Blog

Click here to visit The Desert Plunge.

Great Outings for the Summer Months

Jebel Shams in Oman

Many people may think that getting outdoors, and especially camping, in the summer is just not an option…well they would be wrong.  Across the border in Oman, in the Hajar mountain range, Jebel Shams and Jebel Akhdar both offer opportunities forcamping in the hottest months of the year.

Jebel Shams (The Mountain of The Sun) is the highest mountain in Oman, at about 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) high. This means that even if it's a sweltering 45 degrees Celsius at the base, by the time you make it to the end of the road, there's usually about a 20 degree difference and it even gets chilly at night.  The tarmac road leads to a viewpoint with some pretty spectacular views down into Wadi an Nakhur, which is often referred to as the Grand Canyon of Oman. 

The drive from the border crossing in Al Ain (Jebel Hafeet / Mezyad border post) to the base of Jebel Shams usually takes a bit under three hours including the border crossing. Once through the border be sure to fill up with fuel as it is cheaper in Oman and the frequency of stations lessens. Take the immaculate two lane highway in the direction of Ibri, and once you get there, a good pit stop is the small Rainbow café on the roundabout which signposts the way to Salalah.  This little café arguably makes the best egg paratha sandwiches in town (N 23°12.947’ E 056° 29.475’).

The less adventurous may prefer to indulge in a Biryani at the Ibri Oasis Hotel, which also provides clean and adequate accommodation, and is a good place to stay on a Thursday evening if you decide to get a head start on the drive to Jebel Shams.  (Tel: 25689955 – one of the first buildings onthe left as you reach Ibri.)

On leaving Ibri, keep a look out to your right for the ruins of the old town of Al Sulaif, perched on the edge of a small cliff overlooking the wadi.  There is a small turn off to the ruins at the point at which the main road goes down to one lane.  It’s a good place to explore in the winter months, but give it a miss if you’re passing by during the midday heat of the summer.   

Beware of some creative driving habits on this Ibri to Niwza stretch of the road, and take care when overtaking, as the undulations in the road can sometime hide whole lorries coming towards you. 

Once you reach Jibreen, if you have time, visit the beautiful Jibreen castle, which is signposted from the main road. Constructed in 1670 and once a centre of power and knowledge in the region, its intricate woodwork and colourful ceilings illustrate the prosperity derived from the falaj system, which enabled the inhabitants to develop agriculture and industry many miles from the original source of water in the surrounding mountains (N 22° 54.931’ E 057° 14.969’).  The fort is closed on Fridays, but the clean bathroom facilities are usually left open, and the trees in the car park offer shade for a quick picnic.     

Rejoin the main road and continue in the direction of Bahla.  Fabled by some to be a centre for black magic, the colossal Bahla fort is a far more tangible attraction.  The fort is a World Heritage Site and the restoration process, which has been underway since 1993, looks close to completion. 

The clay rich soils which are found on the plains surrounding the Western Hajar Mountains formed the base of one of the region’s main industries, which was pottery.  Nowadays Bahla is one of the few towns where the pottery industry is still relatively active, and if you venture into the side streets opposite the fort you may come across one of the few remaining workshops.  A Bahla produced incense burner or hanging water jar (jahlah) would make an authentic souvenir of your visit.     

Take the next major left turn after Bahla, which is signposted “Al Hamra, Wadi Ghul and Jebel Shams”.  The road goes past the turn off to the Al Hoota Caves, which offer trips into a large underground cavern via tram (tram not always functioning), and then look out for the petrol station on the outskirts of Al Hamra, where you should make a left turn onto the Jebel Shams road.  

If you were to continue through Al Hamra, and take the road up the mountain in front of you, you will come to Misfat Al Abriyyin.  Misfat is a stunning small village nestled in its rich green date plantations, laced with an intricate falaj system.  Unfortunately, as a result of irresponsible tourists tramping through the village, visitors have sometimes received an unusually hostile reception.  There is a viewpoint in the car park opposite the village, where the best photographs can be made without disturbing the inhabitants.    

Continuing towards Jebel Shams from the petrol station in Al Hamra, you will come to the first significant bend in the road after about 9 kilometres.  Keep your eyes peeled for the abandoned village of Ghul on the opposite side of the wadi.  Built from the same rocks as the mountainside it stands on, it’s easy to miss this little picturesque gem.  If you have the energy to explore the ruins, there are some trees in the wadi which provide a little shade for parking.  This is also the start of a footpath which leads up to Al Khitaym on the Jebel Shams plateau (a four hour ascent).    

You may also like to consider continuing up Wadi an Nakhur to admire the sheer rockfaces which make up the Grand Canyon of Oman. The track becomes narrow in parts, with only a small turning area in the village at the end, and therefore this is not a route for groups of more than three cars.   

