In a few days, we will be saying goodbye to the gruelling summer. Dhofar will say farewell to its beautiful Serb season, the season that follows Khareef, and into the winter we go.
And Oman, while absent of snow, is a winter wonderland [in the desert kind of sense]. For a lot of people, especially those flying to the country, winter will become synonymous with wadi-hopping.
Winter is therefore the season of the wadis. There is no better place in the world to embark on a wadi-hopping adventure than Oman and depending on your physical strength and gusto, there will always be a wadi for you.
To start off, to get a sense of what makes a wadi, venturing into Wadi Qurai will definitely be a welcome treat for beginners. It’s the right kind of wadi that showcase what to expect in more gruelling wadis like Umq Baer. It’s not only easy but walking through one of the best falaj systems in Oman and then being rewarded by a beautiful waterfall, in the end, will immerse you into the adventure.
If you drive two hours from Muscat towards Dima W’attayeen, its warm springs will be worth the hike.
If a three-hour drive is not too much for you, then Wadi Bani Khalid is the perfect escape for families with lots of shaded areas, it’s the kind of wadi that will be apt for you if you want something predictable and safer.
Of course, you can’t skip Wadi Shab and Wadi al Arbiyeen, both popular destinations not only because of their proximity and the diversity of activities they offer. From beautiful waterfalls to scenic hiking spots, exploration will require a certain fitness level but the sweats and tiredness will be rewarded handsomely by the different pools that wait for you at the end.
Of all the wadis, my personal favourite is Wadi Mibam. This for me is a paradise with majestic pools hidden between two amazing cliffs. From the cascading waterfall to climbing down the rock to swimming in refreshing water all doable within an hour, you’ll see us often visiting this place.
This winter is an exciting one. Which wadi are you planning to explore next?
