Mibam waterfall
Reached on foot through the farms.
Christoph Strässler — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Andries Oudshoorn — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Christoph Strässler — CC BY-SA 2.0 · albinfo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dr. Thomas Liptak — CC BY-SA 4.0
A deep, narrow gorge that winds some 36 kilometres through the Eastern Hajar Mountains to the sea at Tiwi, in the wilayat of Sur. Water runs in its upper reaches all year, and falaj channels carry it to the palm groves and terraced gardens of five small oases, home to over 600 people. People have lived here for at least a thousand years. In the 14th century Ibn Battuta praised a village near Qalhat that he called Tibi, probably Tiwi, as one of the most beautiful of villages, with running water and many orchards, sending fruit to Qalhat and bananas to Hormuz. Bananas still thrive: a study published in 2015 found seven varieties on the wadi's roughly 100 hectares of terraced farmland. A narrow road climbs about 10 kilometres up the wadi, squeezing between old houses at Harat Bidah, to the farming village of Mibam. Lower down, shallow pools among the boulders are good for a dip. From Mibam a path follows the falaj down through the farms to a waterfall; below it, ropes and emerald pools lead on down the canyon. Signposts mark the E35, a strenuous two-day trek over the mountains to Wadi Bani Khalid. The turn-off is at Tiwi on the Muscat-Sur coastal highway, about 2 kilometres from Wadi Shab and 40 kilometres north-west of Sur. The upper road is steep, so most visitor guides advise a four-wheel drive. These are lived-in villages: dress modestly, swim covered up and park without blocking lanes. Stay away when rain is forecast, as flash floods can rise fast.
Reached on foot through the farms.
Seven varieties on old terraces.
A dip among the boulders.
Tiwi, Wilayat of Sur, off the Muscat-Sur coastal highway
The road is narrow, with very steep, tight bends in its upper part. Most visitor guides advise a four-wheel drive for the climb to Mibam, though one recent guide says it is paved throughout and locals drive it in ordinary cars; the lower wadi and its first pools are easy in any car.
Yes, on the E35, a strenuous trail of about 28 km over the Selma Plateau that tops out near 2,150 metres; most hikers camp on the way and take two days. Waymarks are hard to spot in places, so go with a guide.
