If you want to beat the crowds at Wadi Bani Khalid, then Moqal Cave in the upper reaches of the wadi is a curiosity to head towards. There's not much to the cave itself, but the hike along the wadi bottom is something of an adventure in its own right. Look for the lower path above the picnic area and then be ready to scramble over and squeeze under boulders and to ford the water several times.
Goat herders may or may not show you the way, as locals are not keen on tourists venturing beyond the pools. Then again, they may just be worried you’ll be lured into the land of gardens and cool streams revealed to all who strike the rocks of Moqal Cave and utter the magic words ‘Salim Bin Saliym Salam’. The cave, however, is more likely to reveal evidence of bats and previous visitors. The narrow entrance is finally accessed by a concrete stairway. A torch is needed to see anything, and to find the underground pools you will need to be prepared to scramble and slither through the mud. To reach the cave, walking shoes are advisable, together with a reasonable level of fitness. If the water levels are high, the route should be avoided. It's inadvisable to enter the cave alone.
