Description of the attraction
The deepest canyon in the Middle East and the second deepest in the world after the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA, is located in Oman. Locals call it Wadi Gul, and foreigners call it the Grand Canyon.
It is located near the Jebel Shams peak, the highest peak in Oman (3009 m), which in Russian tradition is called Esh-Sham. This mountain is part of the Hajar Mountains. In principle, it can be climbed on a dirt road by car. The steep road runs parallel to the canyon for some time, so not every driver can handle it. Tourists are usually taken to an observation deck called the Balcony. An abyss opens under it. Far below, machines resembling single-minded insects follow through the wadis, and the rocky slopes of the Hajar Mountains soar above them to the blue sky. You can look down and uncontrollably click the shutter of the camera endlessly.
However, there is one more entertainment awaiting tourists. In the mountains of Oman, there are wild goats that easily find their way in the seemingly impassable heaps of rocks. Their trails have been turned into several trekking routes. The easiest one, called W6, starts from the village of Al Hitaym and leads along the mountain slope to the abandoned village of Sab Bani Khamis. Stone houses are built on mountain ledges, and nearby, right above the cliffs, there are grounds for growing vegetables. Most likely, residents fled their homes due to frequent droughts.
The second route - W4 - leads to the top of Jebel Shams mountain. It is impossible to get there by car, since there is a military base on it. But it's quite possible to walk on foot. The road is difficult and requires serious physical training.
