Day 4: Wadi Ash Shab and Al Wasil Desert
The Wadi Ash Shab is great to drive to during the morning.
We had a few hungry fans of goats when we went to the Wadi Shab. To get to the Wadi Shab, you have to park then get on a boat to the other side. The boat ride is 1 OMR (2.44 euros, $2.60, and 2.41 CHF). If you want you can pay for a tour guide to take you on the trail to the Wadi and back. It was easy to go on the hike towards the Wadi on your own.
There is a path that is easy to follow. I would recommend that you wear shoes that have a great grip because some areas are slippery. I saw people with sandals and yes, they are fine but if you are someone who is more on the clumsy side I do not recommend wearing them. I would say take a pair of swimming shows in your waterproof bag and change when you get to the beginning of the Wadi Shab.
On the hike to the Wadi Shab, you can see the irrigation system. I would say do not touch the irrigation system because it is still used as a source of water in particular areas. Be careful and try to avoid touching down inside it. It is really fascinating to watch especially if you see it being used by the locals. While we were on our hike to the Wadi we saw a local with a donkey transporting some type of plant. The hike takes about an hour and a half or less depending on your speed and if you stop to take pictures. We spent the time going to the Wadi stopping to admire the area and take pictures. On the way back, we focused on heading back to the boat dock, so it was faster coming back. The 1 OMR that you pay at the beginning is for the boat ride going and coming back.
After the Wadi Ash Shab, we headed towards the Al Wasil Desert. We stayed in the desert at a camp, so we were able to park our rental car and get a ride to the desert. I would recommend spending at least a day at a camp. The camp offers a full experience of activities such as dune bashing, sand boarding, quad biking, star gazing, and more. Addition to the activities, the camp offered hospitality by providing an area to have date fruits, tea, and coffee. The owners at the camp made us feel like we were at home. The camp also provided both dinner and breakfast. The best thing about the camp that we selected was that after dinner, all the lights were cut off and we star gazed for an hour or so. The view of the sky was amazing, if only the camera could capture what our eyes could see. Added remark is that even though the desert is hot during the night it gets cool during the night, I would suggest taking a warm sweater or blanket for your shoulders to keep you warm.
Click the link to view the camp we stayed at: Camp in Oman Desert (this link is not affiliation of any sort) If you want to see the sunrise in the desert, you may want to get up at 5- 5:30 am and go up to the desert by 6 am to make it to see the sunrise. Remember that during this time it is still cool outside. You may want to put a jacket or sweater on or take it up with you.
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