Wadi Shab

Wadi Shab is one of the most beautiful places I've seen in Oman (or anywhere, for that matter!).  A wadi is a riverbed that is dry for at least part of the year.  We crossed the wadi entrance by boat, walked on white gravel under tall palm trees, scrambled over boulders, then eventually swam across three pools of water before arriving at a cave at the end (about 2 hrs one-way).  We left Claire behind, hiking and swimming in with Ethan and friends Ed and Uschi who came over from Doha.  Sami, a local 16-yr-old, accompanied us and served as unofficial tour guide.

 

 

 

These young Omanis waited for us to walk by so they could show off their cliff jumping skills Acapulco-style!

Felaj irrigation system waters the local plantations

The first of three pools.  Unfortunately, this is where we had to leave the camera behind.  We swam around the corner, across another pool, then into the last pool, where we swam through a ravine with just enough space to keep our heads above water.  It opened into a cave with a waterfall, where David, Ed and Sami climbed up and jumped from cliff walls.  Ethan loved floating around the pools in his life jacket!

 

David, Ethan, Uschi, Ed, & Sami. After the hike, Sami invited us to his home on the cliff at the entrance of Wadi Shab.  He offered us fruit & halwa (traditional Omani sweet) and gave Ethan a blue headdress as a gift.