Wadi Bani Khalid
Wadi Bani Khalid
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  • Dyena Mugen
    Sydney, Australia97 contributions
    Juxtaposition of two scenic landscapes: valley and desert
    Had an amazing experience in the wadi where the water was clear and the temperature was just right! It was about a 15 minute walk from the car park with children. The walk isn’t hard but can be slippery and challenging when you’re walking in flip flops. I’ve read blogs and have seen pictures of people wearing one piece swimmers but in reality you should be covered modestly (mid torso - arms, shoulders, thighs) otherwise you won’t be let in. We left early in the morning from Muscat and arrived 11am. It became super busy around 12pm onwards (parking was a nightmare when we left). While we were there, tourists and locals were taking advantage of the great weather and picnicking around the wadi. There is a place to buy food however we just carried some small snacks along with us. Our tour guide told us that if it rained, it was unlikely we were able get to the wadi as the road becomes flooded and not accessible! In fact, people who live in the area are usually trapped in their homes during wet weathers. Overall, it was truly a beautiful place to visit and the experience was very unique! One thing we were surprised about is feeling and seeing little fishes pecking our skin in the wadi. It was certainly a strange sensation, getting nibbled on by sea creatures whilst frolicking in the water.
    Visited January 2022
    Traveled with family
    Written January 9, 2022
  • Philip_Bolster
    Groningen, The Netherlands806 contributions
    Refreshing swim
    Swimming in the wadi is a nice experience. To get there please do not rely on google maps which directs you to the left shortly before arrival to a road that cannot be used with a normal car. Just follow the surfaced road till the end and you will find sufficient parking spots. After parking the car follow the path to the large waterhole and continue at the right to the cave. After 5 minutes you will find smaller waterholes which are less crowded.
    Visited February 2020
    Traveled with family
    Written March 1, 2020
  • Cheryl G
    Ottawa, Canada140 contributions
    Beautiful spot but very busy
    Wow, definitely a beautiful spot and worth the visit! But extremely busy to the point that it was tough to really enjoy it. We did a picnic lunch on the lower pool but my recommendation to you would be to climb and head back to the upper pools to get away from the crowds. Wish I had done that! Ended up not swimming due to time limitations but would love to have done so (despite the restrictions on what I would have had to wear) -- again, in the upper pools. The lower pool was very busy. Worth the stop. If you have the time, there is a road on the right hand side as you leave the Wadi that leads through a small village then up up up the mountain. At the top, there are FANTASTIC views of the wadi. Loved the advantages of having a guide to show you secret places like this! Enjoy!
    Visited February 2020
    Written February 20, 2020
  • Peter M
    Vienna, Austria154 contributions
    Nice, but crowded.
    Its quite a trip to go there. The landscape is really great, but I was there on a Friday and it was totally crowded. I arrived at around 11:30 AM and the parking space was filled with about 300 cars. The landscape is really nice but I didn't want to swim there with hundreds of other people. Should be there early in the morning. There are smaller wadis with almost no people around.
    Visited December 2019
    Written January 24, 2020
  • Kimia Khaneghah
    Dubai, United Arab Emirates46 contributions
    Beautiful Nature
    The Wadi is amazing. Its desert meets tropical climate meets fresh water meets mountains. Really nice temperature to swim in as well. Even in the summer months! What I don't see here is guidance that the water is actually quite deep. Reaching over 3 meters at some points so recommended that you are a decent swimmer.
    Visited April 2022
    Written May 4, 2022
  • Howarth S
    Worcestershire, United Kingdom544 contributions
    Photogenic scenery
    Wonderful water colours in this wadi. Also lots of fish, beetles, water weed and snails. Lovely temperature. Take shorts and tshirts if you are female for swimming. Another 15 min walk from the first wadi takes you to a second one with an entrance to a cave system.
    Visited January 2020
    Written January 11, 2020
  • khadooja
    Muscat, Oman34 contributions
    A Must in Oman
    A Must when in Oman, its beautiful with so much to do. you can walk around the rocks, swim in the pools, get into a narrow cave with water inside. for day/night tours in Oman you can contract Khadija on +968 79102401
    Visited January 2022
    Written January 8, 2022
  • Brun066
    Florence, Italy12,000 contributions
    An attraction not to be missed for those in the vicinity of Al Kamil.
    Compared to other wadis of the Hajar mountains (for example Wadi Shab), Wadi Bani Khalid has a more fancy look; in the sense that the lower part of it, closer to the paved roads, has an almost busy public park appearance (even if the running water is obviously of natural origin). In the lower part of the wadi, the waters are contained in a basin of placid water, due to its width tending to be stagnant in some corners. On the other hand, it is equipped with picnic areas, romantic bridges and other architectural elements. However, going up the gorge the canyon becomes rougher, although it can be traveled without particular difficulties (however, it is not allowed to people with reduced mobility). You walk along a path partly dug into the rock (but still not exposed), or you can choose to dive into the natural pools, featuring green waters, which fill the white limestone basins. The temperature is pleasant for swimming, even in the cooler months. Proceeding further, we arrive at a point where the valley widens, and therefore instead of the flow of water, its bottom is largely occupied by a dry and pebbly expanse, which is, among other things, a picnic spot, more secluded than that of the lower wadi course. As I understand it, further on is the so-called Moqal Cave; when you don't even want to face the crossing of the eastern Hajar Mountains, which after almost thirty Kms and two days leads to Tiwi, on the northern coast. But that was not our purpose. Overall, Wadi Bani Khalid, even if in my opinion it is less glamorous than Wadi Shab, is still a must-see attraction for those who are (or pass by) in the vicinity of Al Kamil town.
    Visited January 2023
    Written February 16, 2023
  • pizote67
    Sondrio, Italy439 contributions
    Nice wadi experience
    We arrived around 10am and took an easy hike (10min) to the second pool (the first one you need to wear long swimsuit). We relaxed and swam for half an hour with nodoby else around. The water is pretty warm in April. Nice wadi experience.
    Visited April 2022
    Written April 25, 2022
  • wadi shab Local Tour Guide 🇴🇲
    Tiwi, Oman25 contributions
    Wadi bani Khalid
    n 🇴🇲 ahmedWe Guide you in wadi bani khalid, so nice and exelante cave and Adventure, with good resturant in the leak (pool) with good food. For book your Adventure just whatsapp 0096892114171 omawadishabresort@gmail.com
    Visited March 2020
    Traveled solo
    Written March 8, 2020
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

