Wadi Bani Kharus

Oman


Famed for its geological interest, this dramatic wadi has only recently become readily accessible to visitors with the construction of a paved road along the entire length of the wadi bottom. The entrance of the wadi is marked by a small, restored fort, Al Awabi Castle, from where the road leads towards the village of Al Aliya, 24km into the heart of the mountains. The whole road makes for a fascinating drive.

A number of pretty mountain settlements are dotted along the length of the wadi, including Stal village with its terraced fields; Sana village with its market gardens anchored to the rock by retaining walls, and Ain Karfas, which features an ancient aqueduct. At Al Markh, there's a pair of venerable old houses that have towered over the plantations for centuries and are much photographed today – to see them, you have to park and walk down into the wadi bottom.


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1. Petroglyphs

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At the first bend in the road that leads through Wadi Bani Kharus from the village of Al Awabi, there's a great slab of smooth pale-grey rock on the…

2. Al Awabi Castle

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Functioning less as a sight in its own right, picturesque though it may be, this fort as an excellent landmark for the slightly obscure entrance into Wadi…

3. Wadi Bani Awf

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This spectacular wadi is a major artery through the mountains and often flows year-round with spring water. It looks particularly gorgeous when mountain…

4. Thorn Tree Copse

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Where the paved road through Wadi Bani Awf ends, a magnificent stand of trees comes into view. These are Ziziphus spina christi, or 'Christ thorn trees' –…

5. Rock Arch

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Referred to locally as a rock arch, this striking natural feature is in fact a fissure in the cliff. There is just enough space at the bottom of the crack…

6. Qasra Museum

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Tucked into the unlit and crumbling old quarter of Rustaq, behind the fort, this unique museum is the personal project of the owner, Zakia Al Lamki. Left…

7. Rustaq Fort

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Two cannons mark the interior courtyard of this enormous fort – the entrance alone signals its former importance. Built on top of pre-Islamic foundations,…

8. Hatt

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This traditional mountain village is something of a landmark along the remote off-road route from Wadi Bani Awf to Sharfat Al Alamayn. With the most…