in the Sultanate of Oman Jenny Walker and Sam Owen
Published with the support and encouragement of
Introduction Published by Motivate Publishing Dubai: PO B 2331, Db, UAE T: (+971 4) 282 4060, : (+971 4) 282 0428 -: b@. .bb. .bb.
O 508, B N 8, Db M C, C, Db, UAE T: (+971 4) 390 3550, : (+971 4) 390 4845 Abu Dhabi: PO B 43072, Ab Db, UAE T: (+971 2) 677 2005, : (+971 2) 677 0124 London: A H, 11/15 W R, L NW1 3ER -: @.
D:
Ob H A T I F
C E: D E: A E: A D: D:
D S M N Z P A W C F
G M B: J G Pb C: J B F b 2007 F : T O - b W B A A W S. B : A A B. B. T : A – b b – W W Hj Hj.. © M Pb J W S O, 2007 © P J W S O
A . N b b ( b ) . A ’ b b b. I I C A 1956 UAE F C L N 40 1992, b b .
ISBN: 978 1 86063 164 1 B Lb C--Pb D. A b b B Lb. P b b R P, UAE
OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
Contents U B. K M . . F . . . . I . . O- D
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6 6 8 9 10
M A S A Rq . . M A Rq . . . . . . . . M R T Nz . . . . Nz A Jb A . . . . . Nz R T Jb S . . M R T S Ib . S R T M . . .
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14 22 36 50 58 66 78
M R T Y . . . . . . . . M R T Q S . . R Sq (A Sq S)
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90 96 116
The Routes: Northern Oman 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
F-F D . . . . O D H . . . . R A . . . . . T B . . G K . . . . . . R B . . . . . G R B . .
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The Routes: Eastern Oman 8 9 10
T Khawr T . . . . W W. . . . . . B--S T . .
.. .. ..
The Routes: Central and Southern Oman 11 12 13 14 15
J T M . . S U . . . . E E . . . . . . . . B M . . . . . . . . I T’ T’ F . . . .
M S C R H R T J . . S R T (E) . . . . S R T (W (W) ) . . . . S M . . . . . . . .
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126 142 152 160 164
Special-interest Boxes R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 R 5 R 6 R 7 R 8 R 9 R 9 R 10 R 11 R 12 R 13 R 14 R 15
F O . . . . . . . . D H .. .. .. O E . . . . . . . . R W . . . . . . . . . C W Jb S Sb’ E V? . . . . Sb’ G R B . . . . B M O . . . . T Falaj S .. .. .. T T . . . . . . . . O- S . . . . . S G . . . . . . . . . T O . . . . . . . . . . B O . . . . . . . . F . . . . . . . . Wb – A S . .
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16 35 40 56 63 68 85 95 99 107 121 131 145 154 163 171
Ab A A . . G . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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174 176 177
OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
Details of Routes The Routes: Northern Oman 1 Five-Forts Drive Muscat to as sawaDi via ar rustaq L 1 M B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 H 50 44 B N . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 H 40 S s L 2 B t r L 3 N A Rq . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 H 55 S o F L 4 A Rq A Hz W Hq . . 2 H 70 44 L 5 A Hz A S . . . . . . . . . . 1 H 55 S 2 one Day Honey Muscat to ar rustaq M N . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 H 85 S s L 1 M t . . . . . . . . 3 H 120 44 n L 2 N W M . . a l L 3 W W M W B A . . . . . . . 1 H 40 44 p L 4 W B A A Rq W S 4 H 95 44 3 rock ock anD anD awe Muscat rounD trip via nizwa L 1 M Nz W W Fj. . . . . . . 3 H 160 44 s k L 2 Nz A B H . . . . . . . . . . 4 H 95 44 c o 110 44 r L 3 A B A Ab W B K . . . 4 H L 4 A Ab M W Ab . . . . 2 H 130 44 4 top o F tHe Beanstalk nizwa to al JaBal al akHDar L 1 Nz Sq P. . . . . . . . . . . 2 H 70 44 t i u L 2 L Sq P . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 H 60 44 r F L 3 U Sq P . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 H 75 44 5 Get k notteD notteD nizwa rounD trip via JaBal sHaMs L 1 Nz T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 H 35 44/S s L 2 T A H . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 H 55 44 t F . . . . . . . . 2 H 50 44 a L 3 A H Jb S . . r 35 S c L 4 Jb S Jb . . . . . . . . . . . 1 H L 5 Jb Nz M . . . . . . . . . 1 H 60 44/S 6 raininG Bones Muscat rounD trip via soHar anD iBri L 1 M M . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 H 10 S . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 H 230 S s L 2 M S . D . . . . . . 2 H 140 44/S n L 3 S Yq W Hb . . e G L 4 Yq Yq Ib W D . . . . . . . . 2 H 110 44 e l L 5 Ib W A B . . . . . . . . 2 H 70 44 L 6 B B (W A) M S B 6 H 400 44 7 GoinG rounD tHe BenD soHar rounD trip via MusanDaM L 1 S Kb . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 H 400 S e L 2 Kb K Nj . . . . . . . . . . 2 H 30 44 l p o L 3 K Nj Jb H. . . . . . . . . 2 H 50 44 e p L 4 Jb H A R B . . . . . . 3 H 30 44 L 5 A R B S . . . . . . . . . 4 H 230 44 Times and distances quoted for each leg are approximate and allow for a little time of your own.
