factors can quickly change the landscape of a route. While the
are approximate and
History

authors and publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of in­ Leg 2 Rakhyut to Mudayy . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Hours 115 km 4x4 168
allow for a little time
formation, they cannot be held responsible for any claim arising from its use. Leg 3 Mudayy to Shisr via the Empty Quarter . . . . 6 Hours 170 km 4x4 169
of your own.
Leg 4 Shisr to Muscat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Hours 1,040 km 4x4 171

4 OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN 5


Using this Book Map of Oman
This book has been designed to offer a mately how long each leg will take
variety of routes that will suit all types of (including time for brief stops), the distance
travel­lers. Some routes are intended as a involved and whether 4x4 is needed.
pleasant half or whole day’s outing. Others The beginning and end point of each leg
involve more challen­ging driving and has been carefully planned around major
naviga­tional skills, with full camping and junctions. This should allow you to mix and
survival equipment. match legs to fit your own itinerary. The
The 15 routes cover almost every corner maps indicate where one route can be
of Oman. While they all have spectacular integrated with another.
scenery, each route focuses on some specific It’s possible to drive all the routes just by
area of interest – geology, entomology, and following the text. To make navigation
so forth. If the theme doesn’t interest you, it easier, however, GPS coordinates are given
can be ignored without detracting from the and corresponding waypoints indicated on
route itself. Further reading is provided for the map. A working odometer, a full-length
each theme in the relevant route. map of Oman and an in-car compass are
Each route is split into a number of legs, useful for all routes and essential for some.
each of which has its own points of interest. To avoid getting into trouble, it is advis­
If you don’t wish or haven’t time to com­ able to read the whole of a route before
plete a whole route, any of these legs will attempting it. For the preservation of the
provide a satisfying short excursion. You can wilderness, all routes stick resolutely to
use the leg chart in the details of routes on previously-made tracks. May we respectfully
the two previous pages to gauge approxi­ ask you to do the same.

Key to Maps

Final copy etc to


be done.

6 OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN 7


Foreword Introduction

T D
he pace of change in Oman since Eurocopter helicopters are operated in riving to work recently, a familiar new tarmac roads. They may not look quite
1970 when His Majesty, Sultan many countries worldwide and are preferred scene unfolded from the window. so quaint but they help protect the environ­
Qaboos bin Said, came to power has for exploring the natural and cultural The traffic, along the beautifully ment from ever-widening tracks, they save
been prodigious. Within the living memory heritage of a country quickly and efficiently. landscaped piece of road in the interior, the local flora and fauna from regular dust-
of many Omani elders, the most common Their low-noise and high safety design make slowed down to let a man on a donkey cross baths and they help preserve the sanity of
means of transport was donkey or camel, them an environmentally friendly comple­ the modern carriageway. Meanwhile, in the those who live in out-of-the-way places. For
there were only a few kilometres of tarmac ment to road travel. capital a troop of liveried camels walked the visitor, new roads have opened up areas
road, education comprised of reciting the The Sultanate of Oman is revealed in the good-naturedly along the white lines to a of Oman previously only accessible on foot
Qur’an under a tree and healthcare was 15 exciting and insightful off-road routes in lush area of grazing. There was no horn- or by many days of travel.
limited to home and herbal remedies. this book. The authors, Jenny Walker and blowing and only mild surprise. In researching and writing this book,
Change has brought new infrastructure Sam Owen, veteran explorers of Oman, have The incident serves to show the extent to then, we decided to celebrate the on-road as
with roads and electricity, fresh water and researched in depth to bring the character of which driving in Oman is an inclusive well as the off-road experience. The 15
drainage systems servicing even the most the country’s history and landscape closer to rather than an exclusive exercise. The new routes use a combination of both to climb
outlying villages of the mountains and desert. the reader in a way that will both fascinate road systems have been put in place because mountains and dunes, ford wadis and khors,
Education and healthcare have been and delight. the Omani people like to travel. You only and cross the plains of this magnificent
given priority with the result that literacy As such, it is our pleasure to support this have to visit a mountain village or a settle­ country. In so doing we hope we’ve been
and longevity have increased to valuable endeavour. ment on the plains to see how, road or no able to reveal some of the uniqueness of this
internationally comparable standards. Xavier Hay, road, vehicles are taken to places most country’s heritage and the great wealth and
With these new facilities, new Vice President people wouldn’t drag a pair of boots. beauty of its natural resources.
opportunities have been provided for the Middle East and Africa Eurocopter It seems churlish to lament the coming of Jenny Walker and Sam Owen
Omani people with the result that a skilled
workforce is beginning to enjoy all the
benefits of the modern world and indeed,
contribute in a very real way to the
international forum.
It may be wondered whether such a rapid
pace of change has led to a dilution of
cultural identity or a change in fundamental
values. It does not take very long in the
country to recognize that this has not been
the case. One of the great successes of
Oman’s transition into a sophisticated
country of the 21st century has been the
preservation of the elements that make
Oman distinct from any other country in
the region.
This can be seen in the on-going concern
for preserving historic monuments, such as
Oman’s many forts and castles. It is also
evidenced in the internationally renowned
conservation efforts, inspired by His
Majesty’s personal concern for the
environment. Mostly, however, Oman’s
identity is being preserved through the
customs and traditions of its people who offer
a hand of friendship and commercial partner­
ship to visitors from overseas.

