1 December 2023 / leggypeggy

Whaddya do? We went to a wadi

hikes, Madventure, Muscat, scenery, wadi

The start of the walk at Wadi al Shab

We spend a lot to time on the bus for this overland, so it’s always great to get out for a stretch and a hike. A couple of days ago, on the way to Muscat in Oman, we stopped at Wadi al Shab.

This picturesque valley is super popular with locals and tourists—the parking lot was packed. The adventure starts with a 5-minute boat ride across the narrow river that runs through the wadi.

I have to admire the people who set up the boat trip. It costs 1 Omani rial for a return trip. That’s about A$4. A lifejacket (totally unnecessary) costs another rial. The boats vary in size, but given that there were 18 people on the boat back, I reckon they’re making a killing.

A small boat is chugging along behind the lotuses

The clear waters of Wadi al Shab

Anyway, the wadi has swimming holes and a cave with a waterfall at the end of the trail, but to get there you have to walk about 50 minutes over a rocky path, through lush greenery and between towering cliffs.

I gave up at about the 40-minute point. We had been warned that, towards the end of the valley, the path becomes wet and slippery. That was true, and I don’t need to ‘enjoy’ Arabia with a broken leg or ankle. Of course, Poor John and almost everyone on the bus went the whole way.

This is where i stopped. Notice the overhang, the narrowness of the path and the black tubes

Some went swimming, ignoring the advice that women should remain fully clothed. That’s not swimming. That’s what you wear when you fall overboard.

Before hiking, Poor John and I stopped for lunch at the café near the boats. Because of the prime location, we expected the place to be expensive and have mediocre food. Wrong on both counts. The sandwiches were cheap and delicious.

A great place for a hike

I rather wished I’d bought a non-alcoholic beer, but later was glad I hadn’t. Nothing like seeing another woman traipse off the path trying, unsuccessfully, to find a secluded spot to have a piddle. She should have used the free public toilets near the entrance. I can hear my mother say, ‘never miss an opportunity’.