Not long after the village of Ghul the road begins its ascent of Jebel Shams, with an initial section of hairpin bends. Although it is a tarmac road all the way up, it is worth checking your brakes, and ensuring that you know how to engage four wheel drive on your car, before you tackle the mountain. 

Once you reach the first plateau, you will already notice a drop in temperature.  Small barasti shelters offer shady pit stops, and sometimes house the rug salesmen and women which are intrinsic to the character of Jebel Shams. The sheep and goats which you will see hopping across the rocks are the source for the main component of the rug weaving industry, with wild mountain indigo and the skin of pomegranates traditionally producing the dye.  The dense wood of the wild olive trees (sidr) is ideal for the manufacture of the tools and looms required in the weaving process.   

If you are lucky, you may experience one of the not so infrequent summer rainstorms.  These heavy downpours, often characterised by bouts of thunder and lightning, although welcome, can also be treacherous, and it is important to stay out of wadis and obvious water courses and quickly reach higher ground if you even suspect it has been raining further up the mountain, or if it looks like rain is on the way.  There have been numerous cases of ill-informed tourists being swept to their deaths by walls of water which race through the wadis after rainfall.    

Keep following the tarmac road across the plateau and up the second steep ascent.  A second small plateau offers mediocre camping opportunities, but is the start of the summit trek for those adventurous enough to scale the mountain on foot.

The final small ascent brings you to the canyon edge and the end of the expedition.  Hold onto children and pets when approaching the viewpoint, as the edge of the sheer cliff is sometimes badly defined.   

Unsurprisingly, given the climate, the plateau is well inhabited, and may find yourself being the focal point of an impromptu gathering of persistent entrepreneurs, determined to sell you a rug or key ring. However, if you set off on your explorations in a purposeful manner, you may escape with at least a few Omani Rials left in your wallet.  

Unless you are one of the rare breed of Middle East campers who is willing to shoulder their tent and supplies and hike to a nice spot, the large plateaus on Jebel Shams mean that you will find it difficult to find a secluded camping spot.  Nevertheless, only the goats are likely to disturb you if you pitch tent within view of the road on the lower plateau.  The Jebel Shams Motel, which is a little past the Grand Canyon viewpoint on the main road, offers camping spaces and bathroom facilities, and is a good alternative if you want to enjoy the pleasant weather on the mountain for at least one night. 

Make your descent of the mountain slowly and carefully, using high gears (one and two) or even low range on the steeper sections. You should be able to tackle the steepest sections in low range, barely touching your brakes. 

Top Tips and Notes

This is a long trip from Dubai or Abu Dhabi.  It is worth leaving on a Thursday evening, or taking an extra day off to reduce the amount of driving. 

Please remember to camp and explore responsibly.  Protect the flora and fauna by taking your rubbish home, picking up other people’s rubbish and by staying on the beaten track.  If you plan to make a fire, then take your own wood.   The mountain climate is very harsh, thus everything has taken a long time to grow, and the local population harvest the wood and shrubs for their own use.  

The days usually consist of intensive sunshine, and the nights are often cool.  Rain is not unusual.  Good sun cream, some warm clothing, and a shelter to camp under (tent or awning) are therefore advisable.  Mosquitos can be a nuisance if it has rained.  

Unlike the desert, finding a flat, rock free spot in which to pitch a tent can be challenging.  When camping in the mountains many people opt to sleep in the back of the car, or on camping beds.  A rooftop tent is of course the most luxurious option, and is favoured by those who camp on a regular basis.  Due to the nature of the terrain it’s often not easy to find a large camping spot in the mountains.  It is therefore advisable to travel in smaller groups, of a maximum of three or four cars.

If your car has a small fuel tank you may wish to take a jerry can of petrol.  It is not unusual for petrol stations to run out of supplies in Oman.

Remember to take your passport, car registration papers and valid Oman carinsurance.  Check whether you need to apply for an Omani visa in advance.   

We took advantage of the recent long weekend to spend two nights at our favourite camping site on Jebel Akhdar.  

The border was, inevitably, pretty busy on the Thursday morning, but once inside the visa building things went smoothly, as most of the travelers were either Omani or Emirati.  

With air temperatures hovering in the mid-forties, the white beast (1991 Range Rover Classic) got a bit hot under the hood, and spewed the contents of her radiator onto the tarmac in a fit of rage whilst waiting in the border queue on the Omani side.  Luckily, Mr. Range Rover is well prepared for such tantrums, and she soon calmed down, as opposed to Mrs. Range Rover, who was beginning to wonder whether she should not have insisted on taking her very reliable Toyota Prado (see forum section on overheating - top tips - hood up, heating on, check for leaks, carry spare coolant and water).