8 OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN 9


Off-road driving Off-road driving

O
ff-road driving is enormous fun but preliminary precautions, an off-road drive in • Map, compass and preferably GPS. • Please stay on established tracks at all
it does take a certain amount of Oman is generally the highlight of • Warm clothing and stout footwear. times: the desert may look dead hard, but
skill. Most of that skill is easily someone’s experience of the country. • At least 10 litres of water. it supports a surprisingly fragile eco­
picked up through practice. Listed on the Although parts of the 15 routes in this • Dry dates: these are very nutritious if you system. In parts, the plains (Route 12)
following pages, however, are a few tips that book can be managed in a car, you’ll need a get stuck for a few days. are becoming criss-crossed with car tracks
may help shortcut the learning process for 4x4 vehicle for the off-road portions. • A jerrycan, especially if your vehicle has to the detriment of the flora and fauna.
newcomers and act as a bit of revision for We’re frequently asked: “Can I go there a small tank, and a funnel.
veteran off-roaders. in my car – I’ve seen taxis drive that way?” • At least one, preferably two spare tyres Mountain Driving: The key to safety in
Oman, for much of its great and glorious The answer is that anything is possible – but and a jack. the mountains is being prepared. The
length, is a wild country with an extreme that doesn’t make it a good idea. • Sand ladders (2 pairs of light-weight weather can change very quickly in the
desert and mountain environment that The suspension of saloon cars is not aluminium step-ladders will do). mountains and it can get surprisingly cold at
doesn’t take prisoners. It may only take a designed for uneven surfaces and they don’t • A spade and planks of wood for 3,000 m. In addition, remember to:
second puncture or a flat battery to turn a have the safety features you may need if you prolonged sand or sabkha driving.
pleasant afternoon excursion into an epic. run into a problem. Flash floods occur • Compressor to reinflate tyres for • Engage low gear on prolonged descents.
The emergency services are well-trained without warning; an unexpected rock fall or prolonged trips in sand. Even in a new vehicle, brakes can wear
and remarkably efficient but, if you’re a landslide may mean you have to turn back • Two tow ropes. If you get stuck, a rescue out very quickly with over-use. This is
marooned in a wadi, without GSM – these are the kind of problems a 4x4 can vehicle may not be able to get close why police insist on 4x4 on the tarmac
coverage, without proper shoes to go for help you negotiate or avoid. enough with just one tow rope. ascent to Al Jabal al Akhdar (Route 4).
help, without a map or a compass, and with • A watch: keep an eye on the time. • Don’t park or camp in a wadi. It may look
only enough water to cover a picnic (it Essential Equipment: It’s tempting to Driving off-road in the dark is not appealing and as dry as a bone, but flash
happens!), you could be only metres away think ‘have book, will travel’ but at the everyone’s cup of tea. floods often occur without warning and
from help and not be found. price of half a day’s preparation, the • Mosquito net and repellent, especially for you can judge the outcome by the
But enough of the dire warnings. With an following pieces of equipment could literally the coast and Dhofar during the khareef. uprooted palm trees.
ounce of common sense, and a few be a lifeline: • As a mark of respect, explore mountain
Navigation: The first rule of navigation is villages on foot.
always to tell someone where you’re going
and when you expect to be back, even if Sand Driving: This takes some practice!
you’re only popping out for the afternoon. Here are a few ‘do’s’:
Chances are you won’t bother – but, believe
us, if you get stuck or lost, you will really • Pack sand ladders and a spade.
wish you had. Here are some other tips: • Go with another vehicle.
• Consider hiring a guide in the Rimal ash
• If you’re unsure of your direction, keep Sharqiyah (Ash Sharqiyah Sands) (Route
looking for landmarks behind you, in case 10) or in the Empty Quarter (Route 15) if
you need to retrace your steps. Land­marks you’re unfamiliar with the area.
can often be unrecognizable in reverse. • Plan on getting stuck: however
• The Bedouin navigate by the sun and the experienced you are, it happens.
stars. It works. If nothing else, remember • Deflate the tyres slightly before entering
that the sun rises in the east and sinks in the dunes.
the west. • Remember to reinflate your tyres when
• Most road signs (with the exception of you reach the tarmac.
the Empty Quarter) are written in • Keep up speed when climbing a dune.
English as well as Arabic. Don’t be • Stop on a slope, if you have to stop. You
confused, however, by several different may be able to drive out of a problem
spellings of the same place name. with gravity on your side.
Filling up with petrol in parts of Oman can be a challenge: the best advice is to top up at each • Programme in the coordinates given on • Have a trial run before planning a long
petrol station in case there’s no petrol at the next garage. the route map before you leave. trip in the sands (Route 10).