A word of caution: off-roading can be dangerous and heavy rain, rain , roadworks and other factors can quickly quic kly change the landscape of a route. While the authors and publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of information, they cannot be held responsible for any claim arising from its use.
OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
14 14 17 18 19 21 22 22 25 28 32 36 36 40 45 48 50 52 53 56 58 58 60 62 63 64 66 66 69 71 72 73 75 78 80 82 85 87 88
Details of Routes The Routes: Eastern Oman 8
tHe K hawr Muscat rounD trip via yiti 90 hawr tour L 1 A A B . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 H 20 S 90 . . . . . . . . . . 1 H 20 S 93 s L 2 B A Q . . D r Y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 H 45 44/S 93 i L 3 A Q Y B L 4 Y Y A S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 H 80 44/S 94 L 5 Y Y M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 H 75 44 95 9 wet anD wilD Muscat rounD trip via qurayyat anD sur 96 L 1 M Q W Mj. . . . . . 2 H 120 44/S 98 L 2 Q A Mz W 40 44/S 98 W Dq . . . . 2 H . . 3 H 35 44 101 r L 3 A Mz Dbb W Ab . e t L 4 Dbb S W Sb W T . . 4 H 110 44 104 a w L 5 S A K R H. . . . . . . 6 H 250 44 106 L 6 A K Ib W Kbb . . . . 6 H 310 44 110 B A Sq T A J . . . . . . 4 H 75 44 112 10 Bucket-anD-spaDe tour riMal asH sHarqiyaH (asH sHarqiyaH sanDs) 116 L 1 Ib A R C. . . . . . . . . . . 1 H 55 44 116 D L 2 A R C A S . . . . . . 5 H 220 44 119 n a 210 44 120 s L 3 A S K . . . . . . . 8 H L 4 K Ib . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 H 240 44/S 124
The Routes: Central And Southern Oman 11 s l l e H
s 12 x y r
o 13 s G u
B 14 B
o J 15 y r o t s i
H
Journey oF a tHousanD Miles Muscat to salalaH via coastal roaD L 1 A B P H Hjj . . . . . . . . 4 H 380 L 2 S T M I . . . . . . . . 12 H 260 L 3 Hjj A Dq . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 H 290 L 4 A Dq T A S 12 H 820 L 5 T S W Db . . . . 8 H 450 searcHinG earcHinG For For unicorns HayMa rounD trip via Jaaluni L 1 H J . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 H 120 L 2 J A Dq . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 H 170 L 3 A Dq H W S. . . . . 6 H 290 east oF eDen salalaH rounD trip (east) L 1 S S Jb S . . . . . . . . . . 2 H 85 L 2 Jb S W Db . . . . . . . . 1 H 45 L 3 W Db S A Rz . . . . 2 H 120 BarkinG MaD salalaH rounD trip (west) L 1 S S Jb’ Jb’ Tb . . . . . . . . . . . 3 H 90 L 2 Jb’ Jb’ Tb S . . . . . . . . . . . 2 H 60 in tHesiGer’s Footsteps salalaH to Muscat L 1 S R A M . . . . . 3 H 120 L 2 R R M . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 H 115 L 3 M S E Q . . . . 6 H 170 L 4 S M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 H 1,040
126 S 126 44/S 128 44/S 130 44/S 134 44 139 142 44 142 S 146 44 146 152 44 152 S 156 44 158 160 44 160 44 162 164 44 164 44 168 44 169 44 171
OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
Using this Book T b b . . S ’ . O , q. T 15 O. W , – , , . I ’ , b . F . E b , . I ’ ’ ’ , . Y -
( b ), 44 . T b b j j. T . T b . I’ b j b I’ . T , , GPS . A , - O - . T b, b b . F , - . M - .
