Jabal Al Akhdar, the "Green Mountain"

Up until a few years ago entry to the Jabal Al Akhdar, the “Green Mountain,” was forbidden to foreigners, and access to the areas of military importance is still limited, but investments in infrastructure for the local inhabitants paved the way for the introduction of facilities and accommodations for tourists.

If you visit in winter you should take warm clothing with you; you might even encounter snow, but in the furnace of the Omani summer, it has a pleasant Mediterranean climate. Grapes, peaches, pomegranates - fruits which otherwise cannot be found in the country - flourish in the temperate climate. The region is above all famous for its roses, from the petals of which rosewater is distilled in late April and May.

A walk through the terraced fields along the narrow walls of the aflaj is certainly an experience never to be forgotten. A fantastic view over the surrounding mountains opens up before you, giving you an instructive insight into the life of the people in this remote region. These walks should best be taken with a guide who knows the area. He will know not only the people but also the paths along the steep slopes, with their often deep abysses. As elsewhere it is expected of foreigners that they dress properly and return greetings that are offered them.

➤ more pictures of the western Hajar Mountains

➤ Overnight in the Western Hajar mountains