Oman
Less wadi and more an extension of the Batinah Plain, Wadi Mistal leads through a narrow gap in the mountains to an enormous desert basin. Dotted with acacia and grazed by goats, this basin is bisected by a good paved road that offers spectacular mountain views along its entire length. It makes an ideal spot for a picnic.
At the end of the road, a steep off-road track (4WD only) leads up to the tiny village of Wakan and the popular Walking Route 25.
10.41 MILES
Built on the foundations of a pre-Islamic structure, the towers and entrance of this fort were constructed during the reign of Imam Said Bin Sultan in…
15.61 MILES
Two cannons mark the interior courtyard of this enormous fort – the entrance alone signals its former importance. Built on top of pre-Islamic foundations,…
27.87 MILES
Embellished with stalactites and stalagmites, this is the only cave in Oman developed for tourism and it's something of a gem. Sensitively lit, this…
29.64 MILES
This quirky museum is more open house than historical display. Three ladies accompany guests around their traditional house in the aged and crumbling…
15.26 MILES
Tucked into the unlit and crumbling old quarter of Rustaq, behind the fort, this unique museum is the personal project of the owner, Zakia Al Lamki. Left…
11.09 MILES
This fortified residence has hosted royalty on two occasions in its 300-year history. Now the sensitively restored, mud-brick house has been converted…
20.87 MILES
Marking the highest point along the paved road, this spectacular viewpoint overlooks the full reach of the Hajar mountain range. With little hint of the…
12.23 MILES
This spectacular wadi is a major artery through the mountains and often flows year-round with spring water. It looks particularly gorgeous when mountain…
9.72 MILES
Functioning less as a sight in its own right, picturesque though it may be, this fort as an excellent landmark for the slightly obscure entrance into Wadi…
10.16 MILES
At the first bend in the road that leads through Wadi Bani Kharus from the village of Al Awabi, there's a great slab of smooth pale-grey rock on the…
10.17 MILES
Beyond the date plantations that surround Nakhal Fort, this hot spring emerges from the wadi walls and is directed into a falaj (immigration channel) for…
10.25 MILES
The road through Nakhal, from the fort to Ayn Thawarah hot springs, winds through a dense plantation of dates. Enough light passes through the feathery…
10.41 MILES
Built on the foundations of a pre-Islamic structure, the towers and entrance of this fort were constructed during the reign of Imam Said Bin Sultan in…
10.55 MILES
Famed for its geological interest, this dramatic wadi has only recently become readily accessible to visitors with the construction of a paved road along…
11.02 MILES
An old mosque lies at the heart of this crumbling fortification. Visitors are allowed (with shoes removed) to step into the outer are of the mosque where…
11.09 MILES
This fortified residence has hosted royalty on two occasions in its 300-year history. Now the sensitively restored, mud-brick house has been converted…