Key to Maps Dual carriageway
Airport
Tarred road
Campsite
Good quality dirt road
Aqueduct
Track
Final copy etc to Poor quality track be done.
Walking trail
Fort Petrol station
Plantation
Mosque
Village
Viewpoint
Roundabout
Settlement
Khawr or
pool
Point of interest
Power station
The maps in this guide book are not an authority on international boundaries. Please note the English spelling of all place names in this book conforms to the standards of the National Survey Authority of Oman. The English spelling of place names on signposts often varies from one signpost to the next.
OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
Map of Oman 7
Khasab
Ras al Khaymah Daba Umm al Qiwayn Ash Sharjah Madha
ARABIAN GULF
Dubai
Al Fujayrah
GULF OF OMAN
Abu Dhabi
Al Buraymi
Sohar Juzor ad Daymaniyat
Al Ain
As Seeb Yanqul 1 Barka 8 Ar Rustaq Muscat Nakhal 2 Ibri Qurayyat 4 Nizwa Izki Bahla 6 3 Ibra 5
UNITED ARAB EMIRA EMIRATES TES
Al Mudaybi Adam Al Kamil
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
Sur 9
Al Ghabah
THE EMPTY QUARTER (AR RUB AL KHALI)
Hijj Sarab
Masirah Island
10
Hayma Ad Duqm
Dawkah
12
11A
Marmul Thumrayt Juzor al Hallaniyat REPUBLIC OF YEMEN
11B
14
Sadah Salalah Mirbat 13
ARABIAN SEA
The number on the corner of each positioning grid indicates the route illustrated. 0
15
This map is not an authority on international boundaries.
50
100 km
KILOMETRES
OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
Foreword
T
O 1970 H Mj, S Qb b S, b . W O , , , Q’ b . C b , . E b b . W , b O b j b , b . I b . I z b . O O’ 21 b O . T b - , O’ . I , b H Mj’ . M M,, , , O’ b .
OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
E q . T - . T S O 15 - b. T , J W S O, O, b ’ b . A , b . Xavier Hay, Vice President Middle East and Africa Eurocopter
Introduction
D
, . T , b , . M, - z. T b . T O . T b b O . Y , , ’ b. I
. T q q b - , b --- . F , O b b . I b, , b - - . T 15 b b b , khors khors,, . I ’ b b q ’ ’ b . Jenny Walker and Sam Owen
OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
Off-road driving
O
- b . M . L , , b -. O, , ’ . I b . T - b b, ’ , GSM , , , ( !), b b . B . W ,
, , - O ’ . A 15 b b , ’ 44 - . W’ q : “C I – I’ ?” T b – b ’ . T ’ b. F ; b – b 44 .
Essential Equipment : I’ ‘ b, ’ b ’ , q b :
Filling up with petrol in parts of Oman can be a challenge: the best advice is to top up at each petrol station in case there’s no petrol at the next garage.
10
OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
Off-road driving • • • • • • • • • •
•
•
M, b GPS. W . A 10 . D : : . A j, j, , . A , b j. S (2 - - - ). A sabkha . C . T . I , b b j . A : . D - ’ . Mq , D khareef .
Navigation: T ’ b b, ’ . C ’ b – b, b , , . H : • I ’ , b , . L L b zb . • T B B b . I . I , b . • M ( E Q) E Ab. D’ b , , b . . • P b .
• P b : , b . I , (R 12) b - .
Mountain Driving: T b . T q 3,000 . I , b : • E . E , b q - -.. T 44 A Jb A (R 4). • D’ . I b, b j b . • A , .
Sand Driving: T ! H ‘’’: • P . • G . • C R Sq (A Sq S) (R 10) E Q (R 15) ’ . • P : , . • D b . • Rb . • K b b . • S , . Y Y b b b . • H b (R 10). OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
11
Off-road driving
One man’s camping equipment is another man’s road hazard.
A ‘’’: • D’ . • D’ . W , . • D’ – j .. L , b . • D’ ’ / . W .
Sb Driving: I’ , ’ ! Sabkha . I b , . I b . I sabkha sabkha,, , b :
Glorious mud! mud! Nothing quite quite like it for cooling the engine.
