The Jebel Shams are unlike anything we've seen before and were a short trip from Muscat. To access the area you should use a 4x4 vehicle but it may be worthwhile to get an expert guide so you can truly enjoy the scenery. Bring good food, snacks and water if you plan to visit here and don't go after the rains or if there is rain in the forecast because the conditions could change quickly and the roads are not that great.

An excellent walk which really isn’t dangerous in any way. Good views of the canyon and seeing the abandoned homes at the end was fascinating. How did they manage to live there? 4km each way. Took us 2 hours in total but we were rushing a bit due to setting off later in the afternoon and wanted to get back before the sun set. The afternoon is a good time to go as you are then walking in the shade.

We did not arrive at Jebel Shams until late afternoon as we were on a tight schedule. We wound our way up the mountain to Oman's highest mountain, (Mountain of the Sun; 3009m), which is best known for the view into the 'take your breath away' deep Wadi Ghul lying alongside it. There were only a couple of people there (camping right on the edge) so we and the goats really had the place to ourselves. The view was vast and deep and then we got to see the sunset which was just beautiful. If we had had more time we would have done the Balcony walk, and maybe even have found accommodation up in that area but time was so limited.

So glad we “gambled” and risked travelling on the 8km unpaved section of road, which, trust me CAN be driven on carefully if you only have a 2WD vehicle. The end result is a geographical and geological marvel which really does in my opinion rival places like the Colca Canyon in Peru and the Grand Canyon in the USA. We stopped 3km before the road ends at Wadi Ghul, so we could walk and check out a couple of viewpoints without the crowds which was a good thing to do. Then, we followed the trail down. Me stopping half way as I suffer from vertigo, but my wife skipped along the whole mountain path and saw some amazing views. This is a must do and I hope dear reader you do as I doubt you will be disappointed.

It's called the Grand Canyon of Oman and while a bit smaller than the real thing, the canyon is beautiful and worth a trip to see. We booked a day trip to the Nizwa Fort and Jebel Shams with Oman Raw Explorer through instagram (@oman_raw_explorer). Abdullah, our guide, planned our day so that we got to the fort by late morning, with plenty of time to explore it and the souk as well, and then we at Jebel Shams and were hiking the rim when the sun was just right, not shading the canyon. I would rate it a moderate hike. It took us about 2.5 hours to do the full hike (about 9km or 5.6 miles) but we did one section pretty quickly, so it could take up to 3 hours. It's worth the time as the views are gorgeous.

Amazing place to be , more than photoshoot, plan for a stop over in tent or either of 3 resort option, let the place settle in. Carry food water and garbage bags. Salon car can make it, ensure to use low gear mode for better control both up and down hill, try not to speed up more than 20 kmp/h as u will only end up burning breaks. Nature at its best at 2000 mtrs above sea level

Beautiful part of Oman. Worth the drive from Muscat, or easy enough to add as part of a road trip (as we did). If you're into hiking, this is your spot. We hiked the Balcony Walk and really enjoyed it. We carried our toddler in a backpack carrier and it was easy enough. Just bring everything you need if you do that hike (or any others), as there aren't really any facilities near the hikes: food, water, and sun protection.