10 OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN 11


Off-road driving Off-road driving

• Check the map for areas of sabkha. If you water. Be careful not to over-correct
have to cross sabkha on one of the routes the steering.
in this book, careful directions are given. • Avoid driving through saltwater; if you
• If you plan on driving on sabkha for a can’t, make sure you give the underside
prolonged distance (as at Barr al Hikman, of the car a good wash after­wards.
Route 10), take boards. • Obey the red road markers: it may seem
• If you get stuck in sabkha, jack each tyre unlikely on a cloudless day in mid-sum­
up and wedge them with boards. This mer, but flash floods can race across the
will give some purchase for towing. desert at great speed. If you try to cross
these floods, even if they don’t seem very
Coastal Driving: On the whole, driving deep, the current can whisk the wheels
on the beach isn’t to be recommended. In from under you.
towns, it’s discouraged for the sake of those
using the beach for recreation; in conser­ Hazards: You can be fined for having a
vation areas, it’s forbidden, particularly at dirty car. You are obliged to use dipped lights
turtle-nesting sites (Route 9). in dust-storms. Beware of camels, especially
There are routes, however, where fisher­ in Dhofar in the khareef.
men use the beach to get from one village to
another village and you may do the same Refuelling: Petrol stations are indicated on
One man’s camping equipment is another man’s road hazard. (Routes 10 and 11), providing you heed the most tourist maps of Oman. If there are few
following advice: or none during the longer legs of the drives
And a few ‘don’ts’: in this book, we’ve suggested where you
• Only attempt the drive if you’ve seen should fill up before leaving the tarmac.
• Don’t go alone. fishermen crossing. Here are some tips:
• Don’t stop on soft sand. When you start • Follow in their tracks.
again, the wheels will spin. • Don’t attempt to drive at high tide. • Don’t forget that using low gear consumes
• Don’t try to dig out if your wheels are • Check the solidity of the surface by more petrol.
firmly entrenched – the car will just sink walking on it first. • You can’t rely on every petrol station
further. Let more air out, wedge the • It is a gut-wrenching feeling when your having petrol – particularly on the
ladders under the back wheels and vehicle grinds to a halt on the beach with coastal road to Salalah (see Route 11):
engage low ratio. the tide turning. If in doubt, don’t go. keep topping up the tank each time you
• Don’t stray away from the car if you’re see a garage.
seriously lost and/or stuck. Wait with it. Fording Water: Many of the wadis in • Be aware of your petrol consumption: if
Oman flow either permanently or occasion­ you get lost, keep estimating the amount
Sabkha Driving: It’s simple, don’t do it! ally with water. This means that you will of petrol you need to retrace your steps.
Sabkha is wet sand with a hard crust. It can more than likely need to ford water at some • You can often buy petrol from villagers or
usually be detected as a flat plain with a salty, point, especially if you’re driving in the the Bedouin: make sure you have a
whitish sheen. It may feel firm to walk on but Al Hajar Mountains (Routes 1–9). The funnel (the top of a water bottle will do).
can give way without warning and is then following tips may be helpful:
very difficult to get out of. If you have to Lastly, if you haven’t had much experience
cross an area of sabkha, however, bear the • Always wade first through deep water to driving off-road, don’t let the list of
following in mind: gauge its depth. ‘shoulds’ put you off. Most of them are
• Remember that wet brakes may not work common sense, and a few hard-won
• Stick only to prior tracks. efficiently: give them time to dry out through experience.
• If there’s water on the tracks, steer before a steep descent. Try an easy trip first, such as Route 1 or
Glorious mud! Nothing quite like it for through the water, not round it. Water • Mud and algae on wadi pebbles can make Route 8, and build up some confidence.
cooling the engine. only rests on a hard surface. for an especially slippery surface under Most of all, enjoy it.