Lunch was devoured at the Rainbow restaurant in Ibri, with Mrs. Range Rover making the momentous discovery that they do actually have a toilet there. The dead cockroach in the corner indicated that the plumbing was reassuringly up to Omani standard. 

We plodded on for the final few hours to Nizwa, at which point the white beast suddenly started to lose acceleration. A bit of fiddling under the hood and bending of wires was all it took to fix the problem.  We filled up with petrol and started up the mountain, at which point both the Range Rover and the LR3 encountered fuel stoppages.  No doubt they had both picked up a tank of dirty petrol, and struggled their way up the 2,500 meter climb until the blockages cleared.

On Friday some of the more energetic members of the party explored the mountain, by car and on foot, and others just enjoyed the mid-twenties temperatures.  As usual, there was evidence of previous campers / picnickers in the form of piles of rubbish and discarded cans and plastic bottles.  

Saturday morning showed the evidence of the previous two nights of mosquito feasting, with Mr. Range Rover sporting over thirty bites on his legs. Needless to say, by the second night the non-tent camp bed dwellers were regretting their minimalist set-up, and the roof top tent cartel was considering charging for bed space by the hour.

A brief excursion to a village at a dead end resulted in our good deed of the day, which was to right an overturned Land Cruiser people carrier.  Thankfully only the driver had been in the car, and he was shaken and stirred, but otherwise quite alright.  Brake failure (or excessive speed) on a turn resulted in him coming off the road and rolling down the hill, leaving the car on its side and pointing uphill.  Mr. Land Cruiser's winch was attached to the chassis, and the winch slowly brought the car back to an even keel.



Mindful of the long drive home, we briefly stopped in Old Tanuf on the way home, only to find that the falaj is being "upgraded" to a concrete encased plastic water pipe, and the piles of rubbish among the ruins are in danger of turning into mountains.  
 

The PNSF Expedition team have just put together their Zarges Eurobox # 40701 camp kitchen.

These boxes are made for adventure and overlanding, being dust and water proof, and very durable. While not being inexpensive, they will last you a lifetime.  BMT also provided the Zarges Pick ‘n Pluck foam inserts to make sure that the contents (especially the Bavarian tankards) is securely transported.

The Angel Runners

 Waiting for the runners to get back

The Angel Appeal / Bling My Truck stand

After a couple of weeks of emails and route discussions between the various trip participants, it was clear that we were going to need a lot more than eight days to accomplish half of what we all wanted to see and do. 

However, since none of us have won the lottery (yet ...) we had little choice but to restrict ourselves to exploring some new areas in central and northern Oman.

Car preparations began in earnest a few days before the planned departure.  The tires on the silver Ford F150 were showing signs of wear, and the drive quality in particular was causing some concern.  A quick trip to the garage to see if the wheels needed balancing ended up with us having to invest in a full set of new Cooper STTs - an unpleasant but certainly necessary expense given the tough road conditions ahead.  

Day 1 - Friday

A really early start was hampered by a large overnight leak from the Land Cruiser's back seat water tank. The problem was quickly resolved by omitting the tank from the trip, sticking to the trusted jerry can’s and loading the silver Ford F-150 with more water, wood and fuel.

 

Time of departure was 9.30am, a mere hour behind schedule. The Land Cruiser and Ford made good progress heading towards the boarder, only stopping once to readjust the cargo on the roof rack. The boarder crossing went smooth, only having to show the customs official the Ministry Vet papers for the dog Zawadi, as she growled when he approached the car. However, all papers were in order, so the dog and cars were free to enter the Sultanate of Oman for nine days of much anticipated exploring and camping.

 

After the mandatory egg paratha sandwiches and spiced tea in the Rainbow Coffeeshop in Ibri, the two cars headed along the Salalah road to the oil fields and camps of Fuhud, where they met up with the second Land Cruiser 100 coming in from Muscat. Again the load was distributed more evenly, with the Ford’s loading capacity made use of for more wood carrying. The cars filled up again with petrol in Fuhud before heading into the unknown. It was mid-afternoon by then, so time becoming scare if we were going to find the first camping spot of the trip in the light.

 

The Umm As-Sameen (mother of poison) lay ahead, and driving on tracks through it made the team appreciate the name. The horizon was flat as far as the eye could see, encrusted with a solid salt layer, and would inevitably shred any tire which dared to leave the bulldozed track.

