Jebel Shams, Al Hamra and Misfat

Jebel Shams is Oman's highest mountain, at around 3,000 m, in the Hajar range west of Nizwa. People come for the Wadi Ghul canyon, "Oman's Grand Canyon", whose walls drop more than 1,000 m, and for the Balcony Walk, the country's best-known hike, along the cliff face. On the way up, Al Hamra and Misfat al Abriyeen are two of Oman's finest old villages. The climb starts at Al Hamra, about 200 km and 2.5 hours by road from Muscat airport, and the final stretch needs a 4x4. Allow two nights, between October and April.

From the plain to the summit

The region is best explored from the bottom up. Al Hamra, at the foot of the mountain, is about 40 km north-west of Nizwa and 20 km north of Bahla. Misfat al Abriyeen, in the same wilayat (district), sits higher, at around 900 m. Further on, the Jebel Shams road passes the village of Ghul, then climbs towards the canyon rim: paved for roughly the first half, it ends as a steep, rocky track where a 4x4 is essential. The Jebel Shams Resort, at the end of the main road, is 237 km from the airport and 37 km from Al Hamra. Our Driving in Oman guide covers mountain driving.

Al Hamra, the old mud-brick town

Old Al Hamra is one of the best-preserved old towns in Oman: stony lanes and mud-brick houses tumbling down the hillside to the palm grove. It is more than three centuries old. Unlike most Omani villages, many of its houses have two floors or more, some four, with palm-beam ceilings painted in red ochre and indigo patterns. Most residents moved out in the 1980s to newer houses nearby.

Bait al Safah, midway along the main street, is a 17th-century house restored as a living museum. Local women bake Omani bread, grind coffee and wheat and press moringa oil, while guides from the village explain the house and the traditional dress. Shoes come off at the door, and the visit ends in the majlis, the sitting room, with coffee and dates. The entrance fee is modest. The old town can also be toured by electric cart in 45 minutes.

Misfat al Abriyeen

Misfat al Abriyeen is an oasis village at around 900 m, its ochre stone houses built on the rock above terraced fields. It has lived off its falaj, the irrigation channel that runs below the village, for at least 2,000 years. In 2021 UN Tourism, the World Tourism Organization, named it one of its "Best Tourism Villages", 44 villages in 32 countries.

You leave the car at the parking area at the entrance; a viewpoint a short walk away gives the full picture. A single street climbs the slope, but side lanes, covered passages and stairways lead down to the falaj, lined with bougainvillea and banana plants. You can follow the channel for about a kilometre into a gorge filled with palms and tiny terraces. Above the village, a ruined watchtower is said to be over a thousand years old.

Villagers have restored old houses as guesthouses: in 2021 there were six hotels and heritage houses with more than 70 rooms.

Al Hoota Cave and Wadi Bani Awf

Al Hoota Cave, in Al Hamra wilayat, is a show cave. The one-hour guided tour costs from about €21 per person, and booking is recommended.

Wadi Bani Awf, beyond the cave, is the most dramatic descent in the Western Hajar: a vertiginous track from Sharafat al Alamayn to Awabi, two to three hours by 4x4, that tests even experienced off-road drivers. It is best avoided during or after rain.

The Wadi Ghul canyon

Wadi Nakhr, joined to Wadi Ghul and often called by its name, is "Oman's Grand Canyon". Its sheer walls drop more than 1,000 m. The last few kilometres of the Jebel Shams road give the widest views, with the lone outline of Jebel Misht to the west. Far below lies the village of Nakhr. The Jebel Shams Resort is a few steps from a viewpoint.

At the end of the road, a track of a couple of kilometres leads to the hamlet of Khateem, a handful of houses on the canyon edge. Children sell black-and-red rugs and small items woven from the hair of the mountain goats.

The Balcony Walk

The Balcony Walk starts at Khateem. It is part of route W6, waymarked with red, white and yellow painted flags, and runs halfway up the cliffs of Wadi Nakhr to the abandoned village of As Sab. Allow about three hours there and back; even ten minutes' walk gives a good taste of the scenery. The path hugs the rock face above the drop. Egyptian vultures, with their black-and-white wings, ride the thermals overhead.

Climbers can book a five-hour via ferrata, a route fitted with cables and rungs, from about €134 per person. Our Hiking in the Hajar Mountains guide covers the other trails in the range.

The summit

The main summit of Jebel Shams carries a military radar installation and is closed to the public. The south summit, Qarn al Ghamaydah, at 2,997 m, can be reached on foot by route W4, with views into Wadi Nakhr, Wadi Sahtan and Wadi Bani Awf. Photographing military installations is prohibited in Oman.

What is the weather like on Jebel Shams?

Jebel Shams has no weather station. The reference is the Saiq station, on the Jebel Akhdar plateau in the neighbouring massif, at around 2,000 m. Its average highs range from 15 °C in January to 30 °C in June and July, and the Jebel Shams Resort says winter nights on the canyon rim can drop close to freezing. Al Hamra and Misfat, lower down, are warmer and closer to Nizwa's temperatures. From October to April, days are cool and good for walking; bring warm layers for the evening.

Precautions

• Heat and water. Stick to marked trails: extreme heat has caused deaths from dehydration in Oman. Start early, carry plenty of water and do not hike alone.
• Roads. Mountain roads are dangerous without a well-equipped 4x4, with animals on the road.
• Drones. Flying a drone requires a licence from the Omani authorities. Without one, the drone is confiscated on arrival and offenders face up to a year in prison and a fine of up to OMR 10,000 (Omani rials).
• Travel advice. Your country's advice for Oman appears at the top of this page, and our Oman travel situation guide compares them.

Staying on the mountain

The two hotels in the Sabaro selection are simple, well-placed bases for adventure.

Jebel Shams Resort sits on the canyon rim, a few steps from the viewpoint and close to the start of the Balcony Walk. Its four types of chalet are air-conditioned with private bathrooms; the hotel has a pool, a restaurant with an indoor dining room and a terrace, a coffee lounge, a campfire area and an olive grove. Meals: breakfast 07:00-09:00, lunch 12:00-15:00, dinner 19:00-21:00 local time. Expect from about €145 a night for two with breakfast, possible local taxes extra.

The View is an eco-resort of individual rooms at 1,400 m in the mountains above Al Hamra, 15 minutes from the town and 45 km from Nizwa; the last 4 km are an off-road track that needs a 4x4. The infinity pool is at the top of the hill, and the Falak Spa offers massages and Ayurvedic treatments for guests aged 16 and over. Hikes and bike rides are run with Bike and Hike Oman. Expect from about €360 a night for two with breakfast, possible local taxes extra.

For high-end comfort, see the Jebel Akhdar hotels. Our Mountains page lists them all, and Nizwa, 40 km from Al Hamra, rounds off a stay with its forts.