12 OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN 13


Route 1  Five-Forts Drive Muscat to As Sawadi via Ar Rustaq

E In Brief
ven the casual visitor to Oman cannot
fail to notice that there is barely a hill
or a promontory without one: indeed, Starting point: Muscat
including watchtowers and stray, rambling Finishing point: As Sawadi
fortifications, there are more than 1,000 Distance: Approximately 270 km
forts and castles in Oman in various states Time required: Full day
of repair. Category: Partly tarmac and partly easy,
This drive, which links five of Oman’s off-road, wadi driving.
most memorable forts, and throws in a few Highlights: Five spectacular forts, sandy
bonus ones for fun, takes you into the heart beaches, the coastal plain contrasted with
of the flat Al Batinah Plain, up to the legs of dramatic mountain cliffs, hot springs, planta­
the mountains and back again through one tions, a fertile wadi with all-year-round water,
of the most accessible, fertile wadis in Oman. active falaj . . . and a spot of fort counting.

How to get there


Leg 1 Muscat to Barka: Driving up on the left at 7.8 km, the beautiful domed
Highway 1 from Muscat to Barka is a joy in mosque of the Royal Guard at 16.3 km, the
its own right: flanked by lime-green neem Sultan’s country seat along a private road at
trees, orange-flowering cordias and hedges 26 km, and two giant coffee pots outside a
of privet and bougainvillea for much of the private residence on the right at 27.8 km.
way, the road is more like a lineal garden On the right at 29.3 km is the popular An
than Oman’s busiest highway. Nasim Garden. Don’t be tempted to stop
To catch some of the highlights of the for a picnic or you will never make it round
drive to Barka, zero your odometer at the the rest of the route. If you don’t fancy
Airport Roundabout, and look out for the going off-road this early in the trip, you
palaces of modern Oman’s founding fathers can drive on up to the Barka Round­about

Unkempt and unvisited, Sur ar Rumays is one of a legion of forts to discover off-road in Oman.

14 OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN 15


Route 1  Five-Forts Drive Muscat to As Sawadi via Ar Rustaq

Forts of Oman and take up the route from leg two.