 

 

After taking a number of left and right turns (we wondered where all the tracks led to), we reached the foot of the Ramlat Al Gharbaniyyat (a part of the greater Rub Al Khali – the Empty Quarter), the great dunes which stretch from Saudi-Arabia into Oman nearly all the way to the coast (see our Salalah blog – ‘bullet hill’). The convoy ventured a few kilometers into the dunes, but sticking to tracks, as it was getting late, the cars fully loaded, and therefore we had very little time for tire deflation and serious dune driving. The dunes in this part of the desert can reach a few hundred feet high, with huge flats (Sabkha’s) between them. We drove off the track and headed along the foot of a set of dunes to the far side of one of these Sabkha’s to set camp, as far out of sight and sound from the track. Nonetheless, we got woken the next morning by the thundering noise of trucks speeding along the rough track, heading to the next oil field deep inside the Ramlat.

 

Camp was a pleasant first night, with near perfect temperatures.

 

 

Day 2 - Saturday

Camping usually means an early rise, and the first morning of our trip was no exception (helped along by the truck traffic). After breakfast and stowing away our roof top tents, one of which just had its maiden use, we drove back onto the track we had left the day before. We then proceeded to head further into the sands, looking for an easy route East / South-East, as we were meeting with a fourth car (2008 Nissan Patrol LWB) for the second camp at Qarat Al Kibrit, the sulphur domes just west of the Route 31. Route 31 is the infamous Nizwa – Salalah road, dissecting Oman through the middle and currently still the only way to reach Salalah by road. It is 1000 plus km of near straight road, potholes and emptiness (see again our Salalah Summer 2010 blog).

 

It become apparent very quickly, however, that without some serious off-roading and ‘dune-bashing’, we were not going to make our own route off the beaten track across the sands due East. Especially with our still heavily loaded cars, and with a fixed time and place for the evening camp. So we backtracked a little, out of the main dunes, and drove off-country along the periphery of the Ramlat, on the Sabkha’s towards the oil fields and camps of Qarn Al Alam.

 

 

The drive there was steady and enjoyable, with perfect sunny weather and all three cars searching the grounds for signs of meteorites. For this, small magnets had been taped to the bottom of long camel sticks, making testing the rocks from your car window a comfortable task.

 

Lunch was taken on the crest of a small dune, however, upon setting off, not only did the bash plate of one Land Cruiser rip off upon reversing down the slope, but the battery connection of the second Land Cruiser broke, with signs of serious corrosion. The bash plate was packed into the Ford, the battery connection fixed in a rudimentary fashion, and the convoy headed to the next hopeful looking repair shop in the oil camp of Qarn Al Alam two hours drive away. Thankfully, the mechanics there were incredibly helpful and generous, replacing the faulty connection with a brand new one (most oil companies in the region use either Toyota Land Cruiser’s or Hilux’s as the reliable mode of transport), free of charge both for labour and spare parts.

 

This hiccup delayed the meeting time with car number four at Qarat Al Kibrit, although upon getting to the abandoned sulphur mines, there was no sign of the Nissan. Thankfully, due to relative close proximity to Route 31, we had mobile reception, so that we could make out that the driver of the Nissan had missed a GPS point given to him before our departure - one which was vital to finding the domes. This meant he had ended up at the 60 odd km away Qarat Al Milh. A rocky outcrop in an otherwise flat country, used as salt mines in times gone by.

 

 

The group relaxed, unwound and enjoyed a walk around, before meeting close to the pinnacles just before sunset for some stunning shots. This was, however, cut short, by one member noticing a massive weather front approaching from the plains of the south. We just had enough time to fasten down the awnings and tent flaps, and throw in any camping gear which could easily take off, before the sand storm hit us with full force.  I was afraid that the tent would come flying off, but all held sturdy, and after some spotlight reading in the dark for an hour, we crawled out of our respective cars and had an absolutely gorgeous night. Clear, starry sky, with not even a single plane crossing our line of sight. We felt like the only people alive.

 

 

Day 4 - Monday

Being careful not to drive too far into the treacherous Sabkha, we headed due south, crossing the Route 31 to Mazirah Island tarmac connection, before heading down Wadi Tabaqah, a massive dry wadi, at times 40km wide and a near 150km long. Initially we were up on the escarpment, but after lunch headed down into the wadi, but again driving close to the edge. We had been told that trying to drive through and crossing the wadi had often ended in the cars being stuck for days. Due the lack of rain for many many years, and the prevailing winds, the soil had become just like powder, immediately bogging your car down to its chassis. In any case, we had deflated tires in the morning to a comfortable 18psi to be on the safe side.

 

Stopping frequently to take pictures, do some meteorite hunting or exploring a possible path to drive along, we decided to set up camp # 4 at the foot of the escarpment in an area with presumably a high water table, evident by the many clusters of trees around and the still functioning and used well a kilometer or so away. We had not seen many camels or other wildlife about, though. The escarpment just above the camp, however, housed a peregrine falcon which was continuously being chased and harassed in mid-air by two crows. A spectacle of nature at its best.

