My Graced Journey: Exploring mountains & wadi's of Oman

Thursday, 17 September 2009

Exploring mountains & wadi's of Oman

Exploring Jebel Shams & Wadi Ghul

English Teacher in Oman

Oman 2009

Upon our arrival in Ibri as teachers of the Ibri COAS, my colleagues and I made an effort to explore the area as quick as possible. Oman is the most underestimated jewel in the world, tourism wise. I remember when I told people that I'm going to Oman, they did not even know there was a country named Oman.

We rented cars and that gave us a lot of freedom and mobility to explore. Some of the most scenic spots relatively close to us were Jebel (Which is Arabic for mountain) Shams (sunshine) and Wadi (dry riverbed) Ghul. We visited Jebel Shams by car and took some lovely pics of the views. A bunch of the male teachers decided later on in 2009 to do the Wadi Ghul hike. It turned out to be an extremely tough hike climbing the mountains and the extreme heat made this a climb of endurance.

Ansu and I near Jebel Shems, October 2008 (Our first photo as a couple)

About Oman

Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is an Arab country on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Holding a strategically important position at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, the country shares land borders with the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest, and shares marine borders with Iran and Pakistan. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the southeast and the Gulf of Oman on the northeast. The Madha and Musandam exclaves are surrounded by the UAE on their land borders, with the Strait of Hormuz (which it shares with Iran) and the Gulf of Oman forming Musandam's coastal boundaries.

From the late 17th century, the Omani Sultanate was a powerful empire, vying with Portugal and Britain for influence in the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. At its peak in the 19th century, Omani influence or control extended across the Strait of Hormuz to modern-day Iran and Pakistan, and as far south as Zanzibar (today part of Tanzania, also former capital). As its power declined in the 20th century, the sultanate came under the influence of the United Kingdom. Historically, Muscat was the principal trading port of the Persian Gulf region. Muscat was also among the most important trading ports of the Indian Ocean. Oman is an absolute monarchy. The Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said has been the hereditary leader of the country since 1970. Sultan Qaboos is the longest-serving current ruler in the Middle East, and sixth-longest current reigning monarch in the world.

Oman has modest oil reserves, ranking 25th globally. Nevertheless, in 2010 the UNDP ranked Oman as the most improved nation in the world in terms of development during the preceding 40 years. A significant portion of its economy is tourism and trade of fish, dates, and certain agricultural produce. This sets it apart from its neighbors’ solely oil-dependent economies. Oman is categorized as a high-income economy (Wikipedia).

Ruins on the Wadi Ghul hike

Visiting Jebel Shams (2008)

Jebel Shams (mountain of sun) is a mountain located in north-eastern Oman north of Al Hamra town. It’s the highest mountain in the country and part of the Al Hajar Mountains range. It is a popular sightseeing area located 240 km from Muscat. In the summer, the temperature is around 20 °C and in the winter it drops to less than 0 °C (Wikipedia).

Drive towards Jebel Shams - Vantage point stop

Village & agriculture in wadi - Scenery on our drive towards Jebel Shams

Up a mountain pass towards Jebel Shams

Up against this hill with 2 Nissan Tiida saloons full of teachers

Dirt road mountain pass

Then the rain came

Stopping to admire the view

Ansu posing in the rain

Posing in the rain

Jebel Shams

Jebel Shams - Jonathon Fowler at a vantage point

Bedouin Curios for sale - Ansu looking checking out the merchandise

Bedouin Curios for sale

Steve at another vantage point

Ansu at a vantage point overlooking the gorge

The gorge below

Bedouin tent - Jebel Shams mountain resort

Hiking at Wadi Ghul (2009)

Ghul or Wadi Ghul is an abandoned village, located to the northwest of Al Hamra in Oman. The area is referred to as the "Omani Grand Canyon" or "The Grand Canyon of Arabia". It is near Jebel Shams, the highest mountain peak in Oman (Wikipedia).