If you want to see the first of our five
forts, however, at 30.8 km turn right at the
Dates Roundabout WP1: N23 41.352 E58
01.952, signposted An Nasim Garden. Turn
immediately left towards Barka and keep
parallel to the highway until 34.2 km; turn
right after the pylons, just before Modern
Oman bakery. Turn right again at 34.8 km,
and keep right as you follow the road
through the village.
At 35.3 km turn left at the t-junction
opposite an archway and at 36.4 km turn
right onto some rough tracks: you’ll see Sur Master castle builders busy on Barka Beach.
ar Rumays Fort WP2: N23 41.368 E57 59.369
in front of you. If you get lost in zigzagging the soil, because of increased freshwater
through the village, just look for the fort’s usage. The next of our forts looms over the
You don’t need the Five-Forts Drive to see one, restorers have to be brought in from abroad), crumbling crenulations over the rooftops. town on the right. Unusual for its octagonal
nor do you need to be a military historian to but the need to save these landmarks for What makes this a special fort is that it is tower, Barka Fort marks the end of the
understand the place of the fort in Omani posterity is very much alive. Take the on-going virtually unvisited, unwritten about, Persian presence in Oman: in 1747 Persian
culture. Take a look at any government building, Bahla project, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: unrestored – pretty much unloved in fact, guests invited to a banquet got more than
queue for the public phone or pay with a half- this is the fort’s fourth makeover, follow­ing except by the odd grazing goat. It is perhaps they bargained for – including a one-way
rial note, and you’ll notice they all give homage restoration in the 9th, 17th and 19th centuries. all the more evocative of the rise and fall of ticket out to sea. Pass the fort on your right,
to the same architectural feature. Forts crop up So what is an Omani fort? It is a military past strongholds because of it. and take the next left, signposted Muscat
across the Arab World, from the great crusader structure designed, like the imposing Al Hazm You are now going to drive towards the and Sohar. Look out for shops selling halwa:
castles such as the Crak de Chevalier in Syria, Fort (illustrated above) to protect a community – sea: keep the fort on your right and head Barka is famous for Oman’s national
to the mud ruins of Diriyah in Saudi Arabia. But unlike a castle (such as Bayt an Naaman north-east, veering to the left of a poultry delicacy, made of sugar (or sometimes dates),
they don’t invade the living consciousness of a (Numan) in Barka) which is primarily a fortified farm. Fork left at 37.7 km. Many tracks wheat starch, spices and rose water.
country quite as noticeably as in Oman. private residence. As such, the fort is a piece of meander through the acacia woodland: you
Fortifications, be it a sur, or simple walled civic pride: a symbol of a community’s indepen­ are aiming for the power station to your left Leg 2 Barka to Nakhal: At the Barka
enclosure such as Sur ar Rumays, or a grand dence and interdependence – something the and more especially the small tarmac road in Roundabout, zero your odometer again and
edifice like the fort at Nakhal, have a longer Portu­guese failed to appreciate when they front of it. Head west on this tarmac road take Highway 13 to Nakhal and Ar Rustaq.
lineage on this soil than the country itself. Some, conquered Muscat with Forts Al Mirani, Al with the power station on your right and at At 3.5 km on the right, there’s an ostrich
such as Ar Rustaq Fort, partly predate Islam. Jalali and Mutrah but failed to conquer the 41.3 km, turn right at the t-junction WP3: farm. If that seems like an odd sight today, it
Erected by local tribes to protect trade routes people within. N23 42.116 E57 56.985. would not have been so unexpected in the
from the interior, or, as in the case of the fort at What should you look for in a fort? Think At 42.5 km take a small detour down to days of our fort builders when apparently
Barka, built to withstand marauding forces from boiling cauldrons of honey, hinged over door­ the sea. This is a great beach for another ostriches used to roam the whole of the
the sea, they have been part and parcel of the ways; spiked doors to repel battering; round kind of fort builder: the ghost crab. Arabian Peninsula. According to one 18th-
birth of a nation. They have also prominently towers to deflect cannon balls, falaj in case of a Apparently the crab with the biggest wins century traveller in the region, there were
featured in the country’s rebirth: in 1976, at the siege . . . but most of all, enjoy the view from fair lady – no surprises there. What is regular reports of ostriches using their tails
same time that hospitals, schools and roads the battlements. surprising, is that it takes the space of only as sunshades and “crocodiles that forbore in
were being developed, the ambitious fort- one tide for the crabs to completely recast the eating of Christians”. If neither story
restoration programme undertaken by the For more on forts, see Dinteman, the shape of the beach. seems very credible, that just shows what
Ministry of National Culture and Heritage formed Walter (1993), Forts of Oman (Motivate Back on the road, continue towards dull travellers we’ve become.
a linchpin of Oman’s Renaissance. Fort Publishing, Dubai). Barka for 5 km. You’ll pass through an old There is nothing dull about the way the
restoration may be a dying skill in Oman (many date plantation; like many along the Al plain runs into the mountains at Nakhal.
Batinah Coast it is suffering from salinity of Jabal Nakhal (1,588 m) makes a standing

