Joanna James
The mountainous terrain of Oman has garnered the interest of many enthusiastic rock climbers, popularising the nation as a top rock climbing destination. Listed are some awesome sites.
This can be your first experience of rock climbing in Oman. The Wall is, in fact, the only indoor rock gym in the Sultanate. This will be the best place to scope out some experienced guides for your outdoor rock climbing tours as well as get a hint of heights waiting to be scaled. The place offers a good range of rock climbing equipment and is a good place to meet up with enthusiastic fellow rock climbers. Best days are Tuesdays and Sundays 6 to 8 pm when you get to meet up with locals and discuss the best sites for scaling the heights.
The 5 o'clock rock is a slice of limestone located towards the top of Al Amerat Road leading towards Wadi Adai. The rock is a 5-minute trek from the main road and can be trekked or reached in a 4X4 which is easier than hauling the gear yourself. You can drive the vehicle right up to one of the 4 sports routes which start at the base of the rock. Interestingly each of these routes is named after an African Dance popularised in the 1960's by the name of Kwassa Kwassa; this is due to the little jig one needs to endeavour when reaching the rocks summit.
Enjoy the newest rage in mountaineering – Deep Water Soloing (DWS) at Qantab; popularised as a method of uniting man, sea and mountain this type of sport climbing is popular in places like north Thailand. At Qantab the overhang navigation to the right end of the beach is an open area that allows you to warm up for the impending craggy climb to the top. The public overhang area above the beach is quite crowded on weekends; as such expect some loud cheering from over enthusiastic holidaymakers. Plunging into the sea from this overhang is quite a thrill and you can enlist the aid of a fishing boat to take you to the remaining 9 other spots. The cliffs facing the open seas, however, must be avoided as they are home to hornets nests, and do not offer a local welcome or cheer.
Just an hour of driving into the countryside from the "trafficy" confines of Muscat will take you into totally isolated realms. Nestled within this solitary environ is Khubrah Canyon offering one a rush of ecstasy in the thought of being totally isolated. There is, of course, a helicopter rescue service that will reach you in around 10 hours. The experience here is unbounded and you are treated to various skill levels of climbing. The terrain is ruggedly handsome with excellent weather conditions during the winter months. There are 20 equipped routes as well as non-equipped routes; the choice of difficulty is yours.
Located at an altitude of 1,500 metres, Hadash promises stupendous views of the region. Enjoy gorgeous views of Wadi Mistal, cool mountain breezes and pre-permian limestone rock to climb. Now if climbing is your passion why not seek out Oman luxury resorts that take you to grand new heights! An interesting point to make note of is the highest level resort in the Arab Nation is located in Oman; the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort. This hotel sits at a height of 2,000 metres above sea level on the country's legendary Green Mountain. As for Hadash; the rock is home to a number of equipped sports climb trails; popular points being Sulfurase Crag, the Wall With Roofs, the Black Crag and the Pit.
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