Western Hajar Mountains

Spanning north eastern Oman and the eastern United Arab Emirates are the Al Hajar Mountains, the highest mountain range in the eastern Arabian Peninsula. Separating the low coastal plain of Oman from the high desert plateau, this diverse landscape leads to many stunning views.

The mountains themselves are rich in plant life, with vegetation changing as you venture up to around 2,000 metres above sea level. At lower levels lie shrubbery, which grows richer and becomes woodland higher up, with fig and olive trees scattered along the paths. A number of birds, lizards, butterflies and mammals may also be spotted along the mountain range, giving trekkers opportunity to learn new, sometime endemic species such as the Oman Rock Gecko. There are 11 marked trails of varying intensity and duration along the Hajar Mountain range, giving explorers of all backgrounds the exciting opportunity of viewing such incredible scenery.

Thrillseekers can experience the Via Ferrata, scaling the mountain face linked up with a safety harness to the steel cable embedded into the rocks. A spectacular way to appreciate the surroundings!

Culturally there are several heritage sites to visit in the Jabal Akhdar region including Nizwa Fort, Jabreen Castle and UNESCO-protected Bahla Fort. From the end of March, visitors can also see the glorious Damask Roses cover the mountains with the harvest beginning in April. Thought to have been originally brought in from Persia, the roses are harvested by the local villagers to produce the highly prized Omani rose water.

Venturing up to this area of Oman is a must and can be done in a day trip from Muscat, however we strongly recommend a stay up here of at least three nights.