1
OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
• S . • I ’ , , . W .
Off-road driving • C sabkha sabkha.. I sabkha b, . • I sabkha ( B H, R 10), b. • I sabkha sabkha,, j b. T .
Coastal Driving: O , b ’ b . I , ’ b ; , ’ b, - (R 9). T , , b (R 10 11), : • O ’ . • F . • D’ . • C b . • I - - b . I b, ’ .
Fording Water: M O . T , ’ A Hj M (R 1–9). T b : • A . • Rb b : b . • M bb
. B - . • A ; ’, . . • Ob : : -, b . I , ’ , .
Hazards: Y b . Y b -. B , D khareef .
Refuelling: P O. I b, ’ b . H : • D’ . • Y ’ – S ( R 11): . • B : , . • Y b B: ( b ). L, ’ -, ’ ‘’ . M , - . T , R 1 R 8, b . M , j . OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
1
Route 1
Five-Forts Drive
E
n h l Omn nn fl n h h bly hll pmny h n: n, nlng h n y y,, mblng ffn, h m hn ,000 f n l n Omn n f p. Th , hh lnk f f Omn’ m mmbl f, n h n f bn n f fn, k y n h h f h fl Al Bnh Pln, p h lg f h mnn n bk gn hgh n f h m bl, fl n Omn.
IN BRIEF Muscat FINISHING POINT: As Sawadi DISTANCE: Approximately 270 km TIME REQUIRED : Full day C ATEGORY: Partly tarmac and partly easy, off-road, wadi driving. HIGHLIGHTS: Five spectacular forts, sandy beaches, the coastal plain contrasted with dramatic mountain cliffs, hot springs, plantations, a fertile wadi with all-year-round water, active falaj falaj .. . . and a spot of fort counting. STARTING
POINT:
How to get there Leg 1 Muscat to Barka: Dng p Hghy fm M Bk jy n n gh: flnk by lm-gn nm , ng-flng n hg f p n bgnll f mh f h y, h m lk lnl gn hn Omn’ b hghy. T h m f h hghlgh f h Bk, z y m h Ap Rnb, n lk f h pl f mn Omn’ Omn’ fnng fh
n h lf 7.8 km, h bfl m m f h Ryl G 6.3 km, h Sln’ ny lng p Sln’ 26 km, n gn ff p p n n h gh 27.8 km. On h gh 29.3 km h ppl An Nm Gn. Dn’ b mp p f pn y ll n mk n h f h . If y n’ fny gng ff- h ly n h p, y n n p h Bk Rnb Rn b
Unkempt and unvisited, Sur ar Rumays is one of a legion of forts to discover off-road in Oman.
14
OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
Muscat to As Sawadi via Ar Rustaq t u o s b e a t a d D n u o R
r n e i o t w o a P t S N A M O F O F L U G
a k r a B
t u o b a d t n a u c s o u R M t r d o n p r a i A o T
t u o a b k a r a d B n u o R
i d a w a S s A
L A H K A N L A B A J
2 h e a t w u u o R B o e T e S
l a h k a N
3 1 y a w h g i H
H A H T R A A W N Y U A H T NI
1 y a w h ig H A L P H
3 1 y a w h g i H
A NI T A B L A
s r t 7 a e h u o o d R n S a o e 6 T e S
1 1 y a w h g i H
2 9 5 2 5 2 5 5 6 8 8 1 7 7 9 3 9 9 2 2 5 . . . . . . . 1 0 9 5 6 5 7 1 9 1 0 2 3 4 8 5 7 5 7 5 7 5 7 5 7 5 7 5 E E E E E E E 2 8 6 3 8 2 4 5 6 1 9 7 4 8 3 3 1 2 9 5 4 . . . . . . . S 1 4 1 4 2 4 5 2 5 2 3 3 3 4 T 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 N N N N N N N N I y O t t y r a P u o n i o F Y b s H i a y i A d n d a h a a c W n a u m B w n e i o u b a o S i d R R t a r e c s s h n e a t W t j A t u a r u o o r o T o - T D S T T F 1
2
. y s t i e r i o r a h t d u n a u o n b a l t a o n n o s i t i p a r a n t m e n s i i h n T o
3
4
5
6
7
m z a H l A
n y l a A q w a H
1 1 y a w h g i H
t u o e b u a L N Y q s d A o n I A u Q M D o A W R A W H
t u o b a d n u o 3 R 1 y q a w a t s h u i g R H r A n q a a t t 2 h s a e u t S u R s o r a i R A d e a e S W i r o b I T
m k 5 1
0 1
0 S E R T E M O L I K
L L 2 A e T t S I u o M R I e D e A S W
S U R 3 A e H t K I u o N R A e B e I S D i A b a W w A l A
F W 2 A e I t N u o A R B I e e D S A W
o T
OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
15
Route 1
Five-Forts Drive FORTS OF OMAN
