# Hiking in the Hajar mountains: Jebel Shams, Jebel Akhdar and the Balcony Walk

The Hajar mountains of northern Oman offer the country's finest hiking, from October to April. The best-known route is the Balcony Walk (trail W6) on Jebel Shams, about 3 hours there and back along a canyon a kilometre deep; on Jebel Akhdar, you walk among the terraced villages of the Saiq plateau at around 2,000 m. Trails are waymarked but unprotected, and winter nights can be cold.

Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/guides/randonnee-hajar/

The Hajar are the great mountain range of northern Oman. Two massifs, about two hours' drive from Muscat, offer most of the hiking: **Jebel Shams**, the country's highest mountain, and **Jebel Akhdar**, the "Green Mountain", with its farmed plateau at 2,000 metres. Trails are waymarked with **red, white and yellow** painted flags and numbered (W4, W6 and so on).

## Jebel Shams and the Balcony Walk

Jebel Shams rises to about **3,000 m**: according to Oman's Ministry of Foreign Affairs it is the highest peak on the Arabian Peninsula (Rough Guides gives 3,005 m). It towers over Wadi Nakhr, a gorge often called the "Grand Canyon of Oman".

### The Balcony Walk (trail W6)

This is probably the most famous hike in the country. The trail starts from the hamlet of **Khateem**, a couple of kilometres along a track beyond Jebel Shams Resort, and follows the cliffs halfway up the side of Wadi Nakhr to the **abandoned village of As Sab**. The cliffs are nearly a kilometre high, the village of Nakhr sits far below, and Egyptian vultures circle overhead.

- **Time**: about **3 hours there and back**.
- **Terrain**: a cliffside path, with a sheer drop along much of the way.
- **Short version**: even ten minutes' walk from Khateem gives you the first views.

### The south summit (trail W4)

The main summit, topped by a radar dome, is a closed military zone. Trail W4 leads to the **south summit, Qarn al Ghamaydah (2,997 m)**, with views over Wadi Nakhr, Wadi Sahtan and Wadi Bani Awf.

### Around Jebel Shams

- **Misfat al Abriyeen**, at 900 m, is a village of mud and stone houses watered by a falaj (a traditional irrigation channel) more than 2,000 years old.
- **Al Hamra**, at the foot of the mountain, has an old quarter of mud houses two to four storeys high.
- **Via ferrata**: a 5-hour guided outing costs from about €134 per person.

Our [Jebel Shams](/en/oman/jebel-shams/) page covers places to stay, including [Jebel Shams Resort](/en/hotels/jebel-shams-resort/), at the end of the summit road, and [The View](/en/hotels/the-view-al-hamra/).

## Jebel Akhdar

Jebel Akhdar is a massif of plateaus and gorges whose heart, the **Saiq plateau**, lies at around **2,000 m** (the weather station is at 1,997 m). Walks here lead through terraced fields, orchards and aflaj, the irrigation channels of which five have been UNESCO World Heritage sites since 2006.

- **The rose gardens** of the terraced villages bloom from late March to early May: see [rose season on Jebel Akhdar](/en/events/roses-jebel-akhdar/).
- **Via ferrata**: a 2-hour guided outing costs from about €100 per person; a 3-hour via ferrata and hike around the village of Sharaijah costs about €115 for a group of up to three.
- **Day trip** from Muscat: about €117 per person.

The Jebel Akhdar road is closed to ordinary cars: a police checkpoint at the foot of the climb, near Birkat al Mouz, only lets 4WD vehicles through. Our guide to [driving in Oman](/en/guides/conduire-oman/) explains the rules. Hotels on the plateau, including [Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar](/en/hotels/anantara-al-jabal-al-akhdar/), [Alila Jabal Akhdar](/en/hotels/alila-jabal-akhdar/) and [Sahab Resort](/en/hotels/sahab-resort-spa/), are on our [Jebel Akhdar](/en/oman/jebel-akhdar/) page.

## Wakan and Balad Sayt, on the Batinah side

On the northern side of the range, facing the Batinah coast, two villages draw hikers:

- **Wakan**, at up to 2,000 m, which the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism counts among the most beautiful mountain villages in Oman, with old mountain paths now used by hikers all year round;
- **Balad Sayt**, famous for its farming terraces and the paths that loop around the village; getting there takes a 4WD and experience of mountain driving.

See our [Batinah](/en/oman/batinah/) page.

## When to go

The season runs from **October to April**. Readings from the Saiq station give an idea of conditions in the high mountains (highs: 1991-2020 normals; lows and records: readings from 1979 to 1990):

| Month | Average high | Average low | Lowest recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| November | 18.5 °C | 7°C | -1.2°C |
| December | 16 °C | 5°C | -2.6°C |
| January | 15 °C | 4°C | -3.6°C |
| February | 17 °C | 6°C | -3.0°C |
| March | 20 °C | 9.5°C | 1.4°C |
| April | 24 °C | 13°C | 2.3°C |

In midwinter, bring a warm jacket and layers: there can be frost at night, and Jebel Shams is a thousand metres higher than Saiq. In summer the mountains remain bearable (highs of 27 to 30 °C at Saiq), but the valleys and foothills become scorching: the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) notes that extreme heat has caused deaths from dehydration in Oman.

## Safety

- **Unprotected paths.** The Auswärtiges Amt, Germany's foreign office, warns that most mountain and wadi paths have no safety features, and that a small slip in the wrong place can be fatal. It advises going with a tour operator, or at least in a group.
- **Stick to marked trails**, says the FCDO.
- **Altitude.** The FCDO also flags a risk of altitude sickness in parts of Oman, notably on Jebel Shams at around 3,000 m.
- **Water and phone.** For mountain trips, the FCDO recommends carrying a supply of water and a phone, and leaving your plans with someone at home.
- **Rain.** From October to March, heavy rain can turn a gully into a torrent: keep out of gorges and wadis when heavy rain is forecast. See our guide to [wadis, swimming and flash floods](/en/guides/wadis-oman/).
- **Emergency services** are on **9999**; in remote areas they can take several hours to arrive.

## On your own or with a guide

The Balcony Walk is clearly waymarked, and its starting point at Khateem is reached by 4WD. For the south summit, longer routes and the via ferrata, a local guide brings knowledge of the terrain and the day's weather, which is also Germany's advice for any mountain outing.

## Frequently asked questions

### How long is the Balcony Walk?

About 3 hours there and back, from Khateem to the abandoned village of As Sab. The trail, W6, is waymarked in red, white and yellow.

### Can you climb to the summit of Jebel Shams?

The main summit, at about 3,000 m, is a closed military zone. Trail W4 leads to the south summit, Qarn al Ghamaydah, at 2,997 m.

### When is the best time to hike in the Hajar?

October to April. In winter, highs at Saiq are 15 to 17 °C and there can be frost at night, so pack warm clothes.

### Do I need a 4WD to hike on Jebel Shams?

Yes, for the last stretch of road, a steep and rocky track. On Jebel Akhdar, a 4WD is compulsory from the police checkpoint at the foot of the climb.

### Is hiking in the Hajar dangerous?

Trails are waymarked but unprotected, often along sheer drops. Stay on the route, start early with enough water, go in a group, and avoid gorges on days of heavy rain.