 

 

While some group members took a much needed shower, others explored the area on foot or in cars. The evening camp and dinner was once again pleasant, only made a little uncomfortable by some strange scraping noises coming out of a huge, dense group of bushes 50 metres away from our camp. Although trees and bushes give you protection from the elements, they are also home to animals and insects, so we were vary of that and everybody wore their desert boots / trainers just in case.

 

Day 5 - Tuesday

After our usual early rise, breakfast and packing, we left the camp site just before 9am, popping immediately back up onto the escarpment, spending the better part of the morning searching for meteorites. The entire trip was unsuccessful on this front, although research claims, that Oman, with its expanse of flats, and harsh, dry climate, is the perfect place to go hunting for these extra-terrestrial objects.

 

Just before lunchtime we found the single empty oil drum, marking the descent down into the wadi and apparently only safe crossing of Wadi Tabaqah in west – east – west direction. The crossing turned out to be rather uneventful, with roughly 25km of easy tracks heading towards the ‘black hill’, a dark mount due east. From there we off-roaded along minor wadis and around small hills and escarpment towards what can be seen on Google Earth looking like a massive, near perfect conical stone structure. Seen up close, it looked like a perfect valley, encapsuled by low stone hills.

   

Unfortunately, by the time we reached this interesting structure, another wind had picked up, whipping up the sand and reducing visibility, making walking around near impossible. We had also been able to reach the rest of the groupon the Thuraya satellite telephone, due to the lack of regular reception, who were apparently making their way down to our beach camp from Dubai, stating they were more than on time. 

 

We hit the coastal tarmac around 2pm, heading down south to the nearest petrol station, driving slowly as our tires were still deflated. We debated about adding pressure again, but knew that the upcoming beach drive could also be treacherous, so decided to just keep it slow and easy on the tarmac.

 

Refilling water tanks and refueling, we headed north and cut across to the beach at Mikhaybiyah, where we wound around the new shrimp farm along the beach to a distant outcrop, jutting directly into the sea, which gave us a varied amount of protection from the ongoing strong winds. There we set up camp and waited for the rest of the group to arrive.

Due to work commitments the remainder of the party (one Ford F150, two Nissan Patrols and one Toyota Prado) joined us at Al Khaluf in the evening.  Having left home at about 5 am, they avoided the holiday border queues and made good time until breakfast at the rainbow restaurant in Ibri.  At this point there was a battle of the GPS's with one indicating the northerly route to be the faster.  Logic and the other (identical) GPS pointed south, but unfortunately all had expected the others to pack a decent map.  Some new roads in the area, which are most likely not yet in the GPS's software, added to the debate. Anyway, the northerly route was chosen, with the rogue GPS soon changing its mind and adding over an hour to the estimated time of arrival.

After an otherwise uneventful drive, interspersed with an unusual number of army check points (have car registration, driving license and all passports ready to show), and lunch under a spiky tree, the group finally reached the coast near Al Khaluf.  The dirt road leads down to the wide costal plain through a mixture of sand dunes and rocky outcrops, creating a welcome change from the flat desert plains which make up the final few hours of driving. 



Tires need to be deflated as soon as you leave the gravel track, as the coastal area is a mixture of three types of sticky terrain: heavy, damp and coarse white sand at the sea shore; muddy, fine and damp red sand over the subkha; and very fine powdery white sand dunes behind.  Telephone reception was intermittent, so the group had a GPS coordinate for the camp and a slightly misleading text message to go on.  It was decided to head to the camp across the white dunes, rather than along the beach, and initially there was a choice of good tracks, and quite dense vegetation ensured the sand was firmer than expected.  However, on progressing further from the sea shore, the bushes become more infrequent and eventually the sand is about as fine and soft as it gets.  With the light failing, it was soon clear that it would be more prudent to head back towards the harder beach sand.



Once on the beach, as there were a number of other camps setup along the bay, it was necessary on a few occassions to drive down onto the sand below the high water mark to avoid coming too close to the camps.  Unfortunately there was quite a large height difference in sand at the high water mark, resulting in the front right tire on the white Ford F150 popping off the rim when trying to get up from the beach across the high water mark. 

Initially it looked as though the easiest would be to mount the spare tire and deal with it all properly in the morning, but once the high lift jack was out we decided it might be a good opportunity to try the "deodorant trick" to pop the tire back on.

There are quite a few detailed descriptions in the various off road forums and on YouTube, but essentially, once you have the car jacked up, and the tire is free of debris, make sure that the tire is lined up inside the rim.  Spray deodorant into the interior of the tire and then light it, and the resultant fire will heat the air inside the tire and should pop it back into place. 