16 OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN 17


Route 2  One Day Honey Muscat to Ar Rustaq

often stunted form (on account of animal


grazing) of Maerua crassifolia, known locally
as sarh. Crowned with delicate, white, sweet-
smelling flowers in spring, the leaves, tightly
clustered on the stem, are used to treat
abdominal colic and constipation. It
certainly seems to work for the camels.
It’s worth driving up the hill for a
panoramic view of the basin and of the two-
house hamlet of Wijmah at the end of the
track. At 23.4 km, you’ll pass a wolf trap on
the left surrounded by lots of Euryops
pinifolius, known as hanqalan locally. This
abundant, low green bush with spiny leaves
and small yellow flowers is a member of the
sunflower family. Its leaves and stems are
used to treat skin ailments.
Another low, spiny, yellow-flowering
bush that abounds at this slightly higher
altitude is Ochradenus arabicus. It looks as An extreme survivor, Moringa peregrina is often seen springing from the rock face.
though each spine has been dipped in yellow
pollen and, not surprisingly, the bees and have to strike out along walking paths 24 and the entrance of Wadi Mistall and turn left,
other insects love it. 25, if you want to find either of these useful zeroing your odometer once again. At
Return to the Wijmah Junction at the plants. For a much longer, guided expedition, 6.2 km, you’ll pass carpets of rock flowers
Goats go to extraordinary lengths to enjoy the bottom of the hill and turn left onto the you can walk up to Al Manakhir on the Sayq and an impressive rock arch, surrounded by
fruits of Ziziphus spina-christi. main Wadi Mistall Road. Zero your Plateau of Al Jabal al Akhdar from here. Salvadora persica, known as ‘rak’ locally. Try
odometer again and at 11.4 km fork left for One last corner of Wadi Mistall deserves breaking off a small piece of twig and fluffing
ally useful tree and one you’ll see many fine Al Qawrah, looking out for onions and a look. Return to the Wadi Bani Harras out the end – good for removing plaque from
examples of today. grapes in the plantation terraces on the Junction WP5: N23 16.142 E57 41.951 near teeth, this is the original toothbrush, sold in
From 9.9 km, stands of pendulous-leafed right. Climb the hillside and, at 13.7 km,
wild fig trees sprout absurdly from the rock search for a fleshy, hairy plant, like a
face. Look out for their exposed roots, foxglove, with white and purple flowers, to
anchoring them to the rocks. There are the left of the track. This is Hyoscyamus
many varieties of figs, some with edible fruit, muticus, a member of the nightshade family.
useful as a laxative. It is known in Arabic as sakran (Egyptian
At 12.2 km, fork left at the Wadi Bani henbane in English), and it has a long
Harras Junction, as you enter the enormous history of medicinal use as a sedative and
Al Ghubrah Bowl. Take the left turn to treatment against spasms.
Wijmah at 16.3 km WP3: N23 14.232 E57 You’ll see lots of thistles and wild laven­der
43.125 and, at 20 km, you’ll start seeing growing alongside the track and it’s worth
beautiful examples of Moringa peregrina, or getting out for half an hour to explore the
shuwa in Arabic. With their silvery barks, rocks and crevices for interesting specimens.
leafless branches, wispy trusses of lavender- At 14.7 km WP4: N23 08.639 E57 14.167,
coloured flowers and pendulous, ribbed pods, take the right fork for the mountain perched
this is one of the spring-time treats of the village of Wukan. The track ends in a de­
Al Hajar Mountains. light­­­ful lookout, built for visitors and with The topiaried forms of Maerua crassifolia is The tinder-dry stems of Ochradenus arabicus
Also in this area, you can see the gnarled, the promise of juniper and olive – but you’ll the result of grazing. make excellent firelighters.