You don’t need the Five-Forts Drive to see one, You nor do you need to be a military historian to understand the place of the fort in Omani culture. Take a look at any government building, queue for the public phone or pay with a halfrial note, and you’ll notice they all give homage to the same architectural feature. Forts crop up across the Arab World, from the great crusader castles such as the Crak de Chevalier in Syria, to the mud ruins of Diriyah in Saudi Arabia. But they don’t invade the living consciousness of a country quite as noticeably as in Oman. Fortifications, be it a sur , or simple walled enclosure such as Sur ar Rumays, or a grand edifice like the fort at Nakhal, have a longer lineage on this soil than the country itself. Some, such as Ar Rustaq Fort, partly predate Islam. Erected by local tribes to protect trade routes from the interior, or, as in the case of the fort at Barka, built to withstand marauding forces from the sea, they have been part and parcel of the birth of a nation. They have also prominently featured in the country’s rebirth: in 1976, at the same time that hospitals, schools and roads were being developed, the ambitious fortrestoration programme undertaken by the Ministry of National Culture and Heritage formed a linchpin of Oman’s Renaissance. Fort restoration may be a dying skill in Oman (many
16
OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
restorers have to be brought in from abroad), but the need to save these landmarks for posterity is very much alive. Take the on-going Bahla project, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: this is the fort’s fourth makeover, following follow ing restoration in the 9th, 17th and 19th centuries. So what is an Omani fort? It is a military structure designed, like the imposing Al Hazm Fort (illustrated above) to protect a community – unlike a castle (such as Bayt an Naaman (Numan) in Barka) which is primarily a fortified private residence. As such, the fort is a piece of civic pride: a symbol of a community’s independence and interdependence – something the Portuguese Portu guese failed to appreciate when they conquered Muscat with Forts Al Mirani, Al Jalali and Mutrah but failed to conquer the people within. What should you look for in a fort? Think boiling cauldrons of honey, hinged over doorways; spiked doors to repel battering; round towers to deflect cannon balls, falaj falaj in in case of a siege . . . but most of all, enjoy the view from the battlements. For more on forts, see Dinteman, Walter (1993), Forts of Oman (Motivate Oman (Motivate Publishing, Dubai).
Muscat to As Sawadi via Ar Rustaq n k p h fm lg . If y n h f f f f, h, h, 30.8 km n gh h D Rnb WP1: N23 41.352 E58 01.952, gnp An Nm Gn. Tn mmly lf Bk n kp plll h hghy nl 34.2 km; n gh f h pyln, j bf Mn Omn bky. Tn gh gn 34.8 km, n kp gh y fll h hgh h llg. A 35.3 km n lf h -jnn pp n hy n 36.4 km n gh n m gh k: y’ll S Rmy F WP2: N23 41.368 E57 59.369 n fn f y. If y g l n zgzggng hgh h llg, j lk f h f’ mblng nln h fp. Wh mk h pl f h lly n, nn b, n – py mh nl n f, xp by h gzng g. I php ll h m f h n fll f p nghl b f . Y n gng h : kp h f n y gh n h nh-, ng h lf f ply fm. Fk lf 37.7 km. Mny k mn hgh h ln: y mng f h p n y lf n m plly h mll m n fn f . H n h m h h p n n y gh n 4.3 km, n gh h -jnn WP3: N23 42.116 E57 56.985. A 42.5 km k mll n h . Th g bh f nh kn f f bl: h gh b. Appnly h b h h bgg n f ly – n p h. Wh png, h k h p f nly n f h b mplly h hp f h bh. Bk n h , nn Bk f 5 km. Y’ll p hgh n l plnn; lk mny lng h Al Bnh C ffng fm lny f
Master castle builders busy on Barka Beach.