4.5
853 reviews
Excellent
489
Very good
286
Average
61
Poor
11
Terrible
6

Peter M
Vienna, Austria154 contributions
Dec 2019
Its quite a trip to go there. The landscape is really great, but I was there on a Friday and it was totally crowded. I arrived at around 11:30 AM and the parking space was filled with about 300 cars. The landscape is really nice but I didn't want to swim there with hundreds of other people. Should be there early in the morning. There are smaller wadis with almost no people around.
Written January 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kimia Khaneghah
Dubai, United Arab Emirates46 contributions
Apr 2022
The Wadi is amazing. Its desert meets tropical climate meets fresh water meets mountains. Really nice temperature to swim in as well. Even in the summer months! What I don't see here is guidance that the water is actually quite deep. Reaching over 3 meters at some points so recommended that you are a decent swimmer.
Written May 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Howarth S
Worcestershire, UK544 contributions
Jan 2020
Wonderful water colours in this wadi. Also lots of fish, beetles, water weed and snails. Lovely temperature. Take shorts and tshirts if you are female for swimming. Another 15 min walk from the first wadi takes you to a second one with an entrance to a cave system.
Written January 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

khadooja
Muscat, Oman34 contributions
Jan 2022
A Must when in Oman, its beautiful with so much to do. you can walk around the rocks, swim in the pools, get into a narrow cave with water inside.

for day/night tours in Oman you can contract Khadija on +968 79102401
Written January 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brun066
Florence, Italy12,000 contributions
Jan 2023
Compared to other wadis of the Hajar mountains (for example Wadi Shab), Wadi Bani Khalid has a more fancy look; in the sense that the lower part of it, closer to the paved roads, has an almost busy public park appearance (even if the running water is obviously of natural origin).
In the lower part of the wadi, the waters are contained in a basin of placid water, due to its width tending to be stagnant in some corners. On the other hand, it is equipped with picnic areas, romantic bridges and other architectural elements.
However, going up the gorge the canyon becomes rougher, although it can be traveled without particular difficulties (however, it is not allowed to people with reduced mobility). You walk along a path partly dug into the rock (but still not exposed), or you can choose to dive into the natural pools, featuring green waters, which fill the white limestone basins. The temperature is pleasant for swimming, even in the cooler months.
Proceeding further, we arrive at a point where the valley widens, and therefore instead of the flow of water, its bottom is largely occupied by a dry and pebbly expanse, which is, among other things, a picnic spot, more secluded than that of the lower wadi course.
As I understand it, further on is the so-called Moqal Cave; when you don't even want to face the crossing of the eastern Hajar Mountains, which after almost thirty Kms and two days leads to Tiwi, on the northern coast. But that was not our purpose.
Overall, Wadi Bani Khalid, even if in my opinion it is less glamorous than Wadi Shab, is still a must-see attraction for those who are (or pass by) in the vicinity of Al Kamil town.
Written February 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

pizote67
Sondrio, Italy439 contributions
Apr 2022
We arrived around 10am and took an easy hike (10min) to the second pool (the first one you need to wear long swimsuit). We relaxed and swam for half an hour with nodoby else around. The water is pretty warm in April.
Nice wadi experience.
Written April 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

wadi shab Local Tour Guide 🇴🇲
Tiwi, Oman25 contributions
Mar 2020 • Solo
n 🇴🇲 ahmedWe Guide you in wadi bani khalid, so nice and exelante cave and Adventure, with good resturant in the leak (pool) with good food. For book your Adventure just whatsapp 0096892114171 omawadishabresort@gmail.com
Written March 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kamila N
94 contributions
Dec 2019
Krásná příroda, čistá voda ale hodně lidí.
Beautiful place, clear water but many visitors there.
Parking OK.
Toiliets - yes, traditional
Restaurant - yes,but crowded
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AHR
1 contribution
Jan 2020 • Family
The view was perfect ,and our driver @101bader was friendly, chatty , nice and understandable. He took us to the desert and lots more places. But wadi bani Khalid and the desert were the best. He was like A brother to us.
Written January 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alex S
East Kilbride, UK49 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
Great spot well worth a visit. If you go I’d use walking shoes or boots till you get to the spot your happy with and change into flip flops there. There is a cafe doing a small but good selection of food and toilets. Be prepared to do a little climbing, nothing hard. If your visiting the cave take a head torch. If you forget there is sometimes a young man renting them, after school and weekends. Getting into the cave will require you to crawl the first few feet but it opens up after that and you can stand. There is a dress code for all who are swimming.
Written February 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Wadi Bani Khalid (Al Kamil Wal Wafi) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

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Wadi Bani Khalid Information

Excellent Reviews489
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