26 OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN 27


Route 2  One Day Honey Muscat to Ar Rustaq

bundles in any local souk. If you follow the


signs to Al Fayq, you’ll find ancient tombs
crumbling on the hillside and, at the wadi
entrance, clusters of succulent aloe, the
copious yellow sap of which is used the
world over for burns. The whole Al
Ghubrah Bowl glows at sunset.

Leg 3 Wadi Mistall to Wadi Bani Awf:


From the Wadi Mistall Junction on Highway
13, turn left to continue on the herbal tour
and head for Wadi Bani Awf. This wadi has
always been an important thoroughfare
between the upper reaches of the Al Hajar
Mountains and the old towns of Nakhal and
Ar Rustaq. With a graded road now leading
Sifting through dafra for valuable leaves. over the top of the jebel via Al Hamra to
Nizwa (see Route 3, Leg 2), Wadi Bani Awf
is enjoying something of a renaissance of its
own – but not entirely to the villagers’
satisfaction one suspects.
Wadi Bani Awf is clearly signposted off
Highway 13, 41.2 km from Nakhal and
11 km from Ar Rustaq. Zero your odometer
as you turn onto the graded road and, as you
cross the plain, notice familiar stands of
Pteropyrum in the flood channel. You’ll also Protecting corn crops comes in many guises. Harvesting harmal beats a trip to the doctor.
find the pink-flowered, cabbage-leafed
Physorrhynchus chamaerapistum at 1.3 km. family, the latex produced by the stem of along the plantation walls. The abundant
Common in gravelly areas in the mountains, this sculptural, broad-leafed plant is used pink flowers of the oleander are a joy of
this relative of the mustard family is known locally to relieve scorpion stings – in some these northern wadis.
locally as khafij and its stems and fleshy countries it is used to poison arrows. This is Growing close to water, another tall and
leaves are used for treating earache. The one of the most common wadi plants, and is distinctive plant of this and all other wadis
powdered seeds are apparently powerful usually seen stalking around waste ground or in the area, is the giant, pampas-like grass.
against warts. In the depression opposite, cultivated areas, hoping to lap up stray water The fluffy seed-heads are auburn in the
there’s a whole ‘field’ of Rhazya stricta, – like the oleander, Nerium mascatense, sunlight and make a striking contrast with
known throughout Arabia as harmal. It’s known as haban in Arabic. the verdant green of the grass blades. As
partially toxic, which may be why it grows A botanist would probably be outraged at with most tall grasses, however, these are
so abundantly, unmolested by grazing goats. the comparison of two entirely unrelated often cropped close to the ground by animals
Villagers harvest it and smoke it, however, plants, but for the amateur plant-spotter, or cut by villagers for weaving.
as a treatment for breathing disorders. there are several similarities. Both plants Wadi Bani Awf is a conduit for the
At 1.8 km you’ll come to the wadi can grow up to 3 m, they both flower mountain rains which often cause the falaj
entrance and at 3.6 km you’ll reach the first through­­out the year and are highly attract­ to overflow and cascade magnificently into
plantation, in the village of Al Farraah. The ive to insects, they are both medicinal as the wadi (at 5.2 km). Indeed, after heavy
plantation walls are lined with Calotropis well as being partially or thoroughly toxic, rains, the graded road is often washed away
procera, known locally as ashkar (Sodom’s and, most importantly for you at this and the water trapped in deep pools between
Finding fodder is a weekend entertainment. apple in English). Part of the milkweed moment, they can both be seen at 3.6 km the boulders. If the petroglyph of a man