h l, b f n fh g. Th nx f f lm h n n h gh. Unl f gnl ,, Bk F mk h n f h Pn pn n Omn: n 747 Pn g n bn g m hn hy bgn f – nlng n-y k . P h f n y gh, n k h nx lf, gnp M n Sh. Lk f hp llng halwa: Bk fm f Omn’ nnl ly, m f g ( mm ), h h, p n . Leg 2 Barka to Nakhal: A h Bk Rnb, z y m gn n k Hghy 3 Nkhl n A R. h’ n h A 3.5 km n h gh, h’ fm. If h m lk n gh y, l n h bn nxp n h y f f bl hn ppnly h m h hl f h Abn Pnnl. Ang n 8hny ll n h gn, h gl p f h ng h l nh n “l h fb n h ng f Chn”. If nh y m y bl, h j h h ll ll ’ bm. Th nhng ll b h y h pln n n h mnn Nkhl. Jbl Nkhl (,588 m) mk nng OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
17
Route 1
Five-Forts Drive
fm h plnn b n f h, nnhl mghy, mghy, f: 25 km ’ j bl, flng bn plm n mnn ll. A 29.4 km n lf f Nkhl: h f nmbl n h gh 30.9 km. If y gng xpl h n f nly n f, h 7h-ny nn pbbly h n h. Th nnng fm h blmn h j h pm pn h f mmn. En h hgh f mm, bz h pln n n h n f h majlis h p f h f, mkng blmy pl f f mn bf gng l n h y bk n. J p h f, 3.6 km, h’ h’ gh fk Ayn h Thh hh h mmn’ . Inn ll n n b- y p hy
flh hgh h plnn f bnn, ppy, n lm. Th h png h n f h (33.6 km) ppl ll pn p n h’ gnlly lln f by, g n Mf bl flng bnh h h f . If ppng n’ ppl, y h gg ll-p n h f n, bf hng bk Hghy 3. Leg 3 Nakhal to Ar Rustaq: A h Nkhl Jnn n Hghy 3, z y m m n m y n lf A R. Th g n n h Al Hj Mnn n h f h ng, n hy n ll b fm h p f Hghy 3. Th f (W Mll 5.2 km n W Bn Kh 34. km) nlly l-- b h h, 40.5 km, h mpn hghf f
The stately Nakhal Fort, with its finely restored interior, lies at the junction of plain and mountain. The view from the ramparts is well worth the climb.
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OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
Muscat to As Sawadi via Ar Rustaq W Bn Af. Af. All h h mk xng n pl hlf- fll-y ff xn ( R 2 n 3). In, f y fny xnng h n p n n ngh, y l mbn h R 2 n mp n W Shn. A h 47.5 km, gng ph f mz n nn, gnl h pph A R. Th bn n, h bn mnn n pln by mhng f nbl lng Omn’ pl, lb bfly, n h 7h ny. Tn lf A R Rnb (5.5 km) f fh f f h p n fll h n h n, nng lf h mll nb 55.3 km. Th g ngl pl h p n y lf bk p-Ilm m; xn n h 7h n 9h n; n n h Jbl W f 950, n h n mn l nl h 970. I h ll, f nly m h m blmn. Th mb, h png n by mk n A R f y h m xpl. Leg 4 Ar Rustaq to Al Hazm via Wadi al Rnb Hawqayn: Rn A R Rnb n g gh n Hghy . If y ‘n ’ f h F-F D hn h h m mk n f . Hgh y ll k y ly bk Hghy . If, n h h hn, y’ gm f h fll f nln, h lng Hghy f 3. km, n lf A R’ Gn M f Ib, n fll p Omn Ol. Th k W Shn ( R 2) mg fm h lf 8.6 km. Af 6 km, n gh f W Bn Hnyy (j bf h bg) WP4: N23 25.293 E57 17.982, z y m n lp n n h g bm. Th l W l Hyn. Af 2 km y’ll h f gln f f bn f. Wh hng b hnl b hng, h n n h hll m pply h n
h pl n gh n h ml f h WP5: N23 25.978 E57 19.215 m l hn f ( bx n f f h ffn). Wh hy’ ll, n h l fnn hy gl lk bnh ff p n h n bly phgn. Smll ph l n h plnn ffng glmp f lf n h plm. In m-Ag, hn h y f hng, gn bnh f n yll f hng lk p f n n h h ll . Th p hgh hll pl f n lmb h lf bnk f h 8.8 km, p m hp n n h ll h 9 km n h llg f A n Nzh. A 0.7 km, p h lm h -bn n h bl n, .5 km, lng h gh
Ar Rustaq Fort, at a crossroads to the interior, interior, guards ancient trade routes and hot springs. OFF-ROAD IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
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