Wadi Qashea Hiking-Abseiling & Swimming

Day 1: Muscat – Nizwa Fort & Market – Birkat Al Moz – Jabal Akhdar (Green Mountain)

The tour starts in the morning. We’ll drive towards **Nizwa**. Nizwa was the capital of Oman during the Al Yaruba Dynasty. We’ll visit the famous **Nizwa Souq (Market)**, where a wide variety of vendors offer their goods in the streets. Here you can find vegetables, pottery, jewelry, handicrafts, Omani sweets (halwa), spices, and souvenirs, all sold in authentic old market halls that few places can boast. Especially interesting is the Friday cattle market when the locals come to sell their goats, cattle, sheep, and chickens in a circus-style open marketplace.

Next to the Souq is the **Nizwa fort and castle**; the fort was built in 1649 and the castle in 888. The fort is a museum today and offers splendid views of this ancient town and the surrounding mountains. You can walk around in this impressive fort and castle with many passages. The fort is an architectural testimony to the economic and military achievements of the early Yaruba dynasty from the mid-17th century. It was a military stronghold designed to withstand even the strongest of attacks at the time. Even along the corridors, many traps were laid to deter any intruders that might have penetrated the defenses.

After Nizwa, we visit **Birkat Al Moz**. It has a large Falaj system that supplies water to date palms and vegetables for many orchards; it’s listed with the UNESCO organization. It’s worth spending some time walking and discovering the old part of the village.

From Birkat Al Moz, we drive up to **Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountain)**. It’s considered one of the most scenic areas in Oman and is part of the Hajar Mountain Range. Jebel Akhdar is so-called because of the presence of green terraced gardens surrounding the villages. You will proceed to the Saiq Plateau; this place could only be reached by donkey for hundreds of years. A variety of fruits like pomegranates, apricot, apple, olives, grape, rose, peaches, and walnuts are grown here. There are interesting walks in **Wadi Bani Habib**, **Shrejah**, **Al Ain**, and **Al Aqur**.

Overnight: In Jabal Akhdar Hotel

Day 2: Wadi Qashea Hiking, Abseiling & Swimming

Today is an exceptional day; the adventure begins here. We’ll leave the hotel at 05:00 AM in the early morning, heading to the **Al-Russ area** in the Green Mountain. From the Al-Russ area, we start walking down about 700 meters. The path is not bad at the beginning, and then it becomes unclear as we start walking over and between big rocks until we reach the first descent-abseiling in the wadi, which is 45 meters. Then, the second descent-abseiling is 65 meters, followed by continuous descent-abseiling between 10, 20, and 30 meters. Finally, we abseil to the hanging pond with a height of 45 meters.

Immediately after the hanging pond is a 55-meter descent. Then, we walk for 4 km and exit from **Wadi Tanuf**. You will walk between and over rugged and large rocks. The distance from the last abseiling to Wadi Tanuf is 4 km. The total distance from the beginning to the end is 9 km.

Starting Time:
05:00 AM (Day 2)

Difficulty Level:

VERY DIFFICULT

What to Bring:

• Waterproof bag for your snacks you need for the track
• Waterproof strong hiking boots (we always prefer trainers) & some extra clothes
• Waterproof phone cover if you plan to take your phone with you
• Life jacket if you have no swimming experience

Adventure Including:

• Transportation by A/C 4WD
• Abseiling Guide & First Aid
• Private Adventure
• Pick Up & Drop Off
• Accommodation
• Bottle of Water
• Abseiling Tools

Pick up Information:

WE PICK UP TRAVELERS FROM ANY PLACE IN MUSCAT:

• Muscat Harbor (For Shore Excursions Passengers)
• Muscat International Airport
• Residence
• Hotels