28 OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN 29


Route 4  Top of the Beanstalk Nizwa to Al Jabal al Akhdar

Rose Water Just after the plateau, at 10.5 km WP8:


N23 07.131 E57 36.199, there’s a right turn
years, the rose petals have been harvested here which runs past some spectacular scenery for
to produce rose water (attar in Arabic) – that all- 13 km and finally runs out at the remote
important post-dinner courtesy, sprinkled on the village of Ar Rus. This stone village, on the
hands of guests from slender, silver vessels. edge of a canyon, is more reminiscent of
The production of rose water is still very villages on arid Jabal Shams than its green
much a cottage industry and, as with all such neighbours on the lower Sayq Plateau.
family concerns, parts of the process are a well- Alternatively, ignore the right turn at 10.5
kept secret. If you see people dancing through km, and continue for 2 km, turning left just
the roses before dawn, chances are they’re before the school for Aqbat (Aqbit) al Biyut.
plucking petals while the dew still lies on the After 2 km, there’s a parking spot WP9: N23
bushes and the oil is at its most intense. Forget 05.935 E57 34.453 just before the GSM mast.
the water at this stage: bundled petals are not It’s not called ‘Sunset Point’ for nothing: at
boiled but steamed over a fire. The evaporated 2,200 m, the view across the mountains is
essence is con­densed into jars in a process that Magnificent juniper trees grace the upper perfectly aligned for enjoying the setting sun.
takes much experience and patience. plateaus of Al Jabal al Akhdar. If you want to chase the sunset further
Little wonder then, that rose water is such a west, continue down the road for another
precious commodity. olive trees. The olives are collected for local 5 km, passing some fine cliff houses on the
use but are not sold commercially. left at Al Jarir, and climbing up the hill the
At 8.5 km, prickly pear cacti mark the other side. Park the car at the top of the rise
entrance to the Royal Farm. The ripe fruit of and clamber up the ridge. You won’t see any
this cactus is delicious once you learn how to fruit from here, but you will have a mighty
dissect it, to avoid the prickles. This is fine view of Rock and ‘Awe’ – the spec­
definitely not the place to go scrum­ping tacular drive highlighted in Route 3.
There are a maximum of 35 petals on an Al Jabal
though! The farm conducts research into the One reminder for the drive back to
al Akhdar rose, but if you have just spent the last
most resilient strains of fruit and veget­able Nizwa: don’t forget to descend to Birkat al
five minutes counting their gorgeous blowsy
for the climate and is not open to the public. Mawz in low gear. Many people have come
number, you may well be missing the point. The
The road climbs to a small plateau, at unstuck on this descent by driving down
point in cultivating these beautiful briars is not for
9.4 km, ideal for camping. Unusually tall using only their brakes. It may be a fine new
the flower but for the aroma. For hundreds of
junipers enjoy this protected spot and tarmac road, but the wait for assistance is
provide shade and privacy. long and lonely if you run into problems.

Just before the descent into Sayq, you’ll al Akhdar, return to the hotel and turn left
notice a graded track on the left WP6: N23 again out of the gate. Turn right after 1 km
04.068 E57 38.622. If you take this track, WP7: N23 05.398 E57 40.993, following the
follow it round to the left and you’ll find it sign for Hayl Misibt. Zero your odometer at
zigzags down the mountain for about 6 km. this point and head up the hill and into
This road gives you a view of the crescent wilder country. This is the land of the
from the west and is a good place for a juniper, the gnarled and knotted barks of
picnic. If you park at the top of the track, which speak of harsh winters and
just before the first hairpin bend, and walk bedevilling winds.
over to the wadi on your right, you’ll find the The blue-grey berries appear to be har­
rock pavement is jewelled with fossils. vested locally, perhaps as flavouring. From
the village of Shanut(Sahnawt) onwards,
Leg 3 Upper Sayq Plateau: For a you will see fine examples of this hardy ever­
completely different experience of Al Jabal green tree. You will also see plenty of wild A mount of wild olives is an inspiring sight on a stormy winter’s day.

56 OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN 57

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