Even if you are confident that you can control the numerous safety issues involved, it's still not an ideal method, as the tire was then full of sand, to the extent that we had to go to the tire repair shop to get the inside cleaned out, before driving at any real speed.



Day 6 - Wednesday

We woke up to a gorgeous sunny day, with very little wind in comparison to the stormy weather of the night before.  The plan had been to move away from the coast and get onto a rocky plain, where there would be less flying sand, but it looked like the weather would hold, and everyone was very happy to have a day in situ.  



Note: be careful on the beach, as you may encounter some stingrays sunning themselves in the shallow water.  They will usually scatter as soon as you get too close. 

Day 7 - Thursday

After a leisurely breakfast and a swim we headed back inland, leaving some of the party at the beach for a further night. 

The priority was to sort out the white F150's sand filled tire, as well as a puncture in one of the Nissan Patrol's tires.  We found a typical Omani puncture shop who were extremely fast and capable, albeit somewhat confused as to the cloud of deodorant which puffed out when they released the tire's valve.  

 

    

Our aim was to reach Jebel Akhdar for a nice cool camp.  We progressed pretty well, with one blow out on one of the Land Cruiser's Cooper STT tires, which wasn't wholly unexpected as we had noticed some damage already.



Nevertheless, we only reached the base of the mountain late in the afternoon, and reached camp after dark.  As we climbed the temperature dropped from a very comfortable 27 degrees celcius in Birkat Al Mawz, to about 11 degress celcius when we arrived at camp, giving us a rare opportunity to try out our car heating!

Day 8 - Friday

Nighttime temperatures must have dropped close to zero, as the morning was still very fresh. 



The majority of the Jebel Akhdar group spent a few hours enjoying the mountain scenery, whilst the silver F150 headed back to the UAE to meet up with another group in Al Ain. 

Temperatures were perfect and we entered the wildlife reserve between Al Ain and the Liwa in the mid-afternoon.  Security personnel took down our vehicle details and we were then free to enter the reserve.   

Although there had been reports of recent rains in the Liwa area it was clear that there hadn't been any rain since the summer in our little spot. Some areas sucked the cars in like quicksand, and, although soon extricated with a bit of pushing and low ratio, we were happy to set up camp early and have a bit of time before sunset.   
 

Day 9 - Saturday

The reserve is home to about two hundred released oryx and countless sand gazelle, who are left to roam free, but nevertheless have access to food and water at a number of feeding stations.  Camels have only recently been prevented from grazing freely in the area, so the flora is still in a state of recovery and extremely sparse in most areas.  A lack of rain has also not helped with regeneration of the vegetation cover.



The trees shown above at the feeding center are artificially irrigated.

We exited the reserve soon after the feeding station and headed across into the larger Liwa dunes within the crescent to find a picnic spot for lunch.  We soon found ourselves heading towards one of our old camping sites, where we knew the view was pretty good.  We whipped out the rear awning for a bit of shade over the tailgate, and it would have been an ideal temperature for a bit of a snooze if we had had the time.



Cars on the trip: Two Ford F150s, Two Toyota Land Cruisers, One Toyota Prado, Three Nissan Patrols.

Team mascots:  Zawadi and Safa

 

If you want to take your dogs to Oman remember to get the export / import paperwork done.  Your vet can help you with the process, but basically:  1.  Make sure all vaccinations are up-to-date and logged in the dog's vaccination book.  2.  Your dog needs to have been microchipped.  3.  You need a health certificate from a ministry vet, which you can get at the Dubai airport freight center (middle building).  Take the dog with you in the car but don't take it into the building, as they usually rely on your vaccination book, rather than examining the dog.  You can also get a health certificate from your vet and present this at the border, but that means you may need further approval from the vet stationed at the border, who will issue the ministry certificate.  This is a slow process and they are often not available. 

Note:  On a recent trip to Oman we were told that you cannot take animals across the border between 6pm and 6am, and we were also charged OMR 40 (AED 400) as an import fee for the dog by the vet on duty.     

 

   

The Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region, and Chairman of the Emirates Falconers’ Club. This national event features camel auctions, saluki beauty contests, art competitions and traditional hunting and equestrian activities.  Visitors have the opportunity to purchase the latest camping, hunting, equestrian and weaponry equipment from over 500 brands.

Another Weekend Escape - 3,300 kms Driven!



Day 1
Salalah, a verdant enclave trapped between a scorching expanse of desert and the Indian Ocean, is an alluring holiday destination for many Gulf Arabs. With daytime temperatures rarely above 30 degrees Celsius, Saudis, Bahrainis, Kuwaitis, Qataris and Emiratis all descend in their thousands during the Khareef (Monsoon) season to escape the summer heat at home, and to marvel at the rolling pastures and forest clad mountains.

