6 epic experiences to have in Oman’s Hajar Mountains

The incredible Hajar Mountains is a place of variety in terms of unique landscape, as well as what you can do there. Oman’s most prominent mountain stretch spans an impressive 600km long. Traditional irrigation methods remain intact to water crops ranging from rose to pomegranate. A walk in the mountains takes you past villages dating as far back as 500 years, walk through at a slow pace to relish the history or go high-impact and climb rock faces.

A guided tour is probably the best way to explore the mountain ranges quaint lost villages, as most guides will either have generations in their family who lived there and so can share generations-old stories handed down to them, or they will know of families who did. Well worth visiting and staying in is Al Suwjara, a historical village that has been converted into a guesthouse by the local mountain folk. If you book a room there, your bags will be transported to you via a handy zipline so you will feel what it is like to be in a community at one with the rugged mountainous vista and all that brings with it. You will get the chance to sleep in a room embedded into the mountain, a novel way to spend the night and a traditional Omani breakfast will be served when you wake up. This is just the beginning, however, as there are so many other ancient mountain villages to see, from Wakan with its apricot blossoms to Birkat al Mouz, Al Aqar, Al Ain and Ash Shirayjah.

The majestic mountains of Oman are home to some of the most beautiful Damask roses around. Be sure to visit during the rose season which starts from March and ends around the end of April when the Damask roses proudly bloom, filling the air with a sweet musky aroma. The annual Damask rose season in Jabal al Akhdar draws thousands of visitors every year to discover the locals’ trick to making their pure rose water, which is used in everything from coffee to beauty products. You can go on a tour to see how rose water is produced in the traditional distilleries. The journey begins with picking the sweet-smelling flowers to them being smoked and finally the rose water extracted, where you can buy some to take home straight from the producer. Learn from locals how the rose water can heal the skin, hair and even digestion.

The mountains of Oman are home to the highest via ferrata in the Middle East, each of which offers bird’s-eye views of the craggy cliffs beneath. Via ferrata translates to ‘iron road’ in Italian and is essentially a combination of steel cables that wrap around the mountainside. They originated in Italy when, during the First World War, they played an important role moving goods and intimidating attackers. But few places can match the spectacular routes you can take in Oman, giving you epic ways to see Jebel Shams and the country’s other peaks from a completely new and thrilling perspective. All levels of ability can tackle the via ferrata, where climbers must attach themselves to the cables using a sturdy waist harness and trusty carabiner clips. If you feel wobbly when you begin, that soon fades once the adrenaline kicks in and you are free as a bird looking out over Wadi Ghul (Oman’s answer to the Grand Canyon) or going along the tightrope cable bridge across the opening of a cave. Take a while to feel the mountain range and why not enjoy a picnic on the plateau before going back.

Head to Al Hoota cave, named after the village it is found within to see the surreal stalactites and stalagmites up close. The cave stretches across 5km underground, although you can only go as far as 860m until you hit the Cave Lake where you will see the rare ‘pink fish’, so transparent you can see the fish’s skeleton. Majilis Al Jinn cave, also known as the Salma Plateau, is considered one of the biggest underground caves in the world, expanding 58,000 sq m, although from the outside it would be unimaginable, with just three small openings leading to it in the mountain face. You’d need to be pretty fit to tackle the 1,300m of mountain terrain to reach the mouth of this charismatic cave, before you spectacularly descend into it via a rope system. They say the best places are the hardest to reach and this is certainly a case in point.

There are numerous ways to climb this imposing mountainous landscape which sits 2,000m above sea level and looks out across the canyons and gorges of the stunning Hajar Mountains. You may decide to follow the paths at a slow pace or try your hand at freestyle rock climbing, secured with a harness and carabiner. If you’d rather more security, try the via ferrata course on top of the mountain where you are attached the whole time to the via ferrata, allowing you to focus a little more on the epic rocky views that revolve around you in every direction. You may also decide to have a go on the Jabal Activity Wall. In all instances, a guide is recommended both for safety as well as insider knowledge as to which route is best, not forgetting the intimate tales of traditional mountain life in-between.

One of the most beautiful aspects of the agriculture in the Hajar Mountains region is the fact that the locals have kept to using an age-old traditional method to irrigate the crops, called the falaj system. This intricate network of channels takes water from underground aquifers which then weaves its way to the farms and villages situated in the mountains. The canals are opened periodically at different times of the day ensuring the fair distribution of water. This ordered network of waterways has enabled agriculture to thrive in the region, where peaches, figs, olives, pomegranates, olives and more sustain the locals. You can book on a tour of some of the crops to learn more about their farming techniques, as well as garner a glimpse into local daily life, no doubt with some tastings along the way.