Hajar Mountains of Oman

Running across northern Oman, the Hajar Mountains offer Jebel Shams (the "Grand Canyon of Arabia"), the terraces of Jebel Akhdar, emerald-green wadis and fort towns such as Nizwa. This is the core of Oman for self-drive travel.

The Hajar Mountains are the highest range in eastern Arabia. They stretch about 700 km southeast from the Musandam Peninsula in the north to near Sur, and the highest peak, Jebel Shams ("Mountain of the Sun"), reaches about 3,000 m. When travelers talk about the Hajar region, they usually mean the inland mountains west of Muscat (Nizwa, Jebel Akhdar, Jebel Shams, Misfat al Abriyyin) and the group of wadis along the eastern coast. The "Norway of Arabia" fjords of Musandam in the far north belong to the same system. Highlights: the Jebel Shams canyon, known as the "Grand Canyon of Arabia," and its Balcony Walk; the rose terraces and cliffside villages of Jebel Akhdar (the "Green Mountain"); Nizwa Fort and its Friday livestock market; Bahla Fort (a World Heritage Site) and Jabreen Castle; the falaj-irrigated mountain village of Misfat al Abriyyin; in the east, Wadi Shab, Wadi Tiwi and swimming in Wadi Bani Khalid; and a traditional dhow cruise through the Musandam fjords to see dolphins. A common plan is a 5–7 day self-drive in a rented 4x4 from Muscat: Muscat → Nizwa (Jebel Akhdar, Jebel Shams) 2–3 nights → Wahiba Sands desert camp 1 night → coastal wadis to Sur, then back to Muscat. Musandam can be arranged separately from Dubai or Muscat as a 2-day trip. A 4WD vehicle is mandatory for the drive up Jebel Akhdar, and the checkpoint will inspect it. Wadis can flash-flood, so never enter one when it is raining. Dress conservatively.

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