Day 2 – Oman: A Summit Camp Experience
On Monday, 06 June, I visited The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. The night before the visit, Suleiman reminded me to wear appropriate clothing or else I will be refused to enter the mosque. Clothing should be modest for both men and women. For women this means an ankle length skirt or trousers, together with a long sleeved and high-necked top. A headscarf is essential for women to cover the hair and décolletage. You will be asked to remove your shoes before entering the mosque. Make sure you have a clean and presentable socks, stockings, or tights.
We arrived at the Grand Mosque at 9 am. The mosque was definitely awe-inspiring. It was decorated with beautiful chandeliers, the largest size being in the centre of the main prayer hall. The floor covered with a beautifully designed carpet covering on the entire floors believed to have taken several years and more than 500 weavers to finish the entire piece. The workmanship is impeccable.
After the mosque visit, I just couldn’t stand the heat that I had to change attire to comfortably continue my long day activity. Our next stop was the well-restored Nakhal Fort. Definitely one of the spectacular Forts I have seen. The Fort is located at the edge of the mountains of Jabal Akhdar and overlooks a vast of palm orchards. We also visited the hot springs, Ain Al Thuwwarah, which is close by the Fort and is frequented by many locals, and popular on weekends/holidays and wintertime.
Bilad Sayt Village
After having lunch in Nakhal town, we continued driving towards the cliff of Jabel Shams (Mountain of the Sun). Thirty minutes later we passed through a scenic mountain route followed, by a road running
along dry wadis of Wadi Bani Awaf. After several miles we saw a junction with the sign of Bilad Sayt. The village of Bilad Sayt has a population with most residents working outside the village. The village is a large oasis at the foot of Jabel Shams. Past the side road to Bilad Sayt is a narrow canyon that leads to Haat, a village with a population of 200 people. Part of the roads was originally mountains that have been cut. During the olden times, donkeys were the only means of transportation.
We continued following the ridge until we reach the pass of Sharaf Alamain, where a new hotel is being built and is overlooking Al Hamra town. From here, to our final destination, Jabel Shams was a good hour. When we got there it was very timely for us to capture a photo shoot of the stunning view of the Grand Canyon. After taking some good photos, we quickly drove to the Resort Camp of Jabel Shams.
Jabel Shams Resort is a camp type lodging. It was originally a tent campsite that turned into a modern camp lodging. It houses a mixed of brick cabin (with private bathroom) and tent lodging (no private toilet), which are both equipped with proper beds. Guests have the option to bring their own cooking equipment, should they opt to prepare their own food over eating at the restaurant. The temperature was around 30ºC when we got there, and towards the evening it went down to 22ºC, a perfect weather to sit in the outdoor area of the camp’s restaurant for an evening meal. I enjoyed the pacific ambiance of the mountain and the cooler temperature it brings.
Jabel Shams is a perfect spot for those who enjoy trekking and climbing (via ferrata – cable) to places like the snake canyon. It is also a perfect place for hiking, mountain biking, and abseiling. And for your information, most of these activities are not conducted during summer periods.
Omanis are known to be hospitable and I was fortunate to not just visit an Omani house but also eat with an Omani family. I am delighted to share this experience in my Day 3 article.
In this article, I am proud to feature Sultanate of Oman Tourism, the gracious sponsor of my visit to Oman. To discover Oman and view a list of major wholesalers in Australia and New Zealand, visit www.tourismoman.com.au
© 2012 by Michelle Riel, retains sole copyright to her contributions to all the contents of this site.
