Wadi Bani Khaled
“Wadi” means “Valley”, and there are dozens of those valleys carved into the mountains, some offering emerald water pools that invite for a quick refreshing dip into the water, some filled with Falaj and date plantations. You surely can spend weeks visiting the numerous Wadis throughout Oman.
After the mountain ranges of Jebel Shams & Jebel Al Akdhar, we decided to focus on 3 of the more popular Wadis offering those emerald waters:
- Wadi Bani Khaled – The most popular of all
Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, and even if we managed to arrive there early, we were not exactly on our own. This is one of the most popular spots in Oman, so expect to join the crowds, with busloads of tourists of all ages and all countries pouring in this Wadi.
Emerald colored pools lined with palm trees and reed welcome the visitors. An easy trek leads into a narrow canyon with more pools surrounded by large boulders. So yes, it is indeed definitely worth the visit, if you arrive early enough…
- Wadi Tiwi – A breathtaking and nerve-wrecking driving experience!
The most spectacular about Wadi Tiwi? It is the drive itself, on a very narrow, sinuous and sooooo steep mountain road climbing up the mountain and passing through 7 different villages. Few visitors make it to the top, and the “Waterfall” requires you to cross the entire palm tree plantation… But numerous local kids will be eager to play the guide for a few OMR.
Wadi Tiwi
- Wadi Shab – The hike is worth it!
Plan enough time (at least 4 hours for the round trip) and your bathing suit, as you will need to swim the last leg to reach the end of this Wadi. And yes, spectacular it is, definitely worth the effort – A pleasant change from 8 years ago, when we had to turn around after 1,5 hours…
How long should you plan for these Wadis? If you come from the Wahiba Sands and plan to move on to Muscat, it will require 2 days / 1 night. Wadi Al Arbeieen Resort was a really nice option for the overnight stay on this part of the trip.
Comments are closed.