Terraced orchards
Pomegranate, apricot, rose.
dconvertini — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Andries Oudshoorn — CC BY-SA 2.0 · dconvertini — CC BY-SA 4.0 · dconvertini — CC BY-SA 4.0 · albinfo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Christopher Harriot from Penang, Malaysia — CC BY 2.0 · Ekrem Canli — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Andries Oudshoorn — CC BY-SA 2.0
A range of the Hajar Mountains in Ad Dakhiliyah governorate, about 80 kilometres long and 32 wide, rising to over 3,000 metres and taking in the Saiq Plateau at about 2,000 metres. It lies about 150 kilometres from Muscat. Jebel Akhdar, «the Green Mountain», is famous for its maze of wadis and terraced orchards carved into the slopes, where pomegranates, apricots and the roses distilled into Omani rose water grow, thanks to a mild, almost Mediterranean climate and around 300 millimetres of rain a year on the heights. Traditional villages such as Al Ayn, Al Aqr and Wadi Bani Habib cling to the edges of the wadis, with footpaths running past terraces and falaj channels, and viewpoints look over plunging gorges, especially at sunset. Going up the mountain is free, but the road is steep and only four-wheel-drive vehicles are allowed up. Rose season is in spring, summers are mild on the plateau and winters are cold, so bring warm clothes.
Pomegranate, apricot, rose.
In spring.
On the wadi edges.
Ad Dakhiliyah, about 150 km from Muscat
No, only four-wheel-drive vehicles are allowed up, as the road is very steep.