Dhofar also vies with Yemen for the residence of the Queen of Sheba, who Dhofaris claim resided in a cliff top fortress at Samharan, not far from Salalah. The abundance of frankincense trees in the region, and the idyllic situation of the fort, perched above a natural harbour, in any case tends to encourage one towards the romantic notion that the fort had once been a bustling center of trade, with merchant ships being filled with celestial aromas and camel trains setting of into the misty mountains braced for the hard journey across the expanse of nothingness further north.

We set off from Dubai with these delicious memories of prior visits, at about 6pm, as usual having filled the truck to the gunnels. Pizza to go; a painless border crossing; fortifying tea at the Rainbow Restaurant at the Salalah turning in Ibri; and we were soon making good progress. The further inland we drove, the more bearable the temperature became, and we finally halted for the night at "Bullet Hill" a large sand dune which forms part of the only chain of dunes which cross the endlessly flat terrain of the Salalah road.

Our journey was now about halfway complete, and the increasing humidity indicated that we had crossed the peninsula and were on our way back towards the ocean, and especially towards the influence of the Khareef. We were greeted in the morning by rolling clouds of fog, which were unfortunately soon dissipated, and temperatures began to rise again.



Day 2
We rejoined the road and were glad that we had completed the night time section of our journey when we did. As the morning wore on, the increasingly treacherous potholes at least provided some entertainment and a few hairy moments to keep all passengers awake, but getting through this latter half of the road at night without smacking an axle or puncturing a tire would certainly have been an achievement.


 
Past Thumrayt the road is much improved and even dual carriageway in parts, with the section descending into Salalah still being worked on. Judging by the enormous scar being cut into the mountainside, the government is intent on reducing the number of casualties of this steep, slippery and foggy descent.

Road worn and tired, we arrived in Salalah in the mid afternoon, in need of a good wash, a strong cup of tea, and excited at the change of scenery. However, unbeknown to us, the zip on our trusty Bushranger rack sack, which we had strapped onto the rooftop tent, had come loose sometime after our final petrol stop resulting in the loss of a dome tent, no doubt assisted on its way by a pesky pothole. Bearing in mind our plan to camp at least one night in the Dhofar region, some form of protection against the unrelenting dampness would need to be found.

After extensive debate as to the likely timings of the few shops which might possibly be open in Salalah in the afternoon in Ramadan (and stock tents) the excursion party initially returned empty handed. More successful later in the evening, they returned with a very smart looking dome tent which professed to be capable of housing five adults lying down and ten sitting. Although the Dhofaris are not a particularly tall folk, and their goats and cows tend towards the dwarfish, we though the Chinese manufacturer of the tent was nevertheless being a little optimistic and had perhaps discounted the likelihood of their tent becoming a temporary residence for a large dutch fellow.
 
Day 3
Having re-discovered the joys of modern plumbing it was (more or less) unanimously decided that Day Three would be a day, rather than overnight, trip.

Our intentions to leave the house early were overcome by the soft mattresses and caressing breeze of the AC. Eventually the picnic was packed and passengers shoehorned back into the belly of the beast and we managed to leave around 11am.

We took the coastal route west past the blow holes at Mughsail, with the intention of completing a large loop into the mountains before heading back to Salalah, getting as close to the Yemeni border as the authorities would allow.

Our Salalah based companions took the lead initially and we followed them off the main road down towards the beach. The steep muddy track lead us down onto a lush green coastal plateau with fantastic beaches. Unfortunately the Khareef waves make swimming too dangerous for many months along the Dhofar coastline, but nevertheless we enjoyed watching the waves swirling around the rocks jutting out of the foamy water. 



On our way down the track we had narrowly missed a bright green chameleon who had decided to take a rest in the middle of the track. We walked back to where he was sitting to get a closer look and he duly treated us to a display of his abilities by clambering up into a nearby bush and adapting himself to his new environment by turning from a bright green to a mottled brown to match the trunk. 



Having had our fill of sea air, we turned back up the track into the mists looking for a good viewpoint where we would be able to stop for lunch. We found an idyllic spot with a view dropping down onto the forest below and the sea as the backdrop, and hauled coolboxes and rugs through the tall grass. It wasn't long before it became clear that our idyllic spot was in fact infested with midges (or "midgets" according to one of our party). A feeding frenzy ensued with us humans wolfing down our sandwiches, and the midges also enjoying a good feed involving something other than their staple camel blood diet. 



Nevertheless, the experience proved useful for two reasons: A. We learnt that it is probably more comfortable to sleep on a bed of nails than to camp in Dhofar in a wooded area during the rainy season. B. There is a reason why the Australians have those funky mosquito net room attachments for their awnings. Needless to say one of those contraptions is now part of the Bling My Truck inventory.

Fed and watered, we turned back onto the main road.  The further inland we drove the warmer and more desolate it became.  Within the space of a few kilometers the lush wooded hills grew barren and dry, with barely any vegetation in sight.


 
Our initial intention had been to reach a small enclave of Oman which stretches across into Yemen called Habrut, but unfortunately our morning laziness meant that we were advised by a friendly guard at one of the frequent military checkpoints that we would not reach our intended destination before nightfall.  Although it was not the guard's intention to discourage us, stories of carjackings by Yemeni bandits also deterred us from driving so close to the border at night, so we turned east again reaching the tarmac at Mudayy, and then making the descent back into Salalah in time for dinner. 

 

Day 4
Fortified by an enormous cooked breakfast, we said goodbye to our salubrious lodgings, and this time headed east down the cost with the intention of cutting a section off the journey back north, by crossing the mountains further east towards Barbazum and re-joining the Oman coastal road, which currently only reaches Hasik on the Salalah side of the mountains.   

We left the coastal plain and cut up into the mountains on the road towards Tawi Atayr and stopped for lunch on Jebel Samhan, with a spectacular view across the plain stretching towards the sea beneath us.



To Barbazum or not to Barbazum ...?
After lunch we progressed without trouble through a number of military checkpoints until we finally reached the road which would take us to Barbazum and back to the interior of Oman.  We had heard of a group who had taken this track in the opposite direction just a few weeks previously, and we were therefore surprised when the guard initially looked skeptically at our Ford F150, questioning its capabilities.  Strangely the merits of the Ford were extolled by a passing Omani in his Toyota Land Cruiser pickup, who had just tackled this supposedly tricky thoroughfare, and things seemed to be looking positive.  Unfortunately the chief guard chose this moment to come out and see what the discussion was about, took one look at our Dubai license plate and told us that the road was for "Omanis only".  Since we had better things to do than argue with a gentleman who carries a loaded machine gun we turned around and headed back west along the top of the mountains to join the usual tarmac route inland at Thumrayt, but not without many mumblings and much remeniscing about difficult roads conquered in the past.

It wasn't long before we were back on the desolate, barren, and dry wasteland behind the mountains that stretches on for an infinity.  As we drove closer to the oil producing region near Marmul, the forest of nodding donkeys grew denser and their slow pendulous motion did little to help us stay awake.  With the sun falling in the sky we were happy when the road finally came to the edge of the escarpment and broke through down onto the plain below.     



We didn't have much light to allow us to search long for a campsite, so we quickly surveyed the beach and chose a small hollow which seemed a little sheltered from the strong sea wind and spray. 

Determined to have a warm and wind free evening, the boys set about building a monumental fireplace, under the supervision of our expert golf course designer (don't try this one at home ...).

   

Nevertheless, the sea spray being driven up the beach by the strong Khareef winds meant the dampness was unrelenting, and most of us were quite happy to crawl into our relatively dry tents soon after dinner. 

Day 5

   

Refreshed, after a night of breathing bracing sea air, we struggled out of the dry comfort of our tents.  The sun tried to burn off the clamminess of the night before, but nevertheless the air remained humid, making it a bit cool.  We whipped out the trusty Coleman stove to boil some hot water for teas and coffees, and waited for things to dry off a bit before packing up. 

 

We briefly continued along the coastal road in the Salalah direction until we reached the road works which have begun to extend the road all the way to Salalah.  Building this new section of road across the cliffs must be extremely challenging, although the Omanis do seem to have developed quite a talent for getting roads through tricky places.

 

We turned around and made our way to the other end of the coastal plain, where there is a large house, apparently belonging to a member of one of the ruling families in the GCC.  A narrow track leads along the base of the cliff behind the house, past a small harbour where the fishermen let their boats into the water.  We stopped to admire the crashing waves and managed to spot over a dozen turtles playing in the surf. 

 

Unfortunately, we couldn’t make time to explore the area further and headed back up the escarpment and wound our way through the fields of nodding donkeys back to the main Salalah – Muscat highway. 

 

We stopped for lunch under the abandoned derrick of Oman’s first oil well, Haima 1, on the long road home and surprisingly the crisscross shade of the steel girders provided a lot of relief from the sun.  We carried on towards Dubai, stopping for parathas and strong tea at the Rainbow Restaurant in Ibri, finally arriving home not long before midnight.   

Cars on the trip:  Ford F150 (petrol / gas), Toyota Prado (diesel) - Day 3 onwards.
Total